Behind every successful business lies a digital marketing strategy that has helped it achieve its goals. Take Netflix, for example: its unique tone of voice on Twitter and guerrilla marketing tactics for launches are all aimed at positioning the brand as disruptive, approachable, and fun.
Thanks to Netflix’s clear and consistent brand identity, along with its collaborations with other brands for advertising campaigns, the streaming platform boasts over 70 million active monthly users—and that number continues to grow.
There are countless examples like Netflix that showcase the critical role marketing plays in a company’s success. That’s why having skilled professionals in this field is increasingly vital for any business.
This growing need for qualified talent has resulted in a surge of educational offerings, including courses, certifications, workshops, and boot camps designed to build digital marketing skills. But how do you choose the best option? The key lies in understanding the difference between learning and training.
Learning involves acquiring knowledge and general information to gain a broad understanding of a topic. Training, on the other hand, focuses on developing specific skills for a defined area.
In marketing, you could read all the books written by renowned authors and understand every industry term. However, if you don’t know how to apply that knowledge in real-world scenarios, you won’t achieve the results you’re aiming for.
Marketing education: what’s the best approach?
While learning in any form is valuable, the fast-paced world of marketing requires practical skills that can be applied right away. Having a strong theoretical foundation is important, but focusing on hands-on experience is what truly makes the difference.
By adopting this practical focus in marketing training, individuals can develop skills that go beyond theory and are applicable in real-world scenarios. This approach fosters continuous improvement and allows for real-time market adaptation.
Learning through tactical execution to transform teams
One of the biggest challenges in marketing training is that learning is often seen as just studying, when it should be all about hands-on practice.
A soccer player doesn’t succeed by memorizing the rules of the game; they excel by perfecting every move through practice and mastering the ball. Similarly, marketing education should be viewed through a lens of learning by doing.
The best way to develop this approach is by encouraging experimentation and analyzing results through practical, example-based learning. This model is widely utilized in bootcamps, which are designed to train individuals in specific skills over a short period of time.
Key differences between learning and training
While both terms involve gaining knowledge or skills, their main differences lie in their focus, purpose, and context. Here’s a breakdown:
1. Focus and goal
The purpose of learning is to encourage intellectual, personal, or professional growth through a broad, ongoing process. On the other hand, training focuses on building practical skills and knowledge to improve performance in a specific area.
For example, reading books on psychology to understand human behavior is a learning process without an immediate or specific objective. On the other hand, taking a course on specific software to use it efficiently at work is a training process.
2. Purpose
Learning aims to promote well-rounded growth, often without a specific goal, driven by curiosity and the desire for knowledge. Training, however, has a clear purpose, usually tied to improving job performance or preparing for a professional challenge.
For instance, learning to play a musical instrument is typically pursued as a hobby or to develop a new skill, while taking a course on negotiation techniques is often driven by the need to handle client interactions effectively at work.
3. Formal and informal contexts
Learning happens in all kinds of settings—like chatting with someone, reading a book, or watching a tutorial online. Training, on the other hand, usually takes place in more formal, structured environments like courses, seminars, or workshops.
Talking to someone from another country or traveling abroad offers an informal way to learn about a new culture. In contrast, attending a workshop on corporate protocol in the Asian market provides formal training that helps you build strong relationships within that culture.
4. Duration and process
Learning is often a long-term, continuous process with no clear endpoint, while training has a defined duration and is aimed at achieving a specific result.
We continue learning throughout our lives, but we train during specific periods when we aim for professional growth or need to tackle new challenges that require improved skills.
5. Practical application
The key difference between learning and training is how you put what you’ve gained into action. Learning is usually curiosity-driven, with no rush to apply it right away. Training, on the other hand, is all about practicality—it’s designed to equip you with actionable skills you can use immediately in your professional role.
6. Self-directed learning vs. guided training
Learning is often a self-directed process, allowing individuals to decide what to learn, how to do it, and at what pace. For instance, using a language-learning app is a form of self-guided learning where you control how much time you dedicate to it.
Training, on the other hand, comes with the support of a qualified instructor who follows a structured curriculum and guides the entire process in a more organized way.
Understanding these differences highlights why companies should invest in marketing training when looking to enhance their team’s skills. Identifying the areas that need improvement is key to selecting the right course, bootcamp, or workshop that meets your organization’s needs.
With professional guidance in a short-term, practical training program, businesses can see a quick return on investment as employees apply their new skills in real-time.
Sí Señora’s bootcamps are specifically designed to help individuals adapt to a competitive and ever-changing environment. If you’re looking for a learning method that can transform your processes, you’re in the right place.
