1

LearningResourcesNetworkReportstoRun

Successfullifelonglearningprogramsmakedata‐drivendecisions,thustheyneedtobecollecting,analyzing,andreportingontherightstudent/participantregistrationdata,course/eventprogrammingdata,marketingdata,andcontractsalesdata.LERNcanprovideyoutheactualdatayoushouldbecollecting,andLERN’sdataanalysistoolscanbeusedtogeneratemanyoftherecommendedreportstorun.Thefollowingdefinitionswillbehelpfulwhenreviewingthereportcriteria.Category:Agroupingbyprogramarea(business),marketsegment(middleschoolboys),ordeliverymethod(online)regardedashavingparticularsharedcharacteristics.Subcategory:Asecondaryorsubordinatecategory.CareerscouldbeasubcategoryofaBusinesscategory.Normallythereisgreatersimilaritywhendoingcomparisonsatthesubcategorylevel.Term:Afixedorlimitedperiodforwhichclasses/eventsisintendedtolast.FallorSeptember‐Decemberwouldbeaterm.Quarter:Afiscalyearissplitintofourquarters.July‐Septemberwouldbeaquarter.Class:Anindividualofferingofasubject,suchasAccounting101offeredMay15th.

Course:Themasteroftheclass,sooverayearclassesarerolledupintoacourseforanalysis.Accounting101offeredthreetimesduringtheyearcanbeanalyzedatthecourselevel(allthreetimes)orclasslevel(justoneoffering).PrimaryMarketSegment:Asubsetofstudents/participantsorclientswhohavecommondemographicsandinterests,suchasGenerationXmalesinterestedinenvironmentalscience.Prospect:Apotentialclientyouarehopingtonurturealongwithotherprospects.Lead:Aprospectshowinginterestthatyouhavethepotentialofclosing.

2

Forthemajorityoflifelonglearningprogramsthefollowingarethemostcriticalreportstobegenerating.StaffProductivity:Fee‐basedrevenue/fulltimeequivalentstaffequalsstaffproductivityandshouldbereportedonyearly.Revenue:Shouldbereportedonweeklyoratleastmonthlyandcomparedtothepreviousyear.Bestifreportedatthecategoryandsubcategorylevel.Atleastonceayear,revenueshouldbereportedatthecourse/eventandclasslevel.Registrations:Shouldbereportedonweeklyoratleastmonthlyandcomparedtothepreviousyear.Bestifreportedatthecategoryandsubcategorylevel.Atleastonceayear,registrationsshouldbereportedatthecourse/eventandclasslevel.OpenEnrollmentOfferingType(certificate,camp,online,andsoon):Shouldbereportedononceayear,butcouldbereportedonattheendofeachterm/quarterbyrevenueandregistrations.Bestifreportedatthecategoryandsubcategorylevel.OpenEnrollmentBenchmarks(cancellationrate–overallandnew/repeat,averageparticipants,andaveragefee).

Shouldbereportedononceayear,butcouldbereportedonattheendofeachterm/quarter,althoughcancellationratemightbereportedonweekly.Besttobereportedatthecategoryandsubcategorylevel.NewOfferings(somethingisnewthefirsttimeitisoffered):Shouldbereportedononceayear,butcouldbereportedonattheendofeachterm/quarter.Bestifreportedatthecategoryandsubcategorylevel.Revenue%toCourse/EventOffering%:Percentageofrevenuegeneratedcomparedtothepercentageofcourses/eventsofferedshouldbereportedononceayear,butcouldbereportedonattheendofeachterm/quarter.QualityScores:Attheendofaterm/quarterutilizingclass/eventevaluationforms–asking…Overallscorethequalityoftheclass/eventyouattended1(Poor)to5(Excellent)–tabulatetoscorethequalityofeachclass/event.Classescanberolleduponceayearforacoursequalityscore.CustomerServiceScores:Atleastonceayear,survey–

3

asking…Overallscorethelevelofcustomerserviceyouwereprovided1(Poor)to5(Excellent)–apercentageofstudents/participants,tabulate,andscorethelevelofcustomerservice.RepeatCourse/ClassAnalysis:Shouldbereportedononceayear,butcouldbereportedonattheendofeachterm/quarterbysubcategoryandcomparescourses/eventsforincome,operatingmargin,registrations,andqualitycomparedtothesubcategoryaverage.Addresses:Onceayearaddressesshouldbeclassified,thepercentageofaddressescorrectlyclassifyingreportedon,andalistofaddressestocorrectgeneratedsoaddressescanbeupdated.CarrierRoutes/PostalCodes:Onceayeardetermineyourprimarycarrierroutesorpostalcodesandmostimportantlythecarrierroutes/postalcodesgenerating80percentofyourrevenueorregistrations.Dependinghowyoupromoteyourprogramming,youmayalsoreportatthecategoryandsubcategorylevel.Demographics:Onceayearanalyzebirthdate/year(breakingintogenerationalgroups),gender,

occupationalspecialty,jobtitle,andanyotherkeydemographics.Bestifreportedatthecategoryandsubcategorylevel.PrimaryMarketSegments:Onceayearusingdemographicandpurchasingdatadetermineyourprimarymarketsegments.Ifyourlifelonglearningprogramislargeenough,itisbestifreportedatthecategoryandmaybesubcategorylevel.RepeatRate/LifetimeValue:Onceayeardetermineyouroverallrepeatrate(students/participantsorclientsrepeatingfromoneperiodoftimetoasecondperiodoftimeasapercentageofthefirstperiodoftime)andlifetimevalue(1/(1‐repeatrate)Xaveragefee)atthecategoryandmaybesubcategorylevel.NextCourse/Event:Usingyourregistrationdata,atleastonceayeardeterminethenextcourse/eventastudent/participantismostlikelytotake.Finances:Income,promotioncosts,productioncosts,directcosts,andoperatingmarginshouldbereportedonattheendoftheterm/quarter.Bestifreportedatthecategoryandsubcategorylevel,aswellascourse/eventandclasslevel.

4

OverallFinances:Income,promotioncosts,productioncosts,directcosts,operatingmargin,administrationcosts,andnetshouldbereportedonattheendofeachquarter.PromotionTracking:Attheconclusionofapromotioncampaigngenerateareportlistingthepromotionmethodsused,thecostofeachpromotionmethod,theregistrationsgeneratedbyeachpromotionmethod,thepromotion:registrationratio,andthecostperregistration.Contract Sales: Each quartergenerateacontractsalesreport.01. Includerevenueandpercentage

ofrevenuebysalesperson,company,industry,category,contract,andcontractmethod(repeat,referral,coldcall).

02. Includeclosetimepercontractandaverageclosetime.

03. Includeparticipantspercontractandaverageparticipants.

04. Includesalescostpercontractandaveragesalescost.

05. Includebyrevenueandpercentageofrevenuecontractandclientfinanceoperatingmarginnumbers.

06. Includeproductdevelopmentcostpercontractandaverageproductdevelopmentcost.

07. Includequalityscorepercontractandaveragequalityscore.

08. Includecancellationdecisionpercontractandaveragecancellationrate.

09. Includeprospect:leadratioandlead:contractratio.

10. Includereturn‐on‐investmentpercontractandaveragereturn‐on‐investment.

11. Includeclientanalysis(clientcomparedtootherclientsbyaverageincome,contracts,contractprice,operatingmargin,andqualityscore)andcontractanalysis(contractscomparedtoothercontractsbyaveragecontractprice,operatingmargin,andqualityscore).

12.Includeincomegeneratedasapercentagecomparedtocontractspercategorysoldasapercentage.

The Reports to Run Handout is an exclusive report by the professional staff and consultants of the Learning Resources Network (LERN), and may not be reproduced without written permission.

www.lern.org (800) 678-5376 info@lern.org

PO Box 9, River Falls, WI 54022