Did you know that 70% of marketers say content marketing has increased their brand awareness?¹ If you’re a product manufacturer, you likely already invest in marketing, but are you leveraging Continuing Education Units (CEUs) as part of your content strategy? If not, you’re missing a key opportunity to establish authority, connect with architects and designers, and drive specification of your products.
Architects and some interior designers are required to complete Continuing Education Units (CEUs) to maintain their professional credentials through organizations like The American Institute of Architects (AIA) or The International Design Continuing Education Council (IDCEC). That means they are actively seeking high-quality educational content.
By offering a CEU course, you’re not just educating your audience—you’re building brand loyalty, establishing credibility, and keeping your products top of mind when it comes time for specification. It’s a win-win: professionals fulfill their credit requirements and get deeper product education, and you position your brand as an indispensable resource in the industry.
Still on the fence about investing in CEU development? Here are some compelling reasons why CEUs should be a cornerstone of your marketing strategy:
1. Direct Engagement with Decision-Makers
CEUs provide a unique opportunity to engage with architects and designers in a meaningful, educational setting. Unlike traditional marketing tactics, which often compete for fleeting attention, CEU courses offer a dedicated space where industry professionals actively participate in learning. This extended interaction builds credibility, fosters relationships, and keeps your brand top of mind when it comes time for specification.
2. Thought Leadership: Establishing Your Brand as an Industry Authority
Thought leadership is about more than just visibility—it’s about shaping industry conversations and providing valuable insights that professionals rely on. The more valuable, research-backed content you offer, the more architects and designers will trust your brand as a go-to resource for education and innovation. By offering CEUs, you position your brand as a leader in the industry, guiding professionals through industry shifts, regulatory changes, and best practices.
3. Educational Focus Without Direct Promotion + Strategic Leave-Behinds
CEUs provide a platform to discuss industry trends, challenges, and best practices that naturally align with the solutions your company offers, without being a direct sales pitch. While you can’t promote products in a CEU, you can provide attendees with valuable supplementary materials, such as whitepapers, case studies, or technical guides. These leave-behinds reinforce your expertise and keep your brand top of mind long after the course ends.
4. Increased Product Specification
When professionals learn about your products in an educational setting, they are more likely to specify them in their projects. A well-structured CEU can lead to direct sales opportunities when paired with well-crafted leave-behinds and follow-up content.
5. SEO & Multi-Channel Content Strategy
CEUs aren’t just standalone resources—they can enhance your website’s SEO by increasing traffic, engagement, and backlinks. Educational content attracts more visitors, leading to improved search rankings. Additionally, CEUs can be repurposed into blog posts, whitepapers, webinars, and social media content, maximizing your investment and strengthening your online presence.
Still on the fence about investing in CEU development? Here are some compelling reasons why CEUs should be a cornerstone of your marketing strategy:
1. Direct Engagement with Decision-Makers
CEUs provide a unique opportunity to engage with architects and designers in a meaningful, educational setting. Unlike traditional marketing tactics, which often compete for fleeting attention, CEU courses offer a dedicated space where industry professionals actively participate in learning. This extended interaction builds credibility, fosters relationships, and keeps your brand top of mind when it comes time for specification.
2. Thought Leadership: Establishing Your Brand as an Industry Authority
Thought leadership is about more than just visibility—it’s about shaping industry conversations and providing valuable insights that professionals rely on. The more valuable, research-backed content you offer, the more architects and designers will trust your brand as a go-to resource for education and innovation. By offering CEUs, you position your brand as a leader in the industry, guiding professionals through industry shifts, regulatory changes, and best practices.
3. Educational Focus Without Direct Promotion + Strategic Leave-Behinds
CEUs provide a platform to discuss industry trends, challenges, and best practices that naturally align with the solutions your company offers, without being a direct sales pitch. While you can’t promote products in a CEU, you can provide attendees with valuable supplementary materials, such as whitepapers, case studies, or technical guides. These leave-behinds reinforce your expertise and keep your brand top of mind long after the course ends.
4. Increased Product Specification
When professionals learn about your products in an educational setting, they are more likely to specify them in their projects. A well-structured CEU can lead to direct sales opportunities when paired with well-crafted leave-behinds and follow-up content.
5. SEO & Multi-Channel Content Strategy
CEUs aren’t just standalone resources—they can enhance your website’s SEO by increasing traffic, engagement, and backlinks. Educational content attracts more visitors, leading to improved search rankings. Additionally, CEUs can be repurposed into blog posts, whitepapers, webinars, and social media content, maximizing your investment and strengthening your online presence.
Still on the fence about investing in CEU development? Here are some compelling reasons why CEUs should be a cornerstone of your marketing strategy:
1. Direct Engagement with Decision-Makers
CEUs provide a unique opportunity to engage with architects and designers in a meaningful, educational setting. Unlike traditional marketing tactics, which often compete for fleeting attention, CEU courses offer a dedicated space where industry professionals actively participate in learning. This extended interaction builds credibility, fosters relationships, and keeps your brand top of mind when it comes time for specification.
2. Thought Leadership: Establishing Your Brand as an Industry Authority
Thought leadership is about more than just visibility—it’s about shaping industry conversations and providing valuable insights that professionals rely on. The more valuable, research-backed content you offer, the more architects and designers will trust your brand as a go-to resource for education and innovation. By offering CEUs, you position your brand as a leader in the industry, guiding professionals through industry shifts, regulatory changes, and best practices.
3. Educational Focus Without Direct Promotion + Strategic Leave-Behinds
CEUs provide a platform to discuss industry trends, challenges, and best practices that naturally align with the solutions your company offers, without being a direct sales pitch. While you can’t promote products in a CEU, you can provide attendees with valuable supplementary materials, such as whitepapers, case studies, or technical guides. These leave-behinds reinforce your expertise and keep your brand top of mind long after the course ends.
4. Increased Product Specification
When professionals learn about your products in an educational setting, they are more likely to specify them in their projects. A well-structured CEU can lead to direct sales opportunities when paired with well-crafted leave-behinds and follow-up content.
5. SEO & Multi-Channel Content Strategy
CEUs aren’t just standalone resources—they can enhance your website’s SEO by increasing traffic, engagement, and backlinks. Educational content attracts more visitors, leading to improved search rankings. Additionally, CEUs can be repurposed into blog posts, whitepapers, webinars, and social media content, maximizing your investment and strengthening your online presence.
While the benefits of CEUs are clear, developing them internally comes with significant challenges. Many manufacturers underestimate the time, expertise, and personnel required to create a CEU that meets accreditation standards and delivers real value to participants. Some common hurdles include:
Creating an engaging, accredited CEU that meets the standards of AIA and IDCEC is no small task. It requires expertise in instructional design, compliance with accreditation bodies, and a strong understanding of how to craft compelling educational content. This is where UpSpring excels.
Creating an engaging, accredited CEU that meets the standards of AIA and IDCEC is no small task. It requires expertise in instructional design, compliance with accreditation bodies, and a strong understanding of how to craft compelling educational content. This is where UpSpring excels.
CEUs are not just an educational tool—they are a strategic marketing asset. They provide direct access to your target audience, reinforce your industry expertise, and increase product specification rates.
By understanding the distinction between education and promotion and leveraging strategic leave-behinds, you can maximize the impact of your CEU program.
Instead of navigating the complexities of CEU development alone, let UpSpring create an engaging and accredited CEU that positions your brand as an industry leader.
[1] Content Marketing Institute, 2023 Report on B2B Content Marketing.
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