The time of rising daily rates for trainers is over - this is the result of the 2019 fee study. Digital concepts seem to be replacing in-person training. We explain how you can take advantage of this change and avoid falling fees.
The 3 most important results of the 2019 fee study
A total of 1,143 trainers participated in the fee study "Continuing Education Scene Germany" at the end of 2018. In addition to average fees, factors such as training days per year and special stress factors were also surveyed. Below, we give you an overview of the most interesting results of the study:
1. Result: Daily rates are falling!
The positive economic situation in Germany should also be reflected in the fees of trainers - that’s what one might think. However, the study shows a decline in daily rates.
The average daily rate for training providers is €1,297, slightly lower than a year before: the nearly 3% less is not a huge jump, but it marks the end of the upward trend in daily rates in previous years.
The graphic shows that the daily rates for trainers who are institutionally well integrated and for freelancers working for themselves are above average. Below average are part-time trainers (< 50% training activity) and freelancers working on contract.
2. Result: Less time, fewer participants, less security
Another negative trend: Good half of the trainers only hold at most 40 training days a year, and 30% even do not exceed 20 training days per year. Here, special stress factors are added – among others:
the increasing shortening of seminar and training days.
the decline in participant numbers in open seminars.
the uncertainty in decision-making among clients.
the oversupply in the continuing education market.
the pressure from alternative continuing education formats that are gaining ground.
The current study shows how burdening these factors are perceived by continuing education professionals:
The impact of the changing world of work is clearly visible regarding the stress factors: Digitalization is increasingly taking hold in continuing education as well. Attendance times are being shortened, participant groups are becoming smaller, and alternative continuing education formats such as blended learning or webinars are increasingly putting pressure on trainers.
3. Result: Digital competition on the rise
As shown in the graphic above, alternative continuing education formats like blended and mobile learning are increasingly perceived as a burden on the current financial situation:
According to the 2019 fee study, well 20.5% of respondents find alternative learning formats burdensome. This result is particularly interesting compared to 2012: Back then, only 11% of trainers perceived these methods as a burden - that's half as many as today. The trend towards "digital competition" is clearly recognizable.
Intermediate conclusion: Less presence due to digitalization
Daily rates are falling, the number of in-person days is dwindling, and digital competition is on the rise: The conclusion initially sounds sobering for trainers and coaches who enjoy working in direct contact with people. However, this shows a methodological revolution, which has been researched in other studies long ago:
Alternative (digital) learning methods such as blended learning, webinars, and mobile learning have been on the rise for quite some time. In the mmb trend monitor 2018, blended learning ranked first (for the fifth consecutive year!): 97% of trainers agreed that blended learning will have a central importance as a learning form in the coming years.
Basically, new learning concepts pose no danger for trainers. The challenge lies in being open to innovations and viewing them as an opportunity. And: With concepts like blended learning, you don’t have to forgo personal interaction with your participants!
Free guide
Blended Learning for Trainers
From goal setting to content creation, call-to-actions, and methods: Our guide shows you how to modernize and successfully redesign your training with the trend method "blended learning" in 9 steps!
The solution: Combine the best of both worlds!
Your best opportunity to escape the current negative trend in the continuing education industry is the modernization of your own concept. The demand for flexible learning concepts such as blended learning, mobile learning, and e-learning is greater than ever - and not just because clients expect cost savings from them. If applied correctly, digital learning concepts also offer many other advantages.
For entering digital learning concepts, blended learning is particularly suitable. This concept provides a smooth transition from in-person to online training, where you as a learning facilitator and contact person are not replaced.
The principle behind blended learning is simple: You expand your in-person seminars with online support. This support can be used, for example, for the preparation or follow-up of in-person appointments. And don’t worry: You don’t have to completely turn your entire concept upside down right away. Start small and first create a compact online course with 3-5 contents.
You can learn all about the blended learning concept on our detailed information page: Blended Learning in Practice
How does blended learning counteract falling fees?
You acquire new customer groups that already focus on digital learning concepts today. The demand for alternative methods like blended learning is high: Therefore, you reach many more potential customers than with purely in-person training.
You become more flexible as part of your content is delivered online. This way, you can look after more customers and participants in parallel without having to be present in two places at once: Mobility makes this possible!
You have a value to sell since your online support indirectly saves money for the client (e.g., through reduced travel costs or absenteeism) while still enabling at least equally good learning outcomes.
If you market your online training well, the connection between 'time' and 'money' dissolves. For you, this means that 'fewer in-person days' no longer automatically equates to 'less money'.
You can view the increasing digitalization in continuing education as a tiring and unnecessary change - or you can open yourself up to the benefits of digitally supported training methods and turn necessity into virtue.
We help you with this and provide you with 7 selling arguments for your online support. Download our free PDF now and find out how you can score points with blended learning in your next fee negotiation.
