There is a measurably growing trend amongst South Africans to gain access to the Internet both at work and at home and this growth rate reflects the trend in the rest of the world.

Latest news in both America and the UK reveal that online advertising is now worth more than outdoor advertising.

The Department of Labour's 'State of Skills' document outlining those skills in short supply in South Africa and the government's focus on training and development has resulted in a plethora of available training courses.

Distinguishing your training course from others as part of a marketing plan is often expensive and a lot of training companies find they don't have the budget for conventional advertising campaigns.

Websites, like the Skills Portal (www.skillsportal.co.za), provide the ideal platform to market training courses and skills development. Internet AdSales have only been representing this portal since July 2005 and have been really impressed at the outstanding results they have achieved for their clients.

Liesl Germann says: "Clients that we've advertised on the Skills Portal are now booking with us on a regular basis because of the results we've managed to get.

"The website is read by over 8 000 people every month, who have a specific interest in skills development, training and empowerment. So advertising with them is incredibly focused and thus powerful.

"This type of advertising is also more accountable because it is measurable. We can provide our clients with statistics to show where their business is coming from. Advertising on the Skills portal or in their weekly and monthly newsletters is a viable way to promote your brand to a targeted audience."

The main advantage of the training business in South Africa is that includes thousands of small providers. Skills Portal Publishing Editor, Alan Hammond, explains that the typical training company employs fewer than five people:

"It's good that the market is not dominated by large corporates but this diversity can also make it difficult for companies wanting to find training for their staff.

"The Skills Portal provides the arena for these two groups to come together - training providers can promote their courses on our website and companies wanting to find training for their staff have easy access to our many providers listed on the portal."

Satisfied clients have reported high turnover from their marketing with the Skills Portal:

"The service was excellent, and I am quite sure we had at least 20-30% of our bookings from this campaign, we will use you again."
Training companies planning on advertising online don't need a large budget to get results. Internet AdSales will bundle and package a solution for you to reinforce your brand's message in creative ways and achieve maximum results.

To contact Internet AdSales, email Liesl Germann on +27 (0) 21 762 5863