I don't know where I stand on Learning actually being "part" of Marketing...I guess it depends on the organization. I worked for a company where Learning did fall under Marketing, and it wasn't a great fit. In fact, there was a re-organization to get us OUT of Marketing almost as quickly as they moved us INTO Marketing...but that's another conversation. :)

I am, however, a strong believer that Learning & Development practitioners need to *be* marketers, regardless of the department we fall under in the grand org chart scheme of things. We need to know our message. Our story. Our program. Our brand. We must be able to articulate that program and its benefits to ALL stakeholders - whether the end users who will be attending training programs, their managers, or the executives who approve our budget dollars each year. We need to evangelize our message in a way that is meaningful and relevant for each distinct audience. At the right time. With the right tools. We need to understand how to measure response, engagement, and trends, and regularly assess our communication strategies. Is this really much different than what Marketing departments are doing to get our companies' brands out there in the marketplace to drive results?