354 ESS courses in Edinburgh

This one-day introduction workshop is intended for users who need to get to grips with the essentials of Microsoft Outlook. It will provide you with the basic skills you need to effectively start using Outlook to manage your emails, calendar, contacts, tasks and notes. This course will help participants: Send messages with added email options applied Quickly file messages away for safe keeping Manage messages and attachments Organise calendar meetings and check other people's schedules Respond to a meeting request Create a contacts list Manage daily tasks Use reading and folder panes Create and manage folders Use auto reply Use notes Utilise Outlook's printing functionality 1 Getting started Using the reading pane Using the folder pane Changing inbox views Managing the to-do bar 2 Emailing messages Replying to and forwarding messages Adding message options Attaching files to an email message Opening and saving attachments 3 Outlook folders Creating and managing folders Moving messages into folders Adding folders to favourites Using search folder Always moving messages in conversation Automatically move messages with rules 4 Managing messages Using instant search Finding messages by criteria Grouping and sorting messages Categorising messages Adding message follow up flags Filtering messages with the people pane 5 Using auto reply Replying to messages whilst you are away Managing auto reply settings Applying rules to auto reply 6 Outlook calendars Adding and editing appointments Adding calendar reminders Moving and copying appointments Creating all day events Recurring appointments Sharing your calendar Opening another user's calendar 7 Planning a meeting Arranging meetings Inviting attendees to meetings Responding to meeting invites 8 Outlook contacts Creating and editing a contact Saving emails as contacts Finding contacts Sending messages to contacts Creating contact groups 9 Adding tasks Creating and editing tasks Completing tasks Assigning a task to another user Responding to a task request 10 Notes Creating and editing tasks Emailing notes Sticking notes on your desktop 11 Printing Printing messages Printing calendars Printing contacts

As technology continues to develop and increasingly interact with our daily lives, so must our sales techniques to ensure we're leveraging advances in how people do business to our advantage. It is essential for all salespeople to understand how to navigate the various tools at our disposal and grow their skills and confidence to put them into action in order to build a solid business pipeline. We have developed this programme to be practical, fun and interactive, whilst ensuring that participants will learn how to utilise new technology to their advantage, self-generate new business leads and opportunities, gain additional business and referrals from existing contacts, and save time and effort using proven business development skills. This course will help participants: Understand the 'organized persistence' model of sales prospecting Develop skills in using video, online and social media to generate interest Understand how to write effective sales and outreach emails and using online tools Develop techniques for effectively managing telephone appointments Learn ways to use LinkedIn for connecting with customers and prospects Develop networking skills and learn how to source and develop referrals and professional introductions 1 Key principles of smart sales prospecting Set your sales prospecting goals and objectives Elevator pitch, core messages and your value proposition Targeting and segmenting your market 'Organised persistence' using your CRM effectively 2 Setting appointments by telephone - planning and preparation Why calling still works and the best times to call Creating a call prompt sheet: Opening a call and taking control Giving a reason to meet Key questions to ask Overcoming the cold calling blues 3 Setting appointments by telephone - advanced skills Giving a reason to meet and 'selling the appointment' Key questions to ask that will create interest and motivation to meet Voice tone, power words, phrasing, pausing, responding Getting past gatekeepers and getting through 4 Using LinkedIn for research and follow-up Why LinkedIn matters and how to use it Finding new contacts, connecting and Inmailing Short-cuts and advanced skills 5 Email strategies that work Using AIDA and other templates for sales emails Using personalized video emails to create interest Vertical targeting emails, with examples Building awareness with an email chain

Successful account management requires time and investment to achieve high levels of customer satisfaction and develop new business opportunities. Ensuring you are equipped with the right tools to approach every customer interaction in a structured way will help you have productive relationships with your clients. Whether you're new to account management or experienced in business development and looking to expand your skillset, understanding how you can maximise customer relationships will be key to your success. We have developed this programme to be practical, fun and interactive. Participants will have the opportunity to learn and practice a number of key skills that will see successful results, and are encouraged to bring real life examples to the course so that learning can be translated to real world scenarios. This course will help participants: Learn how to plan growth and increase revenue from existing accounts Develop skills to build and develop essential relationships to increase value and visibility Learn how best to create loyalty and customer satisfaction Identify how to set account targets and development plan for building contacts and cross-selling Develop persuasion and influencing skills to better define needs and develop opportunities Learn how to add value at all stages; plus gaining competitive advantage Develop an up-selling, cross-selling strategy 1 Performance metrics for account management Introduction to the PROFIT account management model Using practical tools to measure account performance and success Planning your account strategy - red flags and green lights 2 Relationships for account management How to build and manage key relationships Producing a 'relationship matrix' Developing a coach or advocate 3 Setting objectives for your account Developing an upselling cross-selling strategy Setting jointly agreed goals, objectives and business plans Planning session 4 Feedback and Retention - building loyal and satisfied customers How to monitor and track your customer's satisfaction Building a personalised satisfaction matrix Customer service review meetings 5 Influence Getting your message and strategy across to C-level contacts Being able to better develop a business partnership within an accountes 6 Teamwork and time management Working with others to achieve your account goals Managing and working with a virtual team Managing your time and accounts effectively 7 Gaining commitment and closing the sale Knowing when to close for commitment How to ask for commitment professionally and effectively Key negotiation skills around the closing process - getting to 'yes' Checklist of closing and negotiation skills Practice session

Developing the high performing team takes time and effort. But above all, it requires an understanding of the dynamics of high performing teams. This programme helps managers and leaders understand what high performing teams do and how they do it. It focuses on enabling managers to see their teams from different perspectives, allowing them to adapt their styles to maximise team outputs. A core theme is the need for managers of teams to 'hold up the mirror' to themselves and to see themselves as a leader of people, to reflect on how others see them and to modify their style accordingly. This programme will help managers / team leaders: Analyse the constituents of a 'high performing' team Apply essential influencing techniques Use a range of communication techniques to support effective teamwork Create and articulate team vision Generate common values Assess team effectiveness and take/recommend the appropriate actions Make more efficient use of team time Understand and agree on techniques to manage conflict Define and implement team meeting protocols that will facilitate team effectiveness Use the Prime Focus model to create the environment and framework for a high performing team Draft your team strategy to take them to the next level Day 1 1 Welcome and introduction Participants are welcomed to the programme and invited to share their personal objectives and people challenges Participants are given an action plan template to complete throughout the workshop 2 Your team The concept of 'positive intention' The difference between a team and a high performing team Assess your team effectiveness What is your 'interference'? 3 The team environment Setting the scene Building rapport Active listening Team goals and role profiling 4 Your style Tuckman model of team stages - how do you manage each stage? Team standards and goals Your team vision 5 Effective team meetings Influencing in team meetings How to make them interesting and relevant The pure role of the chair Day 2 1 Effective communication techniques Giving and receiving feedback Your communication style How to adapt, pace and lead to build rapport The Mehrabian theory of communication 2 How to manage conflict What is conflict? What is your default conflict approach? Tools and tips for managing conflict Practice sessions 3 Team skills Undertake a team skills analysis Types of team member Motivating team members Reframing situations 4 Setting your strategy Seeing the bigger picture The Prime Focus Model Your strategy for success Articulating your strategy Action plans revisited

Maximising the team's sales capability is the key aim for any sales manager. When sales people struggle to hit their targets, it falls to the sales manager to provide support and help colleagues to find their way again. One of the most effective techniques for sales managers to improve and maintain sales performance is by providing live sales coaching. Sales coaching encourages sales people to find their own solutions and take responsibility for their own development. This course will help participants: Develop people to fulfil their sales potential Provide motivational feedback Identify strengths and weaknesses of their team members Understand personal learning styles Identify and adapt for different personality styles Prepare and conduct on-the-job observations Motivate sales people to greater performance 1 How is sales coaching different from sales training? What is coaching? Discover how coaching empowers sales people Learn the best time to use sales coaching Decide which people should be coached first Creating a development plan 2 Understanding learning, behavioural and communication styles Use practical tools to help you assess individual styles Tap into the essence and energy of the person you are developing Understand your own learning, behavioural and communication preferences Develop a strategy to adopt for each member of your team Discover what motivates you and your salespeople to perform Appreciate how this knowledge will improve your sales conversion 3 Using the GROW coaching model Learn the secrets of a successful coaching session Discover the importance of SMART objectives and instructions Understand and capture what coachees are currently doing right Develop their problem-solving and decision-making skills Help your colleagues crystalise their plans and actions Provide follow-up opportunities to embed the learning 4 Giving motivational feedback Understand why effective feedback is so powerful in sales Learn key models for motivational feedback Discover how to manage and structure more difficult conversations Understand the power of positive reinforcement Encourage sales people to coach and support colleagues 5 Putting it into practice Use realistic scenarios to provide opportunities for practice Discover what it feels like to be coached Receive immediate feedback on your coaching style Share common performance issues with fellow sales managers Create a personal development plan 6 Preparing on-the-job observations and joint visits Build a strategy for coaching and team development Prepare an observation template for effective coaching Learn the key elements of preparation for your next coaching session Agree common areas to focus on with coachees 7 Action planning Personal action plans

The principles of effective time management are applicable to all aspects of life. When successfully applied in a sales environment they can lead to improved performance, higher sales and increased customer satisfaction. All salespeople would benefit from learning the tools and techniques to introduce impactful time management to their working lives. We have developed this programme to be practical, fun and interactive. Participants will better understand how to increase the amount of time spent on high-value sales activities, be able to improve their self-motivation and ability to get more done, and be better able to plan, delegate and speed up routine tasks. This course will help participants: Learn key principles of managing sales priorities, meeting targets and getting 'everything' done! Learn proven techniques for structuring your day, week and normal routine Develop effective sales time management at the office and on the road Learn a seven-step process for setting goals and objectives in your work and personal life Understand how to make time for sales prospecting, designated call days Understand practical ways to improve your time management 1 Key principles of sales time management Course objectives and review of time log Essential principles of sales time management How do you use your time now? Reviewing your working day (from pre-course survey) Beliefs and feelings about time 2 Managing sales priorities and planning systems Managing priorities and planning systems Use organised persistence to plan your sales activity Planning your territory and prospecting activity How to use priority ratings not urgency to react to tasks 3 Dealing with distractions and communication skills Know your time 'bandits' and creating more positive habits to overcome them Making time by saying 'no' assertively and managing expectations Assertiveness techniques for handling colleagues and clients Making meetings worthwhile - preparation and planning 4 Sales goal setting and action planning Set clear, concise, and motivating sales goals and action plans How to set and use goal setting as way of managing your time and increasing results The principles of linking SMART objectives to action plans and daily activities 5 Creating results focus - every day, week, and month Batch sales tasks together, starting with emails Planning your day and week and protecting sales 'prime' time Apply the 80/20 to your sales contacts, clients, and prospects 6 Overcoming procrastination and structuring your day Understanding procrastination, what it is and how to recognise it in yourself and others How to stop procrastinating and start making progressing Build a power prospecting hour into every day Smart stuff to make more sales time: five automated tools Live the $64,000 dollar question

We've all sat through far more bad presentations than good ones, but knowing what 'good' looks like is easier than successfully replicating it. Sales presentations are a performance and, as salespeople, fluffing our lines can cost us a lot more than hurt pride. Having discovered and understood the specific needs and burning issues our prospect has, then this course will help any salesperson avoid dropping the ball and instead wowing their prospects with a high-impact, tailored and compelling case for purchase. This course will help participants: Prepare mentally and physically for stand-up presentations Use voice modulation and bullet-pointing to demand attention Avoid boring their prospects Master the do's and don'ts of PowerPoint Deal more effectively with technical hitches and prospect's interruptions Use eye contact and engagement to avoid prospects 'tuning out' Deploy best practice essentials for presenting with colleagues Steer through the toughest Q&A 1 Preparing your presentation Mindset Knowing your objective(s) Vocal warm-up techniques Assembling pre-agreed benefits Time management Room set-up Technical preparation 2 How to open your presentation Vocal energy Summary and agreement of prospect's needs How to have posture and confidence Use of humour What to do with those dreaded hands Confident v non-confident body language 3 How to get and keep people's attention Bullet pointing Linking benefits to specific, stated needs Practical exercise - formulating and delivering tailored benefits Being selective with features Third party reinforcement and case studies 'Watering the garden' eye contact technique Practical exercise - participants practise 'sharing out' eye contact to audience How to handle a prospect's negative body language Handling interruptions 4 Presenting in groups Credentialing all participants Role delineation for group presentations Edifying other participants' messages - do's and don'ts How to maintain energy when not speaking Practical exercise - good and bad practice when not speaking Teamwork in Q&A sessions How to hand over professionally 5 PowerPoint do's and don'ts Use of visual aids Good and bad PowerPoint slides How to make PowerPoint work for you Classic PowerPoint errors Avoiding and handling technical problems Good and bad flipchart practice 6 Closing and / or achieving next action steps Power of summary Good Q&A practice Handling objections Practical exercise - handling objections on one's feet Creating consensus among prospect panel What to do when prospects disagree with each other When to trial close How to close on next action steps 7 Wrap-up Key learning points from each participant Action steps to be implemented on next presentations

The often-used phrase, 'just the receptionist', completely misrepresents the role. An excellent receptionist is a most valuable resource for any organisation. This programme has been designed specifically to deal with the essential skills necessary to represent the organisation to the best possible effect. It will also help you get the most out of your working day. There are six key reasons to take part in this workshop. It will help you: See your role in a new light Develop your communication skills Deal with different types of customer and situation Boost your confidence Cope in a pressurised environment Get more satisfaction from your working day 1 Introduction Workshop objectives and personal objectives The challenges of 21st century communication What makes an excellent point of Reception? And why is it so important? Who and where are our customers? As a customer, how do you like to be treated? What makes people feel valued? Objective and subjective aspects of customer service 'Micro moments' that shape the relationship 2 Communication on reception Definition of communication Barriers to good communication The 'recipe' of verbal, vocal and visual aspects of communication Differences between communicating face-to-face and on the telephone Communication 'leaks' The primitive human response The impact of visual communication - body language, gesture and facial expression Voice - tone, speed, volume, pitch, clarity, inflection, pacing Words - positive words and phrases compared with negative terminology Professional greetings face-to-face Steering the conversation with effective questioning 3 Telephone excellence How we use the telephone Qualities of the telephone Non-verbal communication on the telephone - what aspects can be 'seen' by the other person? Professional telephone etiquette Taking and leaving messages - key points that can help customers, colleagues and the organisation Clarifying information 4 Listening skills for accuracy and relationship building How accurate are your listening skills? What are the challenges for accurate listening? Active / empathetic listening 5 Creating a rapport by 'style flexing' Understanding how different people communicate Shaping our message to the other person so that they feel understood How changing situations can alter communication needs 6 Confidence and assertiveness Recognising different styles of behaviour - aggressive, passive and assertive Qualities of assertive communication - verbal, vocal and visual Assertive techniques - basic, persistence, negotiation / empathetic Demonstrating confidence 7 Coping in a pressurised environment Words - the most useful ones to use with stressed people and identifying the 'red rag' words Challenging situations - what do you find difficult and how do you respond? Dealing with outbursts of anger Bringing non-stop talkers back from their tangent Constructive ways to say 'no' 8 Pulling it all together Action plans Summary of key learning points

No-one in business will succeed if they are not financially literate - and no business will succeed without financially-literate people. This is the ideal programme for managers and others who don't have a financial qualification or background but who nonetheless need a greater understanding of the financial management disciplines essential to your organisation. This course will give the participants a sound understanding of financial reports, measures and techniques to make them even more effective in their roles. It will enable participants to: Overcome the barrier of the accountants' strange language Deal confidently with financial colleagues Improve their understanding of your organisation's finance function Radically improve their planning and budgeting skills Be much more aware of the impact of their decisions on the profitability of your organisation Enhance their role in the organisation Boost their confidence and career development 1 Review of the principal financial statements What each statement containsOutlineDetail Not just what the statements contain but what they mean Balance sheets and P&L accounts (income statements) Cash flow statements Detailed terminology and interpretation Types of fixed asset - tangible, etc. Working capital, equity, gearing 2 The 'rules' - Accounting Standards, concepts and conventions Fundamental or 'bedrock' accounting concepts Detailed accounting concepts and conventions What depreciation means The importance of stock, inventory and work in progress values Accounting policies that most affect reporting and results The importance of accounting standards and IFRS 3 Where the figures come from Accounting records Assets / liabilities, Income / expenditure General / nominal ledgers Need for internal controls 'Sarbox' and related issues 4 Managing the budget process Have clear objectives, remit, responsibilities and time schedule The business plan Links with corporate strategy The budget cycle Links with company culture Budgeting methods'New' budgetingZero-based budgets Reviewing budgets Responding to the figures The need for appropriate accounting and reporting systems 5 What are costs? How to account for them Cost definitions Full / absorption costing Overheads - overhead allocation or absorption Activity based costing Marginal costing / break-even - use in planning 6 Who does what? A review of what different types of accountant do Financial accounting Management accounting Treasury function Activities and terms 7 How the statements can be interpreted What published accounts contain Analytical review (ratio analysis) Return on capital employed, margins and profitability Making assets work - asset turnover Fixed assets, debtor, stock turnover Responding to figures EBIT, EBITEDIA, eps and other analysts' measure 8 Other key issues Creative accounting Accounting for groups Intangible assets - brand names Company valuations Fixed assets / leased assets / off-balance sheet finance

This course provides participants with a comprehensive understanding of the requirements of the CDM Regulations 2015 and how these should be implemented in practice. The Regulations are put in context with other key health and safety legislation. The programme sets out clearly the roles and responsibilities of the principal duty holders and explores with the participants how these roles may vary on different types of project and procurement routes. The programme examines the content and appropriate level of information that should be included in the Pre-Construction Information and the Construction Phase Plan. The trainer will discuss best practice in implementing CDM through the new 2015 Regulations and Guidance. This course is essential for anyone who is involved in the procurement, planning, design or implementation of construction work. The course will provide you with: An overview of construction health and safety law, liability and enforcement A detailed understanding of the 2015 CDM Regulations and the part they play with other key legislation An explanation of the roles and responsibilities of all duty holders and the requirements for the CDM documentation Clear advice on current best practice for complying with the principles of the CDM Regulations and the changes introduced by the 2015 Regulations An understanding of how risk assessment should be applied practically throughout the design and how this responsibility is then transferred to contractors 1 Introduction Why manage health and safety? The costs of accidents Construction industry statistics Why CDM? Health and safety culture in the construction industry 2 Overview of health and safety law and liabilities Criminal and civil law Liability Enforcement and prosecution Compliance - how far do we go? Statutory duties 3 Health and safety law in construction Framework of relevant legislation Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 Who is responsible for the risks created by construction work? Shared workplaces/shared responsibilities Control of contractors - importance of contract law 4 Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 Scope - What is construction? Application - When do they apply? The CDM Management System Duty holders (Client, Domestic Client, Designer, Principal Designer, Principal Contractor, Contractor) Documents (HSE Notification, Pre-Construction Information, Construction Phase Health & Safety Plan, H&S File) Management process The 2015 Guidance 5 Best practice - key issues in the CDM process The client and client management arrangements Competence and resource under CDM 2015 The role of the Principal Designer in practice Design risk assessment and the role of the Designer The CDM Documents (PCI, PCI Pack, Plan and File) Construction health, safety and welfare Making CDM work in practice 6 Questions, discussion and review