Successfully closing a sale and negotiating the best outcome for the business is a key skill for all salespeople, and often an area that is overlooked. Investing in this skill will have a positive impact on interactions with customers, both new and existing, and lead to improved sales performance. Whilst understanding how to reach a conclusion with a customer faster means increased efficiency and more time to invest in sourcing new business. We have developed this programme to be practical, fun and interactive. Participants will learn proven techniques for influencing, persuading and negotiating with clients, gain increased confidence and clarity when reviewing contract terms and prices, and understand how to structure and manage sales negotiation and contract review meetings. This course will help participants: Learn a structured and proven approach to the negotiation of contract terms Apply the key principles of negotiation, playing the person and the problem Create a contract negotiation strategy - from opening to close Recognize and put to use proven negotiation tactics and techniques Learn how to embrace conflict positively - to 'say no, then negotiate' Plan and prepare for any commercial negotiation conversations Understand the stages of negotiation and how to move through them 1 Closing and negotiating from a position of personal power The eight steps of a sales or commercial negotiation Ten ways to resist price pressure How to draw on sources of power when you have less authority The six principles of influence and persuasion and how to use them 2 Effective negotiation - planning and theory How to plan and structure your negotiation for a successful and quick conclusion Influence: knowing how to 'push or pull' to win an argument Achieving a BATNA - a range of practical skills and techniques Case study: planning for a client negotiation around contract or price issues 3 Effective closing and negotiation - practice and reality Higher-level questioning techniques to investigate and solve problems Listening to lead - active listening and structuring your conversation The most common 'unforced' negotiation mistakes and errors Case study: setting objectives, sources of value, trading concessions 4 Sales negotiation tactics and playing the game How high - how hard - how soon; why now How to identify hidden or perceived currencies and values How to use these to establish a higher base price Negotiation best-practice checklist and summary
Whether starting from scratch or beginning again as an adult after regretting giving up at an earlier age (a most common scenario!), I'm confident you will find what you need here to have a most satisfying hobby or interest that can be done at any age and at any time.
The aim of this programme is to provide current / prospective senior project managers with an in-depth review of the role and importance of project management in the organisation. It focuses on the strategic role of the project manager and aims to draw out the full scope of the role and how it impacts on project performance. The five key objectives of this programme are to enable the participants to: Identify the characteristics and attributes needed by project managers in ensuring the organisation is recognised as an industry leader in delivering successful projects Understand the full scope and impact of the project manager / leader's role in managing projects or programmes to maximise benefit to the business Define the hallmarks and skills required to manage significant business projects or project portfolios Develop an understanding of the skills required and their impact on the project through case study work and syndicate exercises Benefit from an effective forum for exchanging experience and fostering a sense of team spirit and mutual support between senior project managers DAY ONE 1 Introduction (Course sponsor) A vision of future opportunities and challenges The impact of project managers / leaders on future success 2 The determinants of success The contractor's perspective The client's perspective Success and failure: factors that determine the project outcome The impact of the project manager 3 Case study: Project Giotto How successful was this project? What were the primary factors that influenced the outcome? How relevant are these factors to current projects? Feedback and review 4 Project team exercise A practical exercise demonstrating the role of the project manager in managing the interfaces between the client, the project team and suppliers Review - what skills are required to be a 'world class' project manager? 5 The role of the Project Manager The role and skills of the 'world class' project manager The three key dimensions of effective project leadershipManaging influential stakeholdersManaging project performanceManaging the project team Project leadership skills appraisal (individual review) DAY TWO 6 Managing influential stakeholders Project management and the art of leadership Who are the influential stakeholders and how do they affect the project? What we need to do / not do, to build successful working relationships 7 Case study: Understanding the customer What are the likely problems the project manager will encounter? What should the project manager do to ensure an effective partnership? 8 Managing project performance Issues affecting commercial performance Joining up the project life-cycle: getting performance from inception to closure The roles of project manager, line manager and project sponsor 9 Project team exercise: Making the promise / delivering the promise An exercise demonstrating the commercial and team leadership skills needed by the project manager Review - what must the project manager do to optimise project performance? 10 Managing multi-functional project teams The challenges of building effective, multi-functional project teams Co-ordinating work across functional and organisational boundaries Maintaining strategic focus and balancing priorities 11 Making it happen Individual action planning Syndicate discussion 12 Course review and transfer planning (Course sponsor present) What will we do differently? How will we make it happen? Conclusion
All organisations are legally required to have at least one designated Fire Warden. It's also common sense, given that every year there are nearly 20,000 commercial fires in the UK. This course will help participants: Assess their awareness and knowledge of the principles of fire safety and the associated risks involved at work Understand the responsibilities of being a Fire Warden Understand the main types of firefighting equipment 1 Introduction to fire safety What to do in an emergency Causes and effects of fire The fire warden's duties and responsibilities 2 Fire risk control How to raise the alarm Assembly points, roll calls, drills Fire prevention and fire risk assessment Understanding the fire triangle 3 Practical fire safety Types of portable fire extinguishers Maintenance of firefighting equipment Fire signs In-house checks The fire bag/box
Businesses that don't control their costs don't stay in business. How well are you doing? Is everyone in your organisation sufficiently aware of costs, managing them effectively and maximising opportunities to reduce them? If there is scope for improvement, this course will help get you back on track. It will demonstrate that cost reduction is so much more than cost control and cost cutting. True cost management is about being aware of costs, seeking to reduce them through good design and efficient operating practices whilst taking continuing action on overspending. This course will develop the participants' skills in: Being aware of costs at all times Seeking cost reduction from the start (including life-cycle costing) Appraising projects / production to identify and take out risk Understanding real budgeting Using techniques such as ZBB and ABC where appropriate Ensuring cost reports lead to action Managing a cost reduction process that delivers Benefits to the organisation will include: Identification of cost reduction and business improvement opportunities Better reporting and ownership of costs Greater awareness and control of everyday costs 1 Introduction - the cost management process The risks of poor cost control Capital and revenue costs The importance of cost awareness The importance of cost reduction Cost management - the key aspects How to build a cost management and control process checklist for your areas of responsibility 2 Cost removal - taking out costs Cost awareness Costs of poor design / poor processes Value engineering Removing redundant costs 3 The need for commercial, technical and financial appraisals Understand the problems before cash is committed and costs incurred Making the effort to identify commercial and technical risk The time value of money - DCF techniques for long term projects Cost models for production processes and projects Costing models - project appraisals The use of spreadsheets to identify sensitivity and risk How to focus on risk management 4 Budgeting - proper budgeting challenges costs The philosophy of the business - are costs an issue? The importance of having the right culture The need for detailed business objectives Budgetary control measures Designing budget reports - for action 5 Zero-based budgeting (ZBB) - the principles Much more than starting with a clean sheet of paper What ZBB can achieve The concept of decision packages - to challenge business methods and costs Only necessary costs should be incurred A review of an operating budget - demonstrating what ZBB challenges and the costs it may lead to being taken out 6 Awareness of overheads and other costs Definitions of cost - direct and indirect Dealing with overheads - what is meant by allocation, absorption or apportionment? The apparent and real problems with overheads Different ways of dealing with overheads Review of overhead allocation methods and accounting and reporting issues 7 Overheads and product costing Activity-based costing (ABC) - the principles Where and how the ABC approach may be helpful Know the 'true' cost of a product or a project Should you be in business? Will you stay in business? Identifying weaknesses in a traditional overhead allocation How ABC will help improve product or service costing Identifying which products and activities should be developed and which abandoned 8 Cost reduction culture The need for cost reports What measures can be used to identify over-spends as early as possible Cost control performance measures and ratios 9 Design of cost control reports Reports should lead to action and deliver Selecting cost control measures which can be acted upon Practice in designing action reports 10 Course summary - developing your own cost action plan Group and individual action plans will be prepared with a view to participants identifying their cost risks areas and the techniques which can be immediately applied to improve costing and reduce costs
High quality specifications are of paramount importance in achieving the right technical performance and value for money. This long-established training programme has been developed to help those involved in producing specifications to create high quality documents in an organised and effective way. It provides a sound foundation for those new to the topic whilst at the same time offering new insights to those with more experience. The programme emphasises the need for a clear definition of requirements combined with the ability to communicate those requirements effectively to third parties. A structured method of preparing specifications is provided, and a range of practical techniques is presented, to enable participants to put the principles into practice. The commercial and contractual role of specifications is also addressed. The objectives of the workshop are to: Provide a clear understanding of the role and purpose of specifications Present a framework for organising and producing specifications Define the key steps involved in creating effective specifications Demonstrate methods for assisting in defining requirements Provide tools and techniques for scoping and structuring specifications Show the role of specifications in managing variations and changes to scope Present methods to assist the writing and editing of specifications Review how specifications should be issued and controlled DAY ONE 1 Introduction Review of course objectives Review of participants' needs and objectives 2 Creating effective specifications The role of specifications in communicating requirements The costs, benefits and qualities of effective specifications Understanding the differences between verbal and written communication The five key steps of 'POWER' writing: prepare-organise-write-edit-release Exercise: qualities of an effective specification 3 Step 1: Preparing to write - defining readership and purpose; the specification and the contract Designing the specifications required; applying BS 7373 Defining the purpose, readership and title of each document Effective procedures for writing, issuing and controlling specifications The roles and responsibilities of the key players Understanding contracts; the contractual role of the specification Integrating and balancing the technical and commercial requirements Writing specifications to achieve the appropriate contract risk strategy Deciding how to specify: when to use functional and technical specifications The role of specifications in managing variations and changes to scope 4 Case study 1 Teams review a typical project scenario and identify the implications for the specification Feedback and discussion 5 Step 2: Organising the specification content Defining the need and establishing user requirements Deciding what issues the specification should cover Scoping techniques: scope maps, check lists, structured brainstorming Clarifying priorities: separating needs and desires Dealing with requirements that are difficult to quantify Useful techniques: cost benefit analysis, QFD, Pareto analysis 6 Case study 2 Teams apply the scoping techniques to develop the outline contents for a specification Feedback and discussion DAY TWO 7 Step 2: Organising the specification content (cont) Deciding what goes where; typical contents and layout for a specification The three main segments: introductory, key and supporting Creating and using model forms: the sections and sub-sections Detailed contents of each sub-section Tools and techniques for outlining and structuring specifications 8 Case study 3 Teams develop the detailed specification contents using a model form Feedback and discussion 9 Step 3: Writing the specification The challenges of written communication Identifying and understanding the readers needs Choosing and using the right words; dealing with jargon Problem words; will, shall, must, etc; building a glossary Using sentence structure and punctuation to best effect Understanding the impact of style, format and appearance Avoiding common causes of ambiguity Being concise and ensuring clarity Choosing and using graphics to best effect Exercises and examples 10 Step 4: Editing the specification Why editing is difficult; how to develop a personal editing strategy Key areas to review: structure, content, accuracy, clarity, style and grammar Editing tools and techniques 11 Step 5: Releasing and controlling the specification Key requirements for document issue and control Final formatting and publication issues; document approval Requirements management: managing revisions and changes 12 Course review and action planning What actions should be implemented to improve specifications? Conclusion
This one-day programme explores the role of intellectual property (IP) in relation to innovation and creativity. It examines the different forms as well as the key processes, together with some of the oddities and idiosyncrasies of the legal regime that protects IP. It delves into the various IP models you should be aware of as well as key IP facts and figures and current IP trends across the global economy. This session is designed to give you a deeper understanding of: The main forms of intellectual property The importance of IP - both to your organisation and to the wider economy The key processes in the creation, commercial exploitation, and legal protection of IP The different models for the use of IP Some more advanced concepts for reviewing, valuing and managing IP 1 Main forms of intellectual property (IP) Patents Trademarks Copyright Design Trade secrets 2 Global IP business context Global IP facts and figures Figures for key jurisdictions Analysis of a company using IP data IP trends Overview of the key entities in the IP sector 3 Key IP processes IP creation IP portfolio management IP enforcement IP exploitation IP risk management 4 IP models IP models explained IP licensing IP litigation 5 IP concepts The IP maturity ladder Relative IP value and risk Axis of control 6 IP as an asset class Costs Valuation Financial perspective
The mentorship program for all wedding photographer, from one of the worlds top 100. A course aimed around your interests and bespoke to you, from portfolio critique to business review with the option of joining me on a shoot.
LOOKING FOR: MG, YA, ADULT FICTION / NON-FICTION Kesia Lupo joined Donald Maass Literary Agency in 2024 after 11 years working across the publishing industry. She started out as an editorial assistant at Pan Macmillan London in 2013, transitioning to children’s fiction in 2015 when she moved to Chicken House (a UK imprint of Scholastic), where she worked her way up from junior to senior editor. Here she acquired and edited bestselling, internationally successful and prize-winning fiction for middle grade (MG) and YA readers. In 2023 she transitioned over to the US and agenting, working with the Bindery Agency before finding a home with DMLA. At DMLA, Kesia is building a list leaning 60/40 towards MG and YA fiction, with the rest consisting of adult fiction and a smattering of adult non-fiction. She is especially, but not exclusively, interested in underrepresented voices, whether BIPOC, LGBTQ+, neurodivergent, disabled writers or other identities not listed here. Across all age-groups, she’s seeking: Fantasy/Science Fiction: High fantasy, low fantasy, cosy fantasy. Particularly interested in fantasy and SF inspired by underrepresented cultures with unique world-building. Romantasy is fine but the fantasy elements MUST be strong! Horror: Psychological and paranormal horror in particular but will consider slashers. Kesia loves gothic horror and is not generally fazed by gory content. Thrillers: Upmarket thrillers with a unique spin. Loves plot twists! Historical: Open to everything with a strong hook and informed by excellent research. Would love to find non-Eurocentric historical fiction. For adult fiction only, she’s seeking: Bookclub/women’s fiction: Voice-driven, high-concept novels across these categories. Romance: Upmarket romance with a great one-line pitch. Happy with spice. For adult non-fiction, she’s interested in accessible political, cultural or historical topics with broad appeal. Please don’t self-reject – if you are unsure about whether your story might be a good fit, Kesia would rather see it. In one single word document, Kesia would like you to submit a covering letter, 1 page synopsis and the first three chapters or 5,000 words of your manuscript in a single word document, whichever is shorter. (In addition to the paid sessions, Kesia is kindly offering one free session for low income/under-represented writers. Please email agent121@iaminprint.co.uk to apply, outlining your case for this option which is offered at the discretion of I Am In Print). By booking you understand you need to conduct an internet connection test with I Am In Print prior to the event. You also agree to email your material in one document to reach I Am In Print by the stated submission deadline and note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice received during your agent meeting. The submission deadline is: Monday 27th January 2025
LOOKING FOR: PICTURE BOOKS, MG, YA With a career that has spanned publishing, literary charities and bookselling, Carolyn May McGlone founded the May Literary Agency in 2024 with a focus on the power of creativity to change the world. She is looking for children’s and young adult stories that encourage empathy and hope, which inspire and/or champion new and diverse perspectives, and which speak to your heart and soul. Carolyn is not the right fit for books that have elements of crime, horror or sci-fi. In one single word document, Carolyn would like you to submit a covering letter, a one page synopsis and the first three chapters or 5,000 words of your manuscript, whichever is shorter. For picture books, please submit a covering letter and up to three completed texts. (In addition to the paid sessions, Carolyn is kindly offering one free session for low income/under-represented writers. Please email agent121@iaminprint.co.uk to apply, outlining your case for this option which is offered at the discretion of I Am In Print). By booking you understand you need to conduct an internet connection test with I Am In Print prior to the event. You also agree to email your material in one document to reach I Am In Print by the stated submission deadline and note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice received during your agent meeting. The submission deadline is: Monday 27th January 2025