35 Interview courses in Nottingham

This half day course is designed to help relatively inexperienced managers and supervisors to manage their staff effectively. The course can be run as a one-off session or can be incorporated into a series of sessions on managing staff. Alternatively it can be run as a day session and incorporate elements of the Managing the Difficult Staff member course. The course can concentrate on managing paid staff or (for voluntary and community sector organisations) can include aspects of supervising and supporting volunteers as well.

Key Objectives for the Training provision Effective listening to a client's needs and requirements during various stages of the sales process. Engage in meaningful communication with clients, learn to identify challenges and opportunities that relate to the prospects. Overcome the identified challenge. Build long term rapport and establish trust with the prospect throughout the sales process, Ensure continued customer satisfaction that can turn into repeat business. Be able to build rapport with customers or clients. Know the right questions to ask to fully understand the customer or client’s needs without putting on any pressure. Be able to check you have the right information from the customer or client. Be able to match products and services to the customer or client using the information you have gathered. Be able to influence effectively. Know how to stand out from your competitors. Stage 1 – Research the Company’s ‘Value Propositions’ and USP Analysis  Conducting 30 min confidential interviews with a cross-section of the eligible Attendees & the Stakeholders, in order to gain an objective understanding of the various scenarios and clients that the Participants work with. the Company’s ‘Value Propositions’ Unique Selling Points The Customers’ journey(s) The Competition’s offers for analysis and comparisons. From these findings, a carefully calibrated bespoke Programme will be designed and delivered.  Stage 2 - Design the Bespoke 2 x day Course  nd Stage 3 - Delivery of the Course Programme This Programme can be delivered in 2 x consecutive days, or split between 2 – 3 weeks, to make it more ‘work-friendly’ – if required. It is very practical and commercially focussed in approach, with lots of interactive exercises designed to draw out the learning applications via the debriefings. The ‘Real Play’ scenarios on day 2 will be based on specific case studies drawn from the Research findings so that they are authentic to optimise the learning. Individual Action Plans will be captured at the end of each day to be debriefed by the Participants’ respective Line Managers.  Template Programme Day One – Foundation – Strategic Approach Section One – The Principles of Consultative Selling Defining ‘Consultative Selling’ The Company’s ‘Unique Selling Points’ & Value Proposition The Consultative Selling model – the five stages Avoiding appearing ‘pushy’, ‘pressurising’ or ‘talking through the sale’ Section Two –Strategy & Preparation  ‘Buy-Class’ Matrix Strategic plan Template – matching services/products to identified needs & opportunities. Preparing a range of objectives Constants and variables – USP’s Researching key Client/Decision Makers’ priorities, profile & background (LinkedIn etc.) Preparing for potential & likely Objections Section Three – Email etiquette & ‘influencing’ email correspondence.  Email etiquette A.B.S.U.R.D model Clarity and tone – discovery of clients’ needs & motivational factors. Techniques to influence and ‘nudge’. Ensuring the data and content have a ‘gentle’ motivational & appealing message. Top Tips Day Two – Practical Application Section Four – Rapport Building & Effective Communication skills ‘Behaviour Labelling’ techniques – setting a positive tone. Asking Open Questions – gaining a full understanding of the clients’ priorities & expectations. EQ - Inviting opinions; perspectives; experiences – winning confidence. Active Listening – focus and commitment to understand. ‘Reading the room’ – adapting to responses and reactions. Maintaining focus on relevant topics that the Client cares about; carefully consider the opportunities to influence. But NO PRESSURE! Building a ‘bond of trust’ with commitments and authentic, shared values. Section Five – Explaining the Benefits – aligned to the Customers’ Priorities Understanding ‘Why do People Buy?’ Research data analysis. Open questions that lead to understanding the key issues and Clients’ priorities. Avoiding the danger of ‘pressurising’ the Client. Responding to objections effectively, with confidence and sensitivity. Explaining the benefits that are aligned to the Clients’ stated requirements. Making the Data ‘sing’ – memorable takeaways for the Client. Augmented benefits – Brand confidence; Case studies; Warranty; Service; Range; Flexibility etc. in alignment with their stated preferences/requirements Differentials compared to Competitors Section Six – Winning Commitment Inviting commitment – with confidence Consultative Selling Closing techniques (e.g. Alternative Close/Assumptive Close et al) Avoiding ‘talking through the sale’ – knowing when to ‘Shut UP!’ Confirming agreement – ensuring Clients’ motivation for repeat business Section Seven – Practical Application ‘Real Play’ From the Research findings, carefully devised scenarios can be generated to provide the most valuable learning opportunities to underpin all the skills & techniques covered in the Programme.  Potential Real Play scenarios: A well-established customer has indicated that they are soon to be opening up additional new offices – this presents an opportunity to arrange for the Company to support them with their upcoming needs. After some very positive feedback and with the upcoming contract renewal imminent – how can the Company give the Customer more high-quality support in other areas of their business? A Competitor has been to see the client and they have prompted some concerns about ‘value for money’ & ‘quality of service’. How Real Play works… The group is split the group into 2 sub-groups, one with our Professional Actor (option available); the other with the Trainer or a willing Participant. Each group has a brief and has to instruct their Trainer/Actor/Participant on how to approach the scenario supplied. The Actor and Trainer (or willing Participant) perform the role play(s) as instructed by their respective teams; however, during the action they can be paused for further recommendations or direction. The outcome is the responsibility of the team(s) – not the performers. Debrief the full Programme Individual Action Plans - to be followed through. ‘Best Practices’ for application into the business Options for Exercises within the Programme  Sample Exercise – Red & White  There is a specific time managed agenda and itinerary, which puts the group under pressure.  The key challenge is for the sub-groups to maximise the commercial value from the task, however there is always a great danger that the individuals attempt to gain financial progress at the expense of the other group! Debriefing points: Persuasive communication and influence across barriers Gaining buy-in when others are sceptical Strategic planning accounting for others’ behaviours Sample Exercise – Communication Challenge Each Participant has different pieces of information, but are not allowed to share it visually. They are only allowed to communicate to work out the solution hidden among the large amount of data. Debrief: Structured approach Maintaining focus through distractions/interference Active Listening Controlled communication Sample Exercise – Persuasive emails Sample emails are shared to be critiqued and improved upon to be debriefed: Tone & impact Making the Data ‘sing’ Influential & motivational language Customer centric message. Sample Exercise –Juggling   Each Participant has to pass the ‘Customers’ (Juggling balls) carefully through the system with all the other Participants to reach a profitable conclusion  Debrief: EQ to read the room and effectively communicate, when the pressure is on Customer focus and adapting to challenges Devising a plan that wins buy-in Overcoming competing ideas to get to ‘best practice’ Consistent commitment, communication and motivational drivers that influenced performance. Sample Exercise –Critical Path  The group are provided with 30 x discs and some ‘post-it’ notes. (no pens or pencils are allowed) Their brief is to create a grid shape with the 30 x discs, which will act as ‘stepping stones’ for the ‘Critical Path’ But they have to follow the correct order through the grid from the start to finish, which they will have to work out through ‘trial & error’ All of the team must pass through the ‘Critical Path’ worked out on the grid, observing the constraints, within the time limit. No talking is permitted once they start using the materials Debrief: - Clear communication focussing on the ‘client’s journey’ Planning for challenges Identifying risks and mitigating them Role allocations & support Quality control and disciplines  Sample Exercise –Back to Back  Each Participant is positioned back-to-back with a partner. They have to work out precisely what the ‘statement’ given to the other person is without looking around. Each person has a different brief. Debrief: - Asking Open Questions Active Listening Accuracy in identifying the objective.

Do you use video as a tool to promote your charity, business, organisation or campaigns? And if you don’t, do you feel as if you ought to? Videos account for more than 80% of all consumer internet traffic. So the pressure to use video as a marketing and PR tool has increased enormously. But the cost can be prohibitive. Using a video production company, such as ours, might be ideal, but for many it is out of reach – particularly if, like many of our clients, you’re a charity. However, there is an alternative, which more and more organisations are choosing, especially those which need to produce regular digital content. That is to produce the video yourself. Nowadays, you do not even need to invest in a video camera. All you need is your smart phone, some simple equipment you can buy on Amazon for as little as £80, plus your laptop or PC. This is why we have developed a new smartphone video training course, Smart Video. Our smartphone video training course covers: Equipment – including setting up your phone, microphones, tripods and editing programmes Planning your video Techniques to give your films broadcast-quality polish Getting the perfect shot – including shot sizes, positioning the camera, framing, lighting, sound, sequences and backgrounds Filming interviews An introduction to editing Producing videos for social media Bespoke training The course can be tailored to the type of videos you need to make. If most of your videos will be interviews, we’ll focus on presenting your interviewee in the best possible light – literally. If, on the other hand, you need to film buildings, events or products, we’ll tailor the course accordingly. If your video needs a script, we’ll give you tips and techniques on how to “write to pictures”, so your messages comes across well. And on all our courses, we’ll give you a guide to the best equipment and apps to use to enhance your filming and editing. The smartphone video course will be led by Paul Curran who has many years experience producing, filming and editing films and videos, for the BBC and corporate clients.

Masterclasses? Refreshers? Introductions? It depends what you're looking for and where you want to pitch them, but here are six tried-and-tested highly focused sessions that organisations can take individually or as a series, to help develop their teams' project management capabilities one topic at a time. Objectives for each individual session are set out below, as part of the session outlines. Taken together, as a series, however, these modules are an ideal opportunity to develop your team's levels of project management capability maturity, whether that's by introducing them to the basic principles, refreshing them on best practice, or giving them the opportunity to really drill down into a specific area of challenge in your particular operating environment. Session outlines 1 Stakeholder management Session objectives This session will help participants: Understand why stakeholders matter to projects Be able to identify and engage stakeholders Be able to categorise stakeholders by their significance 1 Key principles What does 'stakeholder' mean - in theory? What does this mean in practice? Why stakeholders matter Consequences of missing stakeholders The stakeholder management process:IdentifyAssessPlanEngage 2 Identifying stakeholders Rapid listing CPIG analysis PESTLE analysis Drawing on the knowledge and experience of others Other ways to identify stakeholders 3 Assessing stakeholders Which stakeholders are significant? Stakeholder radar Power-interest maps Power-attitude maps 4 Planning The adoption curve Dealing with obstacles Who should engage which stakeholder? How should the project's organisation be structured? How will communication happen? 5 Engaging Seven principles of stakeholder engagement 2 Requirements and prioritisation Session objectives This session will help participants: Understand how clarity of requirements contributes to project success Use different techniques for prioritising requirements Agree requirements with stakeholders Manage changes to requirements 1 Understanding and managing stakeholder needs and expectations What are 'requirements'? What is 'requirements management'? Sources of requirements - and the role of stakeholders Are stakeholders sufficiently expert to specify their needs? Do they understand the detail of what they want, or do they need help to tease that out? What do stakeholders want to achieve? Working within constraints Prioritising requirements - three techniques 2 MoSCoW prioritisation 'Must have', should have', 'could have, 'won't have this time' When to use MoSCoW 3 The Kano Model Customer satisfaction - 'attractive' and 'must-be' qualities When to use Kano 4 Value-based prioritisation Understanding risk v value Using risk v value to prioritise features and schedules 5 Agreeing requirements Perfect v 'good enough' Establishing acceptance criteria Requirements traceability Agreeing project scope 6 Changing requirements Why requirements change Why change control matters Impact on projects A formal change control process Paying for change - managing change for different types of project 3 Estimating Session objectives This session will help participants: Understand the different purposes estimates satisfy Be able to use different estimating techniques Understand how to achieve different levels of accuracy 1 Key principles What's an estimate? Informed guesswork What needs to be estimated? Costs, resources, effort, duration Tolerances Precision v accuracy 2 Estimating through the lifecycle Start Plan Do 3 Early estimates Comparative ('analogous') estimating Parametric estimating Using multiple estimating techniques 4 Bottom-up estimating Bottom-up ('analytical') estimating Pros Cons 5 Three-point estimating Three-point ('PERT': Programme Evaluation and Review Technique) estimating Uncertainty and the range of estimates Calculating a weighted average Three-point with bottom-up 4 Scheduling Session objectives This session will help participants: Understand how to create a viable schedule Be able to use different forms of schedule Understand the concept of the critical path 1 Key principles The planning horizon Rolling wave planning Release planning 2 Viable scheduling Creating a viable schedule Define the scope Sequence the work Identify the risks and build in mitigations Identify the resources Estimate the effort and durations Check resource availability Refine until a workable schedule is produced 3 Critical path analysis The critical path Network diagrams Sequence logic Practical application:Network diagram with estimated durationsThe 'forward pass'The 'backward pass'Calculating total floatIdentifying the critical pathCalculating free float Gantt charts 5 Risk and issue management Session objectives This session will help participants: Understand the difference between risks and issues Be able to identify and assess risks Understand ways of mitigating risks Manage issues 1 Key principles Understanding risk Threats and opportunities The risk management processPreparation - proactive risk managementThe process - identify, assess, plan, implementStakeholder communication Roles and responsibilities Risk management strategy The risk register Risk appetite 2 Risk identification Brainstorming Interviews Assumption analysis Checklists 3 Risk assessment and prioritisation Probability, impact and proximity Triggers Qualitative risk assessment Qualitative impact assessment Qualitative probability assessment Probability / impact grid Bubble charts Risk tolerance 4 Planning countermeasures To mitigate or not to mitigate? Categories of risk response Avoid and exploit Reduce and enhance Transfer Share Accept Contingency Secondary risks 5 Issue management What is an issue? Tolerances Issues and tolerances The PRINCE2 view of issues Ownership of issues An issue management process Issue register 6 Budgeting and cost control Session objectives This session will help participants: Understand what to include in a budget - and why Choose - and use - the appropriate estimating technique Align the budget with the schedule Understand how to monitor spend and control costs Trouble-shoot effectively to get projects back within budget Session format Flexible. The session can be tailored to the participants' average level of project management maturity - a 60-minute session (delivered virtually) is an effective introduction. A 90-minute session allows for more in-depth treatment. A half-day session (face-to-face or virtual) gives time for a more challenging workshop, particularly to discuss specific cost control issues with any of the participants' current projects. 1 Where is the money coming from? Can we pay from revenue? Do we need to borrow? How long will the project take to pay back? The lifecycle of the budget Through-life costs Stakeholder involvement 2 Estimating costs Reminder: the relationship between estimates Reminder: possible estimating techniques What do we need to estimate?PeopleEquipmentMaterialsFacilities and operating costsWork package estimateEstimated project costs Estimating agile projects 3 Aligning budget and schedule Scheduling and financial periods Spreading the budget 4 Reserves and agreeing the budget Contingency reserve Management reserve Agreeing the budget 5 Cost control Planned spend over time Actual spend over time Work completed over time Evaluating different scenarios: delivery v spend 6 Trouble-shooting Why are we where we are? What has caused the project to spend at the rate it is? Why is it delivering at the rate it is? What are the root causes? What can we do about it?

This course has a simple objective: to help gain appointments with potential clients. In most consultative selling situations clients won't commit to purchases over the telephone. This means setting up a meeting to discuss the options with them face-to-face. But getting 'face time' can be tricky. This practical workshop can help. Participants will acquire essential tools, skills and methods; discuss specific organisational issues; and identify areas for improvement. They will discover how to: Increase their effectiveness through proper preparation Construct attention-grabbing opening statements Help potential clients feel comfortable agreeing to a meeting Develop tactics for responding to difficult excuses and objections Stress the benefits of a face-to-face consultation Develop and enhance their questioning and listening skills Prevent customers cancelling booked appointments 1 Introduction to appointment setting Key trends that have changed the way people buy today - and will buy tomorrow Why many sales people avoid picking up the phone The difference that makes a difference - what makes a good appointment-maker? 2 Before you pick up the telephone It all starts with a plan... Who and what to focus our attention How much research should we undertake and why? Setting primary and secondary objectives 3 Making your approach Key considerations Every call is an opportunity - creating a positive mind-set Using a structured approach Using partnership language 4 Gaining an insight into the customer's needs How to quickly 'tune in' to your customers, so that you can serve them more easily Developing speech patterns that put customers at their ease Using effective questioning and listening skills Finding and building pain points 5 Dealing with excuses and objections Pre-empting potential excuses Developing techniques for responding to client objections Keeping the door open for future contact 6 Securing the appointment Selling the benefits of a consultancy meeting Techniques for avoiding cancelled appointments Gaining commitment 7 Action plans Course summary and presentation of action plans