303 Step courses in Glasgow

This workshop will help you improve the impact, clarity, accuracy and effectiveness of your sales proposals. It takes bid and proposal teams right through the process, from start to finish - from forming the team and gathering the information, through to writing and reviewing the proposal document, and on to presenting it to the client. The learning points shared in the programme come from the trainer's extensive real-world experience with a wide variety of businesses. As a result of attending this programme, participants will be able to: Write more clearly, more grammatically and more persuasively Structure their written communications more effectively Avoid the 'howlers' that can cost you business Impress your clients Win more business 1 Bid strategy How to combine your knowledge of the market or customer, your products and services, and your competitors, to create a quality bid New insights into your comparative advantages and competitive position in the marketplace Understanding more about how your client views you and other suppliers A plan of attack to build on your strengths and attack the weaknesses of your competition Dealing with RFP/ITT situations 2 Teamwork How a bid or proposal team needs to prioritise and manage preparation time Co-ordinating input from team members Agreeing responsibilities 3 The importance and role of a well-written sales proposal Why bother? - the value of the sales proposal to you and to the customer What the customer wants and needs to make a decision in your favour Understanding and delivering on customer expectations Review and discussion of different proposals - with real-life examples 4 The best way to structure your sales proposals A section-by-section, page-by-page review of best practice in structuring great sales proposals How to improve the way you match your proposal to the customer's objectives and requirements Plan your sales documents systematically - to make them easy to read and more persuasive How to make your proposal look like the 'least risky' option 5 Making your proposal a compelling and persuasive proposition Choosing the right words that sell effectively Selecting the right content and information for your document or proposal Using an option matrix to summarise complex choices and increase final order value How to write an executive summary 6 Well-written and error-free Developing your writing style for maximum impact Expressing the content (ie, selling points) clearly, concisely and correctly Proof-reading and editing work effectively, using formal marks and techniques Improving visual layout, format and appearance Keeping it customer-focused 7 Presenting to the client - overview Presentation options Understanding the client's objectives - as well as your own The proposal review meeting - logistics Managing to the next step Designing and delivering a compelling presentation Isolating objections and concerns Follow-up and follow-through 8 Positioning your final proposal Finalising your bid - presenting the right 'best few' USPs, features and benefits and making them relevant and real to the customer Smart ways to position price and be a strong player - without being the cheapest How to differentiate yourselves by how you present, as well as what you present How to design and deliver a successful bid presentation 9 Bid presentation practice session with structured feedback Participants work in small groups or pairs to prepare and later present a sample section from a real life bid or proposal presentation The trainer will provide assistance and input During group review and discussions, input from others will be encouraged and many best practice ideas summarised 10 Managing the end game How best to draw-out, understand, isolate and answer customer objections, negotiate points and concerns How to read the situation to plan the next step Identifying negotiation tactics - and how to deal with them Planning for a negotiation and how to get the customer feel they have the 'best deal' 11 Workshop summary and close

Recognising the value of, and practising, clear and open communication at all levels is the first step to improving performance, whether at an individual, team, management, leadership or organisational level. We all know this, but why is it so difficult? This unique programme will make it much, much easier for you by giving you a robust framework to use - and the opportunity to practise your skills in a safe, supportive environment. It will help you have conversation that deliver tangible results. The programme will help you: Overcome the barriers to effective performance conversations Handle feedback conversations effectively Improve working relationships with your staff Set realistic expectations and targets (and get 'buy-in' for them) Improve your communication style Plan and prepare for honest conversations in the workplace 1 What is an honest conversation? Why don't we have them more often? What stops us? The cost of not having them 2 The feedback conversation Dealing with the impact of feedback conversations 3 Preparing for conflict 4 Effective working relationships 5 The expectations conversation 6 The targets conversation 7 Your communication styles 8 Planning and preparing for an honest conversation 9 Giving and receiving feedback skills

Difficult Conversations

Developing a network of MHFA Champions is a key step in creating a mentally healthy workplace. The MHFA Champion one-day course will give you all the skills you need to be an MHFA Champion. This one-day course trains you as an MHFA Champion, giving you: An understanding of common mental health issues Knowledge and confidence to advocate for mental health awareness Ability to spot signs of mental ill-health Skills to support positive wellbeing 1 Introduction to MHFA and understanding mental health (3 hours 30 mins) About Mental Health First Aid About mental health and stress in the workplace Stigma and discrimination Depression Anxiety disorders Other mental health issues (eating disorders, self-harm, psychosis) Early warning signs of mental ill-health Alcohol, drugs and mental health 2 MHFA Champion in practice (3 hours 30 mins) Applying the Mental Health First Aid action plan Action 1: Approach the person, assess and assist with any crisis Suicide Action 2: Listen and communicate non-judgementally Action 3: Give support and information Action 4: Encourage the person to get appropriate professional help Action 5: Encourage other supports Recovery Building a mentally healthy workplace Action planning for using MHFA

'Selling' doesn't work. You've got to help customers buy. And that means engaging with the customer in a positive way, showing that you understand their requirement and giving them confidence that your product or service is the best possible way of meeting that requirement. This may sound painless but there's more to it than meets the eye and it's all too easy to get it wrong. You need to follow a process. This programme will help participants: Understand 'how buyers buy' and align their selling activities accordingly Recognise the difference between 'latent pain' and 'active vision' opportunities Conduct effective pre-call planning and research Stimulate interest and establish credibility with your prospects Get prospects to share / admit high priority pain Engage in consultative dialogue that promotes the differentiating strengths of your offerings Gain access to 'power' people within an opportunity Effectively qualify and disqualify opportunities based on objective decision criteria Better control and manage sell cycles Improve their chances of winning competitive opportunities Shorten sales cycles and avoid 'no decision' Negotiate the steps leading to a successful sale 1 An introduction to selling Understanding the key points that encourage a customer to purchase from us The difference between consultative selling and a transactional sale Understanding the roles that trust and empathy play in a sale Understanding how tricks and manipulation can sink a sale Vital pre-meeting research that must take place before a conversation Understanding how the customer sees us and why positioning is important 2 Structuring the sales conversation process Defining a set process for structuring a sales call with a chance to demonstrate understanding How the first minute of a conversation can destroy a sale Understanding BPO objectives for a sale How a step-by-step sales conversation process helps win more sales Understanding the mis-match between the customers buying process How our sales processes can lead to mistakes 3 How and why people buy An insight into the emotional factors behind how people arrive at purchasing decisions Using research from neuroscience that shows how sales people can really make mistakes Understanding how people make decisions about larger purchases Understanding the stakeholders in companies and their buying motives How to analyse the stakeholders and determine a win-plan 4 Understanding the funnel Studying the sales and buying process to understand the ratios of sales to prospects and better forecasting Understanding the role of forecasting in sales analysis Why many forecasts are nearly always wrong Understanding the stages of a sales process How 'verifiable outcomes' can really change forecasting 5 Questioning techniques Understanding the different questioning techniques and when they should be used Using the 'knowledge tree' as a framework for questioning Understanding the use of real empathy to help customers uncover their needs How effective research can really empower your questions How to ask 'high gain' questions How to ask difficult questions without feeling intrusive 6 Features and benefits How to practically apply them in a sales scenario How to align the benefits to customers' business goals Really understanding the difference and how to demonstrate true economic benefits to a customer How to discover business goals, and align value propositions to these How to craft an effective value proposition for a customer Using the SAR storytelling method to really engage customers to align their thinking patterns Using the latest neuroscience research that explains what customers are really thinking 7 Overcoming objections How 'confirmation bias' can hinder any sales conversation How the CLARA method of responding to customer concerns can dramatically improve the chances of customers responding to us in a positive way Practising the method to become comfortable and congruent with it 8 Closing the sale A deep dive into what closing is How different sales have different closes How too many closing methods can destroy a sale How to lead up to a close with a logical sequence of questions Using the ACSAT trust method of closing A clear methodology with a chance to practise the skills in a fun way

Are you a manager in Early Years? Do you need some new skills to help manage your teams and be the best you can be? Then have a look at what this course covers and get in touch to book. Week 1. Exploring the role of a Manager in Early Years. Characteristics of an effective manager. Exploring different Leadership Styles and identifying your own. Looking after your own wellbeing. Week 2. How to manage difficult Conversations Exploring different personality types. Developing resillience. 4 Step process for managing a difficult conversation. Week 3. Creating Connection & Belonging within your team The importance of Connecting with a Diverse team. How to create a culture of connection & belonging. An introduction to Leading with Emotional Intelligence. We deliver this session on a one to one virtual platform or face to face. We can deliver to small groups but please contact us separately for costings. This specific course is for training one person at a time.

You never know when fire, explosions or gas leaks are around the corner, but while you can’t control what happens tomorrow, you can control how ready you are to react, help and limit any damage – and that’s where fire marshal training comes in.

Jennifer Holloway delivers keynotes, workshops and webinars for clients, both online and in person (no public courses are run). Here’s a selection of existing sessions to give you a flavour of what’s available (though new ones are being designed all the time, so if you don’t see what you need, just ask): Personal Brand – What? How? Why? An introduction to the subject of personal branding, this session explains what a personal brand is, why you already have one and how to define it so you can remain authentic at all times. Delivered as a 45-minute or 60-minute session x People Buy People – So Who Are You Selling? You want people to buy your personal brand…but what exactly is it? This session challenges people to think in a new way about what they bring to the table and what makes them tick, kicking off the process of defining their personal brand. Delivered as a 90-minute or 120-minute session x Discover Your Personal Brand When you really dig into the detail of not just what you offer but who you are, that’s when you discover your unique selling point. This session provides a step-by-step process to highlight your individuality and put it clearly into words. Delivered as a half-day or full-day session xx Deliver Your Personal Brand With Impact Every time you come into contact with people – whether online, on the phone or in person – they’re picking up clues about you. This session shares practical tips and techniques to ensure those clues create a positive impression. Delivered as a 120-minute or half-day session x Articulate Your Achievements To get the most from your personal brand you have to shine a light on the value you bring, but if you can’t communicate what that value is, you could be missing out. This session provides an easy-to-follow formula to set out your credentials in a subtle, yet very effective way. Delivered as a 60-minute or 90-minute session x How To Create A LinkedIn Profile To Be Proud Of Many of us have a LinkedIn profile, but how many of us are 100% certain it’s creating a positive impression? This session focuses on how to polish up your photo, headline and summary to get you noticed for the right reasons. Delivered as a 45-minute or 60-minute session x Networking For People Who Need Help Networking Some people are natural networkers – meeting people and building relationships with ease – but many feel less confident, unsure how to kick-start the process. This session offers easy-to-implement tips for connecting both in-person and online. Delivered as a 45-minute or 60-minute session And for those wanting an in-depth approach to developing their personal brand: Making The Most Of Your Personal Brand This programme delivers the full-monty: from learning what a personal brand is, to defining what your own brand is, to getting feedback on how others view your brand, to learning how to share your brand both in person and online. x It’s restricted to smaller groups, so every delegate gets individualised support, advice and feedback, plus it fosters an open and collaborative environment for each cohort. Delivered as blend of in-person and online learning, or entirely online

This very practical workshop is designed to enable participants to improve the impact, clarity and accuracy of their business documents - both internal and external.: This workshop will help participants: Identify the purpose of writing their documents - to themselves and to their readers Recognise and meet the needs of their readers Plan documents systematically and improve the layout, flow and structure Express the content more clearly, concisely and correctly Adapt the tone and style of writing to the circumstances Proof-read and edit work effectively, using formal marks and techniques Improve visual layout, format and appearance 1 Course objectives Welcome and Introductions The problems now - group discussion 2 Writing better business documents What points to highlight / exclude Starting off Introductions Conclusions Executive summaries 3 Rules and standards George Orwell's famous maxim Why write? - clarifying your aims and objectives A seven-step method for better preparation The three-stage process for writing well Grouping information for your reader 4 Proof-reading and editing The difference between proof-reading and editing Proof-reading methods and strategies Proof-reading marks and techniques Training your eye for detail Knowing what to look for 5 Effective editing Grammar and English standards Words - usage and spelling Sentences - units of thought Paragraphs - themes Punctuation - spotting and correcting common errors Say what you mean - active v passive language 6 How's your English? Grammar quizzes and punctuation test Spotting spelling errors Rephrasing jargons and clichés Common error's and mistakes 7 Document layout House style Use of white space Fonts and effects 8 One-to-one workshops These are practical sessions with one-to-one consultation with colleagues and the trainer They are held at key points to consolidate the learning from different sessions 9 Course summary Summary of key points Action plans

Project management can seem scary and rather intimidating. The whole aim of this programme is to give people a simple and straightforward way of dealing with projects without having to use complex and confusing systems. This two-day course is designed to introduce the apparently complex world of project management in a simple and practical manner. The programme is for anybody who has to run a project of any nature. It has been attended by people from as diverse fields as events management, fashion, charities, oil companies and so on. The programme is run without using any IT project management systems although an introduction can be given if required. At the end of the programme participants will leave understanding: What a project is and why projects are so important today The roles of a project manager Some key language and concepts A simple 5-step model for organising projects How to make sure you understand what your 'client' really wants A set of three simple tools to plan the project How to make decisions What to monitor when the project is running How to close the project 1 Introduction What is the aim of this programme? 2 Background thinking What is a project? The project manager's eternal triangle (cost-quality-time) What are the characteristics of successful projects? Who are the key characters in a project? What are the roles of a project manager? 3 The project process Why have one? 4 Project initiation What is the aim? Identifying key information Key skill: mission analysis Initial risk analysis Document and sign-off 5 Decision-making - 'Stop, Think, Act!' The 'Stop, Think, Act!' technique Recognise the opportunity to make a decision The 3 Cs - making sure we understand the decisions we have to make Identifying options Making your decision Taking it to action 6 Creativity 7 The planning stage Identify all discrete tasks Sequence and dependencies Time line - critical path Resources Project base-line 8 Execution stage - delivering the result Monitor Evaluate Adapt Control Review 9 The project close Review Documentation Have we delivered? What have we learned?