The following course descriptions illustrate the range of topics that can be incorporated into your training programme. ETC Corporate can use these to help tailor courses to your specific needs.
Please click individual courses for more information.
Our business writing courses are designed to promote the use of clear, jargon-free English. We tailor every session to the needs of the individual client. If possible we aim to use documents and examples from your business. Because our trainers are professional writers they can give in-house communication professionals the insights they need to get their message across.
The following are also available in an e-learning format:
"I had very little knowledge of how to write a press release prior to the course. I have a much clearer understanding now which will be very beneficial." Marketing Assistant, publisher
"The course was excellent. It should be taken by everyone who is involved in writing." Underwriter, insurance company
"The courses seem to be making an impact on the standard of writing, which makes everyone happy!." Head of Editorial, charity
Media Relations
Talking to the media requires specific skills and understanding. These courses are run by journalists to give you the confidence needed to successfully get the message across.
"Both authors found it very useful and I think it will make a big difference to their performance."
Freelance publicist
Public Relations
We offer a variety of courses for all levels of marketing or channel personnel. They take you from the very basics of public relations to topics such as campaign management, strategic PR and working with a customer publishing agency.
Marketing
A series of workshops addressing the vital elements of the marketing process and management functions. These sessions can be tailored to suit different sectors and levels of seniority.
As well as the courses listed on the left, other marketing topics include:
Media Planning and Selection
The Effective Brand Audit
Management
Our courses cover key aspects of people and business management. They are aimed at different levels, from the newly appointed manager to team leaders and other experienced personnel.
"I think this course has really helped me be a better manager - I've already put many things into effect - and feel a lot more confident in doing so." Fashion Director
Team Dynamics
Vital and timely issues are explored and resolved during these days. This is a rare chance to gather your whole team together and examine your overriding concerns, with objective input and expert facilitation from an ETC Corporate training consultant.
Digital Communications
The web is changing everything, and with these courses we explore in detail how to extract maximum value from new media and the range of available digital formats.
The following are also available in an e-learning format:
"I thought the course was extremely interesting and very useful. I have attended writing training before, but had forgotten a lot of the basics. This course gave me the confidence to write a feature article and page for the web. The course covered everything I wanted it to."
CR Communications Adviser, blue-chip company
Website Consultancy
Tailored consultancy for your website managers. Content will depend on your specific objectives, but topics can include:
Audience
Where do they come from?
Site statistics and data
The information rich/time poor reader
How people read online content
The skim factor, scanning pages...
Reader loyalty, use of multiple information sources
Cross media habits and why they matter
Finding out more about your readers
Analysing information needs - what else would they like you to provide?
The difference between editorial and content
Identifying new content streams
Presentation
Knowing your audience
Developing an appropriate "voice and style"
Designing for the web - how design can help your readers and reflect your positioning
Navigation and site structure
Improving site "stickiness" and reader loyalty
Hints and tips on writing successful and "gripping" news stories and features
Understanding the "different media, same brand" concept
Working across different media
Using printed material online - what to keep, what to lose and what to add
Competitive analysis and audit
Examine selected competitive and best of breed sites
Analyse their target audiences, what they do and don't do, define their extended content model etc.
Define your target audience and position
Analyse your websites to identify strengths, weaknesses and opportunities
Conclusion
Define positioning statements
Draw up action plan for changes
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Media Training
(1 day)
Ideal for
Clients who wish to speak to the media on behalf of their organisations.
Benefits
Understanding what journalists are looking for is a vital part of implementing a successful media strategy. In this course, delegates gain practical experience in getting their messages across in media interviews.
Content of the course
What do journalists want?
Why do journalists want to talk to you?
What will they ask you?
What can you ask them?
What to do and not to do
What do journalists like and not like?
Doing it: Face to face interviews with each delegate focusing on:
The company messages
Basic company information
Rapport with the interviewer using a variety of interview styles
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
An Introduction to Digital Media
(½ day)
Ideal for
Anyone who is new to online media.
Benefits
This session demystifies the jargon surrounding the digital revolution and gives delegates the opportunity to embrace the possibilities of creating content for websites.
Content of the ½ day
Why digital media is top of the agenda and here to stay
Understanding web speak
Why do users turn to the web?
Revenue possibilities
How is online success measured?
How companies can use their web sites
How and why readers get to sites
What is SEO: driving traffic to your site
Moving content from print to site - the issues
Podcasting
Vodcasting
Blogging
An introduction to digital media is also available as an e-learning course
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
The Multimedia Writer - Writing for Print and the Web
(1 day)
Ideal for
Writers who are being asked to provide content for print, web and other media.
Benefits
This session gives writers the chance to focus on how to work smart so that they can use material across a variety of media.
Content of the day
Where will your material end up?
What does this mean for you?
Print vs the web - the differences and the similarities
What that means for writers
Understanding key words
Why search engines matter
Getting the information you need
Making it work on the web
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Understanding the Media and How they Work
(1 day)
Ideal for
In-house PR professionals who wish to gain a deeper understanding of how the media work.
Benefits
Understanding how the media works is the first step in making it work for you.
Content of the course
The main arms of the media:
Sound: radio
Vision and sound: TV and video
Print: newspapers, magazines and newsletters
The main branches:
International
National
Business
Regional
Consumer
What they look for in stories, contacts and interviews
How to keep them well fed
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Writing for the Web - The Basics
(½ day)
Ideal for
Writers who want to develop or improve online writing skills.
Benefits
To introduce delegates to successful techniques for writing for the web.
Content of the ½ day
Web vs print: the differences
How people read on the web
What that means for writers
The importance of key words
Why search engines matter
News on the web: the basics
Features and analysis on the Web
Writing for the web is also available as an e-learningcourse
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Writing for the Web - Advanced
(½ day)
Ideal for
Writers who have been producing copy for the web and want to improve.
Benefits
To prompt delegates to look at what works when writing for the web.
Content of the ½ day
How people read online
Writing copy that works on the web
Using key words and phrases to pull people to the site
Remembering search engines
Promoting reader interaction
Considering audio and video
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Blogging
(½ day)
Ideal for
Anyone who wants to write a blog.
Benefits
By the end of this session, delegates will know what blogging is all about and have written their first post.
Content of the ½ day
What is a blog?
Why blog?
Some terms
Blog tools
The technical side
Enriching blogs
Moderating
Magazine blogging options
Pulling readers to your blog
Blogging is also available as an e-learning course
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Writing for the Mobile/Wireless Internet
(1 day)
Ideal for
Writers/editors who need to contribute mobile content.
Benefits
The mobile internet is a different medium to the internet. This session prompts delegates to adapt their style to the media.
Content of the day
Differences between mobile internet and internet - a different, much more complicated type of technology
Pros and cons of mobile content/expectations versus reality
Mobile "magazines"
Writing for the mobile internet
Usability and user expectations
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Driving Traffic to your Site - Search Engine Optimisation
(½ day)
Ideal for
Anyone who wants to increase the traffic to a website by the use of search engine optimisation (SEO) techniques.
Content of the ½ day
What is 'traffic' anyway?
Why does it matter and how should a better understanding affect what you do editorially
Hits, page views, ad inventory, site 'stickiness', referrals etc. Which stats matter and why
Why referrals are important and how they are created
Sources of online traffic and making the most of them online - print audience, your existing online audience and the untapped audience interested in your content
Making your site work better with search engines
Keywords, tags, metatags
Related SEO activities like usability, site design and navigation
Search engine optimisation (SEO) is also available as an e-learning course
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Online Communities
(½ day)
Ideal for
Anyone who wants to get more visitors to their website by encouraging interaction through polls, message boards and blogs.
Benefits
Delegates will be exposed to the issues that affect communities on websites and come away with ideas for how to grow the traffic to their sites.
Content of the ½ day
Defining an online community
Building your community
Messages from you to them...
Messages from them to you...
Online voting
Blogging with comments
Forums and discussions
Social networking services
What makes a site easy to use and engage with
Balancing complexity and user features
Meeting the expectations of potential online readers both new and experienced
Managing forums and blogs
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Managing Online News Operations
(1 day)
Ideal for
Anyone who is involved in providing news for their website.
Content of the day
Understanding news online
Pitching content at your reader
Using the news pyramid
Unfolding the news story - how much; how often
Managing news flow
Using keywords and phrases
Writing meaningful headlines
Keeping ahead of the competition
Operating in a 24 hour world
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Law Online
(1 day)
Ideal for
Online publishers, editors, writers and others running online publications who need to know their responsibilities and rights.
Content of the day
The different roles of online publishing
As an originator of content
As the host of content
As the consumer of content
Using other's content and protecting your own
Copyright on the Internet
Passing off on the Internet
Trade marks on the Internet
Protecting reputations
The developing laws of libel and slander on the Internet
Holding and processing data
The Data Protection provisions
Misusing computer systems
The Computer Misuse Act
Doing it: A review of current company practices and what needs to be reinforced and changed
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Pod and Vodcasting Skills
(1 day)
Ideal for
Anyone who wants to plan and produce a pod or vodcast for their site.
Content of the day
Why pod and vodcasting?
The 'added value' of the pod and vodcast
What's in it for the consumer/listener/viewer?
The pod/vodcast interview - how to ask questions which produce:
The stand-alone answer
The answer that incorporates the question
The easy to edit soundbite
How to get the subject to give you useable stories and illustrations
What will/won't work technically
How to know when you need a re-take
Your voice/your appearance - talking on mic and appearing on camera - the basic rules
Technical stuff - what you need to know about audio recording and basic camera techniques
Timing and editing - how to compose a 3 and 5-minute pod/vodcast
How editing can help you shape your interview for maximum impact
How to make a pod/vodcast in the first person - from a studio or on location
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Video Camera Skills for the Web
(1 day)
Ideal for
Anyone "behind" the camera who is responsible for producing vodcasts for their site.
Content of the day
Basics of camerawork
Camera vs the eye (what's the difference?)
Storytelling through a lens
Basic camera shots
The 'auto' button
Better camerawork
Essentials of editing
Why sound is so important
Backlight conditions
Spotlight conditions
Manual focus
Editing 'in camera'
The edit suite environment
Importing your video
Simple transitions
Titling your project for the web
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Online Advertising Overview
(½ day)
Ideal for
Anyone who manages sales teams; who has an interest in understanding online advertising and it's points of differentiation; and who has, or may soon have, an online sales target to achieve.
Content of the ½ day
Overview of online advertising
The view from the ad agencies (what brings the clients to a site?)
Selling in the online world (sales materials, relationship management, etc)
Ad-serving software and technology
Ad traffic definitions and traffic management
Success tracking: industry auditing and internal analytics
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Online Advertising Primer
(1 day)
Ideal for
Sales teams, account management teams, business development teams, classified advertising teams, marketing departments; anyone who has, or may soon have, an online sales target to achieve.
Content of the day
How the industry initially developed and how it's evolved
The current view on online ads (beyond the banner and back, size matters, branding versus response, call-to-action)
The size of the industry
Differentiation from other advertising mediums
Working with ad agencies (digital shops versus divisions, what attracts clients)
The value of a targeted audience
The "art" of selling in the online world
Online sales tools
Ad traffic and traffic management
Managing ad-serving software and technology
Analysing metrics; sorting through the measurements, what matters
Beyond the web: opportunities with email, newsletters, etc
Industry standardisation
The need for good content and strong design
Customising opportunities
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
PR Fundamentals
(2 days)
Ideal for
Junior in-house professionals.
Benefits
What is PR? What makes news? How do journalists work? Once you know that - which PR tactic do you employ? There are many PR tactics that can be implemented to achieve success for a particular campaign, but what are they, when do you use them and why?
This course is a good grounding in the basics of puboic relations by someone who's been there and done it. The course is tailored to the knowledge and experience of the attendees so that the maximum benefit is gained.
Content of the course
PR - what is it, how does it work?
Journalism - what is it, how does it work?
The PR practitioner's toolkit
What to do when things go wrong
Campaign measurement
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Planning Campaigns
(1 day)
Ideal for
In-house PR professionals.
Benefits
Effective planning of PR campaigns ensures that the time and effort put in really counts. This course identifies what is needed for an effective public relations plan.
Content of the course
Why planning is important
What is planning?
Building a planning infrastructure
The campaign plan
Setting objectives
Which PR tools to use
External influences and building calendars
Allocating budget
Success criteria
Allocating resources
Measurement - how and why
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Making Money on the Web
(½ day)
Ideal for
Sales teams and sales support teams; website designers; anyone with a revenue target.
Content of the ½ day
Overview of "online revenue"
What is e-commerce and how does it work (security, reconciliation, revenue potential, etc)
E-commerce services and tools
Overview of online advertising
Affiliations
Sales referrals
Online auctions
Classifieds
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Marketing on the Web
(½ day)
Ideal for
Sales teams and sales support teams; website designers.
Content of the ½ day
Overview of marketing online
How "driving traffic" has evolved
Descriptions, definitions and examples of:
Metrics
The ongoing power of email
Affiliate programs
Sales referrals
Pay-per-click advertising and banner advertising
Interactive advertising
Search engine marketing (including optimization)
Blog and article marketing
Cross-pollinating with traditional media
Competitions and promotions
Online database creation and usage
What works, what defines success and what doesn't work
Things to watch out for
Metrics
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Managing Campaigns
(1 day)
Ideal for
In-house PR professionals.
Benefits
A well-managed campaign should ensure a successful outcome with no crises. This course identifies what good management of a public relations campaign means and how to make it happen.
Content of the course
What does managing a campaign mean?
What do you want to achieve from the campaign?
Drawing up headlines
Message development
Audience definition
Who are you trying to influence and why?
Briefing spokespeople
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Creative Thinking
(1 day)
Ideal for
In-house professionals with responsibility for idea generation and creative input.
Benefits
This course teaches individuals the art of creativity and the skill of generating ideas, while using their own knowledge and experience. Delegates will leave with practical techniques, methods and concepts that will help them both to create ideas and to harvest those ideas in a practical way.
Content of the course
Different methods of creative thinking
Brainstorming - what and how
How to accept all ideas to encourage participation by everyone - no idea is a bad idea
Managing your ideas pool
Assessment of ideas
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Copywriting for the Web
(1 day)
Ideal for
Sales or marketing executives involved in producing, marketing or managing persuasive website content, including newsletters and promotional emails.
Benefits
Delegates will focus their effort on creating more relevant, compelling, and persuasive web content.
Content of the day
Paper v screen - the key differences
Visual impact - graphics, icons, words
Having a clear and distinctive tone of voice
Supporting and promotional material
Preparing to write, and knowing your audience
Clarity, punctuation, language
Rewriting and sub-editing
Practising new styles
Creating compelling content
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Messaging and Positioning
(1 day)
Ideal for
Senior in-house PR professionals.
Benefits
Consistency is the key to brand building. It is crucial that all externally facing employees are able to communicate the same messages. But how do you develop those messages and then train people to deliver them?
This course gives you a method and a framework to create your own positioning portfolio.
Content of the course
The importance of positioning in PR and what it involves
How to generate a positioning portfolio
A framework and a methodology for developing messages
The impact positioning has on the rest of the marketing mix
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
International Account Management
(1 day)
Ideal for
Senior in-house PR professionals running European or global agencies/ campaigns.
Benefits
Efficiency of work, consistency of message, motivation of the team and constant communication are all priorities for international PR work. This course will give you some tried and tested methods, as well as challenging your way of thinking globally.
Content of the course
Why is an international team different to a national team?
Why do international teams go wrong? And what makes a good effective international team?
Team motivation techniques - cross border communication and virtual team management
The framework and the processes needed for running international teams/clients
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Getting the Most out of Exhibitions
(1 day)
Ideal for
In-house PR professionals.
Benefits
Exhibitions are a costly business and returns need to be measurable and positive. Fierce competition for the attention of the media, prospects and customers demands detailed PR planning to make the most of opportunities before, during and after an event. This course will enable delegates to ensure that PR opportunities are spotted and maximised.
Content of the course
Choosing the right event: ROI, PR opportunities, audience and brand value
Ensuring PR objectives reinforce event objectives
Before the event: awards; speaker opportunities; press invitations; press packs; pre-show publicity: features, show dailies and online; partnerships; sponsorship; developing relevant themes and messages
At the event: how to hold a briefing session: on/off-stand opportunities; attending press briefings; dealing with the press office; thinking ahead to PR follow-up opportunities; working with customers
After the event: finding stories; follow-up; measurement and evaluation
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
PR to Support the Sales Cycle
(1 day)
Ideal for
In-house professionals.
Benefits
The value of PR as a sales tool is frequently overlooked. Sales forces are perceived as uncooperative by PR departments, while public relations is seen as a waste of money by sales, forcing two departments that should be working closely together to clash.
This training session looks at how PR professionals can understand the needs of sales to work with them, while promoting the value of PR. Each stage of the sales cycle will be reviewed in parallel with suitable PR strategies and tactics to reach sales and PR understanding and success.
Content of the course
Sales and PR: the culture clash
The sales cycle: stages and terms
The role of PR in the sales cycle: from demand creation to repeat purchasing
Prospect/customer psychology and PR: making up minds
Using sales force psychology to PR advantage: making sales "PR competent" and aligning PR and sales objectives
Working with the sales force: how PR can increase upside and reduce downside
Writing sales-orientated material
Gaining proof points: enlisting customers in PR activities
Measurement and reporting techniques to prove the worth of PR to sales
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Selecting and Managing your PR Agency
(1 day)
Ideal for
Marketing communications professionals and managers who may be new to working with a PR agency.
Benefits
With value for money uppermost in everyone's minds, it is more important than ever to make sure you are getting the most benefit from your PR agency.
This course will enable delegates to open discussions with PR agencies to start the selection process; relate overall business objectives to public relations objectives; justify the value of PR to senior management and set measurable objectives for an agency.
Content of the course
What is PR? Why do we do it? Why do we need an agency?
What do we want to achieve? What does the company need?
Converting the overall need into a PR requirement
Talking to agencies. Possible selection processes
Developing a budget
Developing a shared understanding. Developing a plan
Getting management involved
Training for managers - what journalists want
Day to day involvement - manage the agency, don't let them manage you
The pitfalls of outsourcing reputation management
Measurement and what to do with it
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
The In-House Magazine
(2 days)
Ideal for
Anyone who wants to launch their own in-house publication.
Benefits
In-house magazines convey a sense of community. Delegates will be given the options to develop effective in-house publications and will be taken through the steps needed to achieve them.
Content of the course
The options for in-house magazines online and on paper
The different sections of in-house magazines
Commissioning and gathering material
Selecting and editing content
Layout templates
Headlines and standfirsts
Selecting and handling images
Proofing
Distribution
Individual tutorials: all delegates will devise an in-house magazine with the assistance of the trainer
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Editing an In-House Magazine
(1 day)
Ideal for
People who are editing or are about to edit an in-house magazine.
Benefits
Editing a magazine can be the best job in the world. This session covers the key points for editors.
Content of the course
Defining the purpose of the in-house publication
Identifying and serving the reader
Creating content to meet the needs of the reader
Creating the right voice for the publication
Balancing the needs of the reader with the organisation
Building a team
Promoting good editorial practice
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Customer Magazine Publishing: An Introduction
(1 day)
Ideal for
Marketing and communication personnel who will be responsible for the overseeing, and the day-to-day management, of a customer magazine.
Benefits
What are the basic skills and structures necessary to produce the best customer magazines? This session introduces the basics of working with a publishing company and is tailored to the knowledge and experience of the attendees to ensure the greatest benefit for your company.
Content of the course
The background to customer publishing and your chosen publishing company's approach
Their reader - your customer
The basics of the publishing process
Proof reading and checking design
Managing changes and the approval system
Developing effective listening skills
What to do when things go wrong
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Building the Marketing Plan
(1 or 2 days)
Ideal for
Managers or senior executives responsible for marketing a service, product, brand, charity or corporation.
Benefits
A practical and hands-on day focused on researching and building the optimum marketing plan.
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Modern Marketing
(1 day)
Ideal for
Managers and marketing executives involved in the marketing function for their organisation.
Benefits
A useful and practical workshop aimed at equipping delegates with an understanding of modern marketing techniques and trends.
Content of the day
Traditional "push" marketing
Audience empowerment - "pull" marketing
The rise and rise of The Brand
Emerging trends and new media channels
The flexible marketing plan
The "7 P's" of marketing - updated
Case studies
Refining your own marketing strategies
Future trends
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Customer Magazine Publishing: Process and Communication
(1 day)
Ideal for
Marketing and communication personnel who will be responsible for the day-to-day management of a customer magazine.
Benefits
Understanding the processes of publishing will allow you to understand where and when you can be most effective in the schedule, and allow you to fit the magazine process into your working week. This session focuses on the key skills for managing a supplier off site to ensure that you get the quality you expect.
Content of the course
The basics of the publishing process
Managing changes and the approval system
Team building
Problem solving
Developing effective listening skills
What to do when things go wrong
Handling conflict
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Customer Magazine Publishing: Getting the Best from your Publisher - Developing the Product
(1 day)
Ideal for
Client magazine teams who want to take a fresh look at their publication to identify ways to keep it moving ahead.
Benefits
All teams can benefit from periodically taking a fresh look at their publication and the opportunity to do so with client and publishing staff can be both motivating and invigorating for a title. Getting a fresh focus on readers and what they want results in concrete plans for development and change.
Content of the course
How do other titles address their readers?
What do our readers want from us?
What else can we deliver to our readers?
How can we deliver it?
What needs changing?
How can we change?
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Marketing Materials
(1 day)
Ideal for
Managers and executives responsible for producing catalogues, websites, brochures, media packs, advertising, exhibitions or direct marketing material.
Benefits
A practical and instantly applicable guide to planning, producing and assessing your vital marketing materials.
Content of the day
Planning for the objectives and the audience
Managing your resources and information
Briefing suppliers and creativity checklists
Testing and monitoring
Acquisition or retention?
Key influencers on success
Campaign planning - onward marketing
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Direct Marketing Essentials
(1 day)
Ideal for
Managers or executives responsible for producing direct marketing material across print media or digital channels.
Benefits
A practical workshop exploring every element of effective direct marketing.
Content of the day
Campaign planning - the basics
Audience, message, timing, creative
Briefing suppliers
Creativity checklists - content, copy, visuals
Testing, monitoring and analysis
Key influencers on success
Relevant case studies
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Effective Management
(2 days)
Ideal for
All staff who have just been, or are soon to be, appointed to management positions.
Benefits
Getting the best out of people doesn't happen by accident. This session helps managers to use the key management skills of planning, organising, leadership and motivation.
Content of the day
Defining the balance between managing and doing
Responsibilities of a team leader
Getting results through people
Identifying individuals' strengths and weaknesses
Coaching skills to develop people on the job
Motivation and dealing with team problems
Understanding the range of styles and how to use them
Establishing your own standards for the team
Managing upwards in order to get your boss to let go
Recognising the make-up of your team using Belbin's team roles
Improving communication at all levels
Recognising your own communication style
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Appraisal
(1 day)
Ideal for
All staff involved in appraisal schemes.
Benefits
The appraisal is a useful motivational tool for managers. This course shows how to prepare for and run appraisal schemes, what to do during the appraisal meetings and how appraisals fit into a cycle of career development.
Content of the day
How to introduce appraisals as a beneficial exercise for everyone involved
How to prepare for appraisal meetings
How to conduct effective appraisal meetings
How to follow up appraisals as part of career development
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Delegation and Supervision
(1 day)
Ideal for
Managers who have to rely on other people for certain tasks.
Benefits
People are prone to try to do everything themselves. This session helps them to prioritise their efforts and to see delegation as positive rather than punitive - a way of developing other members of the team.
Content of the day
What should you delegate?
Who should you delegate to?
What to do after delegation
How to avoid problems
Knowing and articulating what you want
Establishing guidelines for quality and quantity of work
How tasks can be monitored
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Increasing your Coverage (tailored to specific clients)
(1 day)
Content of the course
Human interest stories
Technical triumphs for the trade press
Industry comment
Accidents and disasters
New product launches
Identifying what sort of stories appear in different papers, magazines and broadcast media
Building relationships with journalists
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Managing the Media Relationship
(1 day)
Content of the course
Understanding what journalists want
Building relationships with particular publications/programme makers
Knowing when to refer journalists to colleagues and/or the public relations company
Preparing for major in-house stories
Responding to industry-wide news and issues
Honesty, on and off the record comments
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Growing Creativity
(1 day)
Ideal for
Anyone involved in developing new ways of approaching material.
Benefits
Delegates will understand what creativity is and how to approach situations and tasks from a creative point of view. They will learn practical strategies for implementing creativity and integrating it into the working day, as well as creative approaches to translating ideas from one thing to another.
Content of the day
How creativity feels
Identifying enemies to creativity
Looking at personal blocks
Practical strategies for creativity
Planning: time management and creativity
Translating creativity from one media to another
Narrative Thinking as a Management Tool
(1 day)
Ideal for
Managers, executives and anyone needing to act and react creatively.
Benefits
Logical thinking tells you how things should be. Narrative thinking can help managers understand how they are - and offers a choice of ways forward. Just as in stories, narrative thinking highlights cause and effect, the ability to empathise with others and the importance of the emotions. If you want to deal with and produce surprises, handle and come up with the unexpected, learning the art of narrative thinking is essential.
Content of the day
Storytelling and invention - re-learning creativity
Understanding motivation in yourself and others
Spotting and working with character contradictions
Arousing and manipulating emotional responses
Switching points of view
Discovering hidden capabilities and finding fresh resources
Overcoming obstacles by reverse thinking
Manufacturing surprise
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Budgeting
(1 day)
Ideal for
Anybody who has a budget and who wants to control it and use it as a tool to understand what is going on.
Benefits
Many managers are fearful of budgets. In this session delegates learn to analyse budgets and use them as effective tools to build financial cases for the resources they require.
Content of the day
Putting the budget into the big picture of business finance
Reading a budget, decoding the terms and understanding how to link it to real world spending
Devising a new budget
Working with the unfolding budget
Building financial cases for required resources
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Message Development
(½ day)
Content of the course
Current press debates which affect the company
Taking the internal character of the company and creating a picture for the media
Connecting messages into a story
Distributing the message internally
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
What do Journalists Want from a Press Conference/Trip/Lunch?
(½ day)
Content of the course
The effective press conference and making a speech
Hosting journalists on a trip
Working lunches
Planning ahead
What you can offer - exclusive stories, insider info
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Improving Teamwork
(1 day)
Ideal for
Teams who want to refresh the way they work together to become more effective and creative.
Benefits
Teams are often so busy doing their jobs that they don't have time to focus on how well they are working together. This session gives them a chance to analyse their behaviour and identify areas for change.
Content of the day
Understanding how effective teams work
Setting clear objectives
Creating an environment for open communication, cooperation and trust
Sound working and decision making procedures
Diagnosing problems
Identifying solutions
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Developing the Product
(1 day)
Ideal for
Teams who want to take a fresh look at their output to identify ways to keep it moving ahead.
Benefits
All teams can benefit from periodically taking a fresh look at what they are producing. Getting a fresh focus on what they want is motivational and also results in concrete plans for change.
Content of the day
How do other people do it?
What do our clients want from us?
What else can we deliver?
How can we deliver it?
What needs changing?
How can we change?
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Selling in to Journalists
(1 day)
Content of the course
Not selling a story but arousing interest
The standard story structures and their content:
New
David vs Goliath
Here's another
Fresh threat
Old threat
They were wrong
Forward spin
Didn't happen
Current debates
How to craft the story to the standard structures
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Employment Law
(½ day)
Ideal for
Anybody in a management or supervisory position.
Benefits
Managers don't always understand the implications of law for their daily life. This course has been designed to give a good grounding and overview of all aspects of employment law.
Content of the day
Recruiting within the law
Considerations prior to interview
Conducting the interview
Ensuring fair and legal “best practice”
Disability
Dismissal
Constructive/wrongful/unfair
Redundancy
Harassment
Sexual/racial
Maternity/paternity rights
Employee monitoring
Human Rights Act
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Managing Change
(1 day)
Ideal for
Senior managers and above.
Benefits
Many people fear change. This sessions aims to provide the skills and knowledge to initiate, take part in and accomplish successful change.
Content of the day
Strategies for change
The focus and steps of change:
How to ensure that change is results driven
Eight steps of change
Fitting tools to tasks
Combating resistance to change
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Improving Organisation
(1 day)
Ideal for
Teams who want to look at the way they organise themselves.
Benefits
A combination of history and personality can mean that teams fall into bad habits that working effectively more difficult than it should be. This session gives teams the opportunity to look at the way they organise themselves and to identify areas that would benefit from change.
Content of the day
How well is the team organised?
Are we doing things in the right order?
Who is waiting? What is going late?
How can we give other departments more time?
Can we create contingency plans?
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Negotiation
(1 day)
Ideal for
Anyone who needs to negotiate.
Benefits
People are frequently called upon to negotiate – whether it is with a new client for a new contract or with an existing client about targets. This session provides the key skills to get the best possible result.
Content of the day
Setting the targets: the best result; the least you can accept
Assessing the opposition
Strategies and recognising when to use them
Winning tactics
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Presentation Skills
(1 day)
Ideal for
Anyone who needs to present in front of a group of people.
Benefits
A highly practical day with the emphasis on learning by doing. The use of a video camera and monitoring facilities will enable all delegates to analyse and assess their presentations. Delegates are treated as individuals and fears/phobias and strengths/weaknesses are given special attention.
Content of the day
Communicating clear messages confidently
Presenting powerfully and persuasively
Preparing and structuring a presentation
Remaining calm and effective under pressure
Responding appropriately and assuredly to questions
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Leadership and Motivation
(1 day)
Ideal for
Anyone leading a team.
Benefits
Managers don't always think about how they influence their teams. Knowing what makes people want to work, and gaining an understanding of leadership styles, takes the mystery out of management.
Content of the day
The elements of a leadership style
How these elements affect individuals and the team
Defining motivation
Identifying the motivational factors for the individual
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Recruitment and Selection
(1 day)
Ideal for
Anyone responsible for recruiting staff.
Benefits
Getting the right person for the job is never simple. This session gives delegates the opportunity to assess the needs of the team and to define their own requirements for new additions. Taking part in videoed interviews prompts them to come up with questions designed to shed light on whether the interviewee is really right for the job.
Content of the day
Assessing CVs
Creating a candidate profile
Questions to ask to elicit revealing answers
Questions to avoid
Second interviews
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Time and Project Management
(1 day)
Ideal for
In-house professionals.
Benefits
Well-run projects and efficient use of time ensure successful projects delivered by motivated teams. This course will teach you how to manage your own time effectively, as well as the time of those in your team, in order to bring projects to successful completion - on time and to budget.
Content of the day
Building the right infrastructure and defining the project
Breaking down the work to be done
Resource and responsibility allocation
Planning the activity
Delegation
Team motivation techniques
Time management checklists
Templates to deliver successful projects on time and to budget
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Strategic Thinking
(2 days)
Ideal for
In-house professionals.
Benefits
This course is designed to develop strategic thinking skills through knowledge, experiential tasks and through learning tools and techniques. In today's business environment it is essential to have a clear-cut and substantiated strategy so that both your clients and your employees can see a successful and well-planned business.
Content of the day
What is strategy?
Understanding the strategic thinking concepts and their relevance in current business
Understanding how your behaviour can relate to strategic thinking
Experiencing a methodology for strategic thinking
Applying the theory that you have learnt through the use of a case study
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Team Management
(1 day)
Ideal for
All managers who need to build, motivate and understand teams.
Benefits
Teams must have direction, momentum and commitment to work towards a common goal. You will learn how to build the best team, keep it motivated and achieve team success. The course enables you to understand and develop the ability to increase the outcomes of team performance, learn the management theory behind team development and explore the value of diversity in teamwork.
Content of the day
Team building theory
Stages of team development
Leadership and decision making styles
Motivation - how and why
Practical workshops and case studies
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
HR Fundamentals
(2 days)
Ideal for
Anyone with responsibility for part or all of the HR function within an organisation.
Benefits
A highly effective workshop designed to give candidates a solid foundation in both practical and strategic aspects of Human Resources. Candidates will learn how to attract, develop, motivate and retain the best employees as well as how to address a variety of day-to-day issues such as performance, policy development and legislation.
Content of the day
How HR can make a business impact
What is strategic HR?
The internal consultant
Building effective training programmes
Recruitment and selection strategies
Reward programmes that motivate and inspire
Performance management systems
Important legislation present and future
Developing policies
Managing absence
Engaging retention methods
Measuring impact
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Clear English
(1 day)
Ideal for
Anyone who needs to communicate in writing for their business or organisation.
Benefits
Whether it's an internal email or a proposal, effective writing reflects well on both the writer - and their organisation. This training session shows delegates how to write clearly and avoid common pitfalls. It gives them the tools to make anything they write do the job they want it to do.
Content of the course
Considering the reader
How to get your message across clearly
Using basic grammar
Punctuation made simple
Common spelling problems
Crafting sentences that work
Writing clearly and effectively
Finding the structure that lends itself to the message
Three parts of a written piece
The building blocks
The TOWER method of effective writing
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Writing Better Articles
(1 day)
Ideal for
Executives and managers who want to improve their business writing.
Benefits
To raise standards by giving delegates a structured approach to effective writing
Content of the course
Targeting the journalist
Planning
How to hook the reader
Features and longer articles
Planning an article - the key to success
Intros
Moving the story forward
Pace
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Report Writing
(1 day)
Ideal for
Executives and managers responsible for generating written reports.
Benefits
Too many reports fail to do the job for which they are intended for one simple reason: they are too difficult to read. In this course delegates learn techniques to help them write more effective reports and make the most out of complex information.
Content of the course
The purpose of the report: why are you writing?
Choosing the most appropriate structure
Brand values
Getting the point across
Avoiding jargon
Making complex material accessible
The approval process
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Effective Copy Writing
(1 day)
Ideal for
Anyone responsible for persuasive written communication, ie proposals, sales letters and promotional literature.
Benefits
A highly practical workshop addressing all the key aspects of persuasive written communication.
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Effective Notes and Minute Taking
(½ day)
Ideal for
Secretaries and others with a remit for recording, reporting and distributing notes and minutes, who want to refresh their skills.
Benefits
This training session helps to develop and practice skills for the confident recording and reporting of discussions and meetings.
Content of the course
Covering all the bases
Managers' objectives
The agenda: understanding the purpose of the meeting, including potential problems and prioritising in advance
Assessing required levels of accuracy and detail
Following arguments and discussions: extracting the salient points from the debate
Selecting and rejecting on the hoof: cutting out the cramming
The long-term view: tips to help you understand your own notes in a week's time
Reporting and structuring
Why you should summarise notes immediately after the meeting
The needs of the readership
The principles of plain English: straightforward reporting
Avoiding the pitfalls: misplaced humour, personalised reporting and inaccuracy
Tips for depersonalising conflict
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Speech Writing
(1 day)
Ideal for
Executives writing for someone else, or managers and directors who need to write their own speeches.
Benefits
Getting your point across in a clear, yet entertaining way, can be achieved with a structured approach to speech writing. This training session takes the would-be speech writer through the process from start to finish.
Content of the course
Preparation
Writing
Rehearsing
Rewriting
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Writing for the Web and your Intranet
(1 day)
Ideal for
People who write for their websites or intranets.
Benefits
There are some key differences between writing online and writing for print. This training session prompts delegates to adapt their style to online media.
Content of the course
Web vs print: the differences
How people read online
The 'skim' factor
Creating the appropriate voice
Structure
Thinking about links
Considering design
Writing for the web is also available as an e-learning course
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Driving Traffic to your Site and Search Engine Optimisation
(1 day)
Ideal for
Website editors who want to know how to drive more people to their site.
Content of the course
What is your traffic data and how is it measured?
Driving traffic
Understanding search engines
Search engine optimisation (SEO)
Why content matters
How design can affect page impressions
Competitors - who are they are what are they offering?
Are you better? How? What do they do that you would like to do?
Search engine optimisation (SEO) is also available as an e-learning course
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Press Release Writing
(1 day)
Ideal for
Executives and managers who need to produce effective press releases.
Benefits
Journalists are deluged with information. Crafting a press release that will hook them in and keep them reading is more important than ever. This training session gives delegates the skills to write an attention-grabbing press release.
Content of the course
Pitching the best information at the right level
What journalists expect from press releases and how they use them
Achieving a balance between client expectations and reality
Effective structures and appropriate styles (what works and what doesn't)
Individual tutorials: all delegates will write at least one press release from an initial briefing
An assessment of samples delegates may bring with them, in the light of the day's discussions
PR writing is also available as an e-learning course
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Writing Case Studies
(1 day)
Ideal for
Executives and managers.
Benefits
Case studies appeal to journalists hungry for real-life examples. To be effective a case study demands a different approach to writing a press release. In this session delegates are exposed to the structures and techniques essential for successful case studies.
Content of the course
Identifying likely publications
Structure - the basics and the options
Planning - the key to success
How to order the information to grab the reader and keep them reading
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Feature Writing
(1 day)
Ideal for
Executives, managers and directors who need to write articles.
Benefits
Successfully placing feature articles means understanding what editors are looking for. This training session shows delegates how to plan, structure and write winning features.
Content of the course
How to get the information you want
How to break a feature down into manageable parts
Introductions - the different possibilities
Body - smooth links; dynamic quotes; maintaining the pace
Conclusion - ending with a flourish
Writing great features is also available as an e-learning course
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Writing Professional Emails
(½ day)
Ideal for
Anyone who needs to write effective emails.
Benefits
Business emails should be communication with a purpose. This training session gives delegates the tools to send the right messages.
Content of the course
Being clear about what you want to say
Saying it clearly
Writing effectively
Creating the appropriate tone
Avoiding grammatical, punctuation and spelling errors
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Stories from Numbers - Understanding Finance and the City
(1 day)
Ideal for
Anyone who is called upon to supply information, whether verbal or written, based upon company figures.
Benefits
This training session gives delegates a solid understanding of key financial terms and how they are used.
Content of the course
How the City works
Chief indicators on share price performance
Reading the financial pages
What to be aware of, where to find it and what to make of it
Using contacts
An explanation of common financial terms and what they mean
Rights to information
Writing articles from City information
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Winning Proposals
(1 day)
Ideal for
Anyone who wants to write effective proposals.
Benefits
A practical and intensive workshop covering every element of planning and writing successful proposals.
Content of the course
Choice of proposal formats
Essential planning - structure and sequence
Organising the information
Layout, visuals, and supporting material
Writing with impact; tone of voice
Using facts and figures - the vital tips
Objectives, costs, benefits
Writing your own winning proposal
For further information, click the button below. It will be added to the Information Request Form automatically.
Proofreading
(1 day)
Ideal for
Anyone who needs to proofread written material effectively.
Benefits
Through a series of exercises delegates learn how to spot mistakes and improve pages.
