Business Skills E-Learning Training

Customer service is the act of taking care of the customer’s needs by providing and delivering professional, helpful, high quality service and assistance before, during, and after the customer's requirements are met.

But how is this done?

How do you ensure it’s consistent across your business? What are the benefits of delivering great customer service?

This course will start by making it very clear exactly what we mean by customer service, and why it’s so vital. It then goes into detail about the goals of great customer service, communication skills both verbal and non-verbal, discovering and understanding customer needs and much more.

Approved by CPD – Duration 75 mins* – £35.00+VAT

Course Description

A leader doesn’t necessarily have to be a ‘manager’, but it’s difficult to see how a manager could be truly effective without having at least some leadership skills.

This course starts by introducing the basics of leadership and explores where the concept originated from. It then goes on to discuss various leadership theories, including situational leadership, contingency theories, transactional and transformational leadership and more. It then moves on to discuss developing teams including and team members by looking at the role leaders play in this. The final two modules cover the role communication plays in effective leadership and finishes off with a module about moving forward together to achieve a shared vision.

Target Audience

This course is aimed at supervisors and managers that want to develop more effective relationships with members of their teams. The course can be a great starting point for people new to their leadership role as well as more established managers that want to enhance their skills. This acts as a great introduction to the subject.

This course can be sold to individuals who are doing the training for themselves or it can be pitched to businesses who might want to put all of their first line management team through the training, so they are all work in the same way and have the same skill set.

Approved by CPD – Duration 90 mins* – £35.00+VAT

I think everyone would agree that poorly called or run meetings waste valuable time for any organisation. This course will show you how to run meetings effectively and improve your ability to instigate actions that are quick and efficient.

The course starts with some basic definitions and statistics that outline how important running meetings effectively can be.

It examines factors that make meetings great, and some practical steps you can take to ensure everything runs smoothly and successful outcomes are achieved. It also covers some of the ways you can handle any problems that may arise.

Finally, it looks at different decision-making approaches you can use and finishes off with some notes on keeping a learning log to help you learn and grow, ultimately becoming a more confident and effective participant or chairperson.

Approved by CPD – Duration 60 mins* – £35.00+VAT

Giving a successful presentation can be one of the hardest parts of many people’s jobs.

Ultimately preparation will be the key to success when it comes to giving a presentation, but how do you make sure you are prepared enough?

What about the structure? The content? How should you use visual aids?

Being a successful presenter also involves understanding your audience, their expectations and needs.

This course covers the common mistakes people make when preparing for and giving a presentation so you can avoid these, as well as going over good practice and providing some practical advice that you can put to good use the next time you have a big presentation to make.

Approved by CPD – Duration 55 mins* – £35.00+VAT

Course Description

Interviews are two-way processes, where the employer and the interviewee can both decide if they are a good fit. This short course will provide you with some useful tips for how to prepare for an interview including preparing answers to common questions.

The course also covers other things to consider in advance of the interview including planning how you will get there. It briefly covers some of the key differences between online and face to face interviews.

Target Audience

This course is aimed at people who are starting out in their careers or those who might need to refresh their interview skills after being out of the workforce for a long time.

Advantages

Online training is flexible, efficient and cost effective meaning the candidate can progress through the modules at their own pace and in their own time, so they can fit the training in around their work and personal life.

Further Progression

Other courses that could be useful for those starting a new job could include Developing Teamwork, Customer Service and Introducing GDPR.

Approved by CPD – Duration 20 mins* – £35.00+VAT

More often than not, the people who excel in their job, or are high achievers manage their time effectively, in a way that makes them work in a more efficient manner.

Good Time Management will improve and enhance the time spent in the workplace and can even go a long way to improving the quality of the work you produce.

For most people however this is easier said than done. We’ve all experienced that feeling of having more work to do than we can possibly complete in the time we have. This can lead to increased stress… dissatisfaction… and demoralisation…

This course can help, by introducing you to some of the theories and techniques of time management that can really make a difference. The course has been designed to ensure you have the techniques to improve your efficiency, output and ability to function more effectively – whether in your ordinary day or when deadlines loom and the pressure is building.

Approved by CPD – Duration 105 mins* – £35.00+VAT

In any organisation, the traditional model of strict command and control wastes a significant amount of time and money. Mutual trust, employee motivation and readiness to perform can easily be undermined. Performance management, on the other hand, offers a different, much more effective approach.

In formal terms, performance management involves the achievement of performance targets through the effective management of people and the environment in which they operate. It’s about setting achievable goals for the organisation and targets for individuals and teams.

Approved by CPD – Duration 55 mins* – £35.00+VAT

Negotiation is a basic means of getting what you want from others. It’s a back and forth communication designed to reach an agreement when you and the other side have some interests that are shared and others that are opposed.

This course covers the basics of what constitutes a negotiation, the key stages of a negotiation, skills you can apply to your negotiations and some practical advice so you can bring all of this together and become a more effective negotiator.

Approved by CPD – Duration 46 mins* – £35.00+VAT

The effective management of projects is an essential skill in many workplaces. Correct control of stages and different aspects of projects helps to increase the chances of projects being successful.

There are many tools and approaches to managing projects, from a simple ‘to do’ list, to complex methodologies.

When a project is managed correctly it ensures that there’s a sound business reason for undertaking the project, that it’s clear who’s involved in delivering the project, what the expected outcomes are and how resources and risks will be managed throughout the project.

When it’s done poorly the project can suffer from feature creep, delays, go over budget or not get finished at all.

This course covers some of the common project management methodologies, setting goals, and actually achieving them, identifying the need for a project to be started, using key project management tools and much more.

Approved by CPD – Duration 90 mins* – £35.00+VAT

Course Description

When people have good mental health, they are more likely to fulfil their potential. That means they enjoy work and cope easily with work situations. They have a happy family life and good social relationships. Organisations are required by law to promote and protect the mental well-being of their workforce.

A comprehensive Mental Health Policy, along with easy-to-understand operating procedures, will incorporate mental health issues into established organisational thinking. It will make sure everyone knows how the organisation views and deals with workplace mental health.

This course covers the steps that organisations should consider when developing and implementing a comprehensive workplace Mental Health Policy.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:
• Understand what a Mental Health Policy in the Workplace is.
• Explain what the policy should include and who in the workplace should be included in its creation and implementation.
• Define how the policy will be implemented and how employees will understand the policy and how it applies to them.
• Recognise that the policy will need constant review to ensure that it will be effective for all employees.

Target Audience

This course is aimed at employers and employees responsible for developing and following a workplace mental health policy.

Approved by CPD & IIRSM Approved – Duration 20 mins* – £35.00+VAT

Course Description

This course will look at supervising stress and mental health at work and show you how to create a good mental health culture in your workplace. The course starts by examining the negative effects of poor mental health on individuals and also considers the many benefits of mental health interventions by employers.

You'll learn the six main areas that can lead to work-related stress and discover how to recognise when individuals and teams are under stress.

Companies are legally bound to assess health risks from stress at work, and we'll show how to assess those risks, along with how to recruit, and train Mental Health First Aiders. You'll learn how to create a good mental health culture within your workplace and how to conduct a Mental Health Audit and produce a Mental Health Policy and Action Plan. Finally, you'll learn a number of proven ways to promote a good mental health culture within your workplace.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:
• Define the term Mental Health and understand the impact of poor Mental Health in the workplace.
• Understand workplace factors relating to Mental Health issues.
• Learn how to create Risk Assessments and how to implement them successfully.
• Introduce the role of a Mental Health Aider and how they can help to implement successful mental health policies and work culture.

Target Audience

This course is aimed at supervisors and line managers who are interested in getting a basic awareness of mental health at work and want to use this knowledge to create a positive mental health culture in their workplace.

Approved by CPD – Duration 25 mins* – £35.00+VAT

Course Description

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is designed to strengthen and unify the principles of data protection for all individuals within the European Union and the European Economic Area. The GDPR is an incredibly important change to data privacy regulations so understanding its correct implementation is vital for all UK businesses and organisations, and particularly for staff who regularly deal with personal data.

This online course is designed specially for those front line staff and provides a clear introduction to the main elements of the GDPR, including compliance and the consequences of non-compliance. It explains the roles of key players - Data Protection Officers, Data Controllers, Data Protection Leads and Data Processors and covers the main categories of personal data, along with the six lawful bases for processing data, and how to audit the data your organisation holds.

Other topics examined include the Seven Principles of the GDPR and the Eight Rights for Individuals, along with the importance of your Privacy Policy - how to construct one, and how to use it effectively when dealing with data subjects. Finally, there's important information on data breaches; how to avoid them, what to do if one is discovered and how to file a breach report.

Target Audience

This course is aimed at anyone who has access to personal data. This mainly applied to front line data processors but will also include HR personnel, supervisors and managers.

Advantages

Understanding the reasons for and scope of the GDPR can mean that data is handled professionally, securely and in compliance with the Law. This is a benefit for individuals and the company as a whole as it provides a level of confidence that things are being done correctly and protection from potential legal issues.

Approved by CPD – Duration 60 mins* – £35.00+VAT

Setting clear and precise goals and objectives ensure that everyone is working towards the same goal, allowing for business and personal growth. Objectives clarify priorities and allow employees to allocate their time and resources more effectively. They also introduce a way of understanding how work will be measured and evaluated, thus enabling employees to evaluate their own performance, and make adjustments as necessary.

This course aims to help you write effective objectives that deliver results. It covers the importance of goals and objectives and why we need them, the barriers to you achieving your objectives and how to overcome them, what SMART objectives are and how to write and identify them and concludes with some tips for successful objective setting.

Approved by CPD – Duration 30 mins* – £35.00+VAT

Effective delegation is an essential skill to learn if you want to be an effective manager. After all, the best managers don’t strive to be super-heroes. Instead, they are exceptional at picking good people to do what they need to have done, and then letting them get on with it.

However delegating effectively can be difficult. It means identifying the right tasks to delegate, overcoming barriers to delegation and taking the time to delegate properly so that everyone knows what they’re expected to do and by when. When it’s done right the benefits are numerous and improve the working lives of everyone involved from the managers to the staff and it has wide ranging benefits to the organisation as a whole.

This course will start with the essentials - defining exactly what we mean by delegation and why it’s so important. It then goes into details about, the elements of delegation, overcoming the barriers to delegation, how you can choose which tasks to delegate and who to the process of delegation and much more.

Approved by CPD – Duration 110 mins* – £35.00+VAT

Course Description

Emotional Intelligence is a set of emotional and social skills that collectively establish how well you perceive and express yourself, maintain social relationships and cope with challenges. It's not just a passing management fad, in fact it is based on a great body of data, based on studies of tens of thousands of working people taken from a wide range of industries. The research shows which qualities make a star performer and while Emotional Intelligence isn't the sole predictor of performance potential, it has been proven to be a key indicator in this area.

This course will introduce the concept of emotional intelligence and look at how you can use it in effective and meaningful ways. It will examine the difference between emotional intelligence and IQ and dispel some of the myths surrounding emotional intelligence. It contains a sections on the advantages and disadvantages of using emotional intelligence and considers the biological purpose for emotions and how best to manage them. Finally it will highlight the role played by emotions in the workplace and provide practical advice including tips for using emotional intelligence to deal effectively with emotions in situations that can arise in the workplace.

Target Audience

This course is aimed at supervisors and managers that want to develop more effective relationships with members of their teams. The course can be a great starting point for people new to their leadership role as well as more established managers that want to enhance their skills. This acts as a great introduction to the subject and covers the key concepts and theories relating to emotional intelligence.

Approved by CPD – Duration 50 mins* – £65.00+VAT

Effective businesses encourage the development of positive relationships between managers and employees, as well as amongst co-workers. Establishing and maintaining good work relationships is the key to a positive workplace, and it doesn't have to take a lot of time.

This course will define employee relations and cover the many benefits good relations can bring to an organisation. It'll explain how to build confidence in management, including sharing the company vision, building strong teams and the importance of employee feedback. It'll examine how a proactive HR presence benefits employee relations. Then look at employment contracts and the role of the Employee Handbook.

The course briefly discusses Performance Management including information on motivating employees and how best to show your appreciation of their contribution to the company.

Finally, it'll show you how to deal effectively with complaints, discipline and how to combat negativity.

Approved by CPD – Duration 45 mins* – £35.00+VAT

Course Description

Developing Teamwork is all about building stronger relationships within your team by getting to know each other better and creating the foundations for an exceptionally high performing group of people.

This course explains in detail what team working is and covers some of the basic principles for putting together a group of people who will work well together. It then goes on to cover conflict within teams, explaining some of the reasons conflict occurs and some strategies for managing it. It finishes off by exploring some of the different styles of management behaviour and how to develop a resilient team.

Target Audience

Our Developing Teamwork course can be a great starting point for new managers or those that just want to enhance their management skills. This acts as a great introduction to the subject and covers the key concepts and theories around establishing and maintaining effective, resilient teams.

Approved by CPD – Duration 30 mins* – £35.00+VAT

We’ve all heard and used the words ‘equality’ and ‘diversity’ before but what do they actually mean and how do they affect you as an employer or employee? Well if you take the words on their own they are actually quite different, equality is the state of being equal, especially in rights and opportunities. Diversity is the state of being different or varied.

However these 2 things should not be seen as opposite to each other, after all people can be different but they still have the same rights.

When it comes to places of work there is legislation in place to ensure that we all meet our responsibilities in relation to equality and diversity… And one way to make sure we meet these responsibilities is through training.

Approved by CPD – Duration 70 mins* – £35.00+VAT

The Health and Safety Executive states that ‘work related stress develops because a person is unable to cope with the demands being placed on them’. This can come from any aspect of their life but it often comes from demands placed on them at work.

So why is stress a problem in the workplace?

Well the latest estimates show the total number of cases of work related stress depression or anxiety account for 39% of all work related illness. Some occupations may be more susceptible to stress but it can affect anyone and can impact on health, ability to function effectively at work and at home and in relationships.

This course will cover an introduction to stress and why it’s a problem, some of the causes of stress and some ways to minimise the risk of stress.

Approved by CPD – Duration 30 mins* – £35.00+VAT

Employee absence can be costly in terms of both lost time and money. It impacts businesses, managers, and colleagues in ways that range from them having to take on extra work or undertake additional training, to experiencing additional stress and a drop in morale.

This course will help you to understand the different types of absence and Identify ways of measuring absence. It covers why you should complete return-to-work forms and how to conduct effective return-to-work meetings. The course finishes off by explaining the formal processes involved in managing absence and how to apply appropriate policies.

Approved by CPD – Duration 30 mins* – £35.00+VAT

Course Description:

The Confederation of British Industry estimates that the cost of workplace conflict is around £33 Billion each year. It also estimates that up to 20% of leaders time is spent dealing with conflict and then there are the intangible costs such as reduction in loyalty, commitment, motivation, teamwork and morale.

This course starts by explaining what constitutes conflict in the workplace before moving on to look at some of the most common causes and the effects this can have on the workforce.

It covers the stages and build up to a workplace conflict and contains several extensive modules that outline conflict resolution techniques that can be applied at any stage of this build up.

As well as the negative impacts of conflict the course also explores how effective management of conflict can result in positive outcomes in the workplace. These can be the development of shared ideas, the ability to reach compromises through increased trust and creating an environment where differences of opinion are celebrated and considered rather than shut down.

Target Audience

This course is aimed at supervisors and managers that want to develop effective conflict resolution methods. The course can be a great starting point for people new to their leadership role as well as more established managers that want to enhance their skills. This acts as a great introduction to the subject and covers the key concepts and theories relating to conflict management.

This course can be sold to individuals who are doing the training for themselves or it can be pitched to businesses who might want to put all of their first line management team through the training, so they are all work in the same way and have the same skill set.

Advantages

Left unmanaged workplace conflict can be damaging to relationships, team morale and ultimately the company's bottom line. Having a knowledge of effective conflict resolution techniques and strategies and taking a proactive approach to resolving issues will lead to a better work environment and more effective teams.

CPD approval means that this course can be used by those that need to prove they are continually developing themselves.

Online training is flexible, efficient and cost-effective, so candidates can progress through the modules at their own pace, in their own time, making it easy to fit the training around their work and personal life.

Further Progression

Beyond this topic we offer a range of other business skills courses that could all be useful in developing and improving as a manager. The ones that directly compliment this course include Developing Teamwork and Introduction to Emotional Intelligence.

Approved by CPD – Duration 45 mins* – £35.00+VAT

Sexual harassment is unwanted conduct of a sexual nature. Experiencing sexual harassment can be one of the most difficult situations a worker can face, however it should not be happening and all workers are protected by law from sexual harassment.

Handling accusations of sexual harassment can be difficult, and if not done correctly can lead to the company being held liable along with the perpetrator of the harassment.

This course will start by defining sexual harassment and explaining how protection comes from both employment law and criminal law. You'll see from workplace statistics how widespread and serious the problem is, and how the management response to concerns raised is often poor or non-existent. It also addresses how allegations should be handled, explains the importance of having clear and robust policies and the role line managers tend to take when it comes to dealing with these situations. The course also coves investigation from the employer's perspective, the role of employment tribunals, and concludes with some case studies that will give further insight into what constitutes harassment and the outcome of cases where the businesses did not act appropriately to deal with this behaviour.

Approved by CPD – Duration 55 mins* – £35.00+VAT

Course Description

This course is aimed at managers and staff in all industries who play a role in reducing drug, alcohol and substance misuse in the UK.

The course starts with official statistics to illustrate the scale of drug and alcohol abuse in the UK. You'll learn in detail about commonly used drugs, including cannabis, cocaine, heroin, LSD, ecstasy and some new designer drugs. Turning to alcohol abuse, the course will show you how to introduce a 4-stage plan to deal with any problems - including how to write an effective Drug and Alcohol Policy. Beyond this the course will explore best business practice in terms of HR, legislation, spotting signs of drug misuse and the implementation of workplace solutions.

The course also explains how the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) can help with effective alcohol and drugs policies and the development of related management skills. Finally, it looks at current drug treatments and the options for outside support available to individuals and organisations.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:
• Understand the scale of drug and alcohol abuse and recognise the signs of misuse leading to effects on the employee and the workplace.
• Recognise your legal positions and recognise an effective policy will help to address employees with an addiction problem.
• Define best practice in an effective policy to address your company position on drug and alcohol abuse and what help is available.
• Identify the 4 step process in regards to dealing with individuals with alcohol issues.

Approved by CPD – Duration 80 mins* – £35.00+VAT

The aims of the disciplinary procedure are to provide a framework within which managers can work with employees to maintain satisfactory standards of conduct and to encourage improvement when necessary.

This course covers the aims of the disciplinary procedure, penalties including investigations, allegations and suspensions, procedures for carrying out hearings, and appeals.

Approved by CPD – Duration 45 mins* – £35.00+VAT

Course Description

Acts of bribery and corrupt business practices are still an all to common part of business to business activity in the UK and Worldwide. Inducements can range from small 'facilitation payments' to gifts worth millions of pounds. They can come in many different forms and can sometimes be hard to track down.

This course examines some of the reasons why bribery and corruption occur as well as providing an overview of how common these practices are believed to be, before discussing how normal business activities, such as gifts, hospitality, sponsorship and donations, can be manipulated to become bribes. It goes on to cover the legislation that is in place both in the UK and internationally and the severe penalties that can be brought against someone found to be acting a corrupt way. It also looks at the effects of bribery at a national level, including corruption in state-owned enterprises and governments, worldwide.

Finally, on a more practical level, it will show you some of the ways management and employees can reduce the risk of bribery and corruption in their organisations, particularly through anti-bribery and anti-corruption policies.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:
• Define Bribery and what it entails and how it differs from gifts by understanding the criteria that can be applied to show the difference.
• Understand the motivation behind bribery and the effects on business and society.
• Identify the main legislation that is involved, the offences that can be committed and the principles promoted by the legislation.
• Be able to reduce the risk of bribery through risk assessment and employee responsibilities.
• Apply the Anti Bribery Management System ISO 37001 and its effectiveness within the world of business and commerce.

Approved by CPD – Duration 50 mins* – £35.00+VAT

Your Company should be committed to providing a working environment free from harassment and bullying and ensuring all staff are treated, and treat others, with dignity and respect.

This course covers the commitments that will be laid out in your company's anti-harassment and bullying policy. It then explains the differences between harassment and bullying, the steps that can be taken if either of these occur in or out of work, and some case studies to illustrate the points covered throughout the course.

Approved by CPD – Duration 32 mins* – £35.00+VAT

Course Description

Money-Laundering is a major criminal problem, worldwide. This course starts by defining money-laundering and describing the 'regulated sector' as defined by the Proceeds of Crime Act. The course discusses a number of money-laundering offences, including tax evasion, theft, fraud, bribery and the financing of terrorism. You'll learn about some of the 'red flags' which could indicate illegal activity, and the connections between money-laundering and certain financial institutions. You'll see how the regulated sector combats money-laundering through compliance, due diligence, and record-keeping.

Finally, the course examines the internal controls and monitoring used by companies to fight against money-laundering, including policy statements, effective reporting systems, and staff responsibilities.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:
• Identify the key pieces of legislation in regard to money laundering and its relation to other offences.
• Define the term Money laundering, what leads to it and the effect it has on others, the business and economy.
• Understand the concept of due diligence and the regulations that is applied and the regulators that can be consulted.
• Evaluate internal controls to help reduce and monitor activities that lead to money laundering.
• Remember employee responsibilities in applying internal control, recognise the signs of money laundering and reporting concerns.

Target Audience

This course is suitable for anyone working in an organisation that handles large amounts of money. It can also be used as an introduction to the subject for those working or planning to work in a regulated sector.

Approved by CPD – Duration 50 mins* – £35.00+VAT

The course will start by providing an overview of the basic rules for sales people, along with the right mindset, self-assessment and the goals you’ll need in the short, medium and long term.

It’ll cover cold calling, including how to prepare, what to say and how to deal with gatekeepers as well as walking you through a typical face-to-face meeting.

You’ll learn how to start a meeting, the questions you need to ask your prospect, practical tips for presentations including, staying relaxed, getting across your main messages, handling questions and using presentation aids.

We’ll also be analysing how you can sell by stressing the results prospects can expect if they buy, and how best to play to their emotions.

We’ll take a look at negotiation. We’ll highlight how you can avoid it, what to say if you’re drawn into it, and how you can use your negotiating skills to land the sale and much more.

Approved by CPD – Duration 120 mins* – £35.00+VAT

This course focuses on the anchor point of your digital marketing strategy which is your website or micro-site. Here we’ll explore search engine optimisation ‘SEO’ and how you can use this to drive traffic to your website.

Right now, potential customers will be searching for your products and services ‐ and if they don’t find their way to your site, you could be deferring them to a competitor. Imagine if your website could rank above your competitors’, using the kind of search terms that turn your visitor traffic into revenue. When it’s done well, search engine marketing can give search engines exactly what they need to put your website in a prime position on Search Engine Results Pages.

The key is understanding what search engines need ‐ and since 90% of all searches in the UK are via Google, this pretty much means understanding Google. This course will explain the proven techniques that will help you reach and maintain the number one results spot.

Approved by CPD – Duration 80 mins* – £149.00+VAT

Course Description

Employees, managers and directors should all have a good understanding of the threat posed by cyber-attacks and the importance of guarding against data breaches.

This short course will explain why cyber attacks and data breaches happen and provide practical advice on how to set up effective defences.

First, the course will identify potential 'cyber threat actors' who initiate cybercrime, along with looking at the main motivations behind cyber-attacks on individuals and organisations. On a more practical level, you'll learn how to recognise and deal effectively with phishing attempts. The course will highlight the importance of keeping passwords secure and cover security for devices, such as smartphones, laptops, tablets or desktop computers. You'll learn how to report a suspected cyber attack, and what to do if you genuinely make a mistake.

Finally, we'll underline the importance of cooperation and show how working closely together helps overcome a wide range of cybersecurity issues.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:
• Understand what Cyber Attacks are and why data breaches happen.
• Identify those who commit cyber threats, their motivations and understand why you or your organisation could be a potential target.
• Recognise ‘red flags’ so that you can effectively combat threats to your cyber security and define potential methods of defence.
• Understand what makes you vulnerable inside and outside the workplace and what to do if a mistake happens.

Target Audience

The course is aimed at employees at all levels of an organisation as it provides an overview of some of the most common cyber security threats encountered in business.

Approved by CPD – Duration 25 mins* – £35.00+VAT

LinkedIn is a very well established and respected social network with over 259 million users in more than 200 countries. It’s known as “Facebook in a Suit” or the most professional level of Social networking for businesses.

LinkedIn is a very valuable tool to find the key decision makers within certain companies. It’s used for finding the best point of contact, gaining familiarity with their background before a call or sales pitch, making such contact much more effective.

It’s a social network for professional people. Normally a person would create a LinkedIn profile that would include career details and would update their information periodically as to their current appointment. It would often include a personal statement, personal web address and possibly testimonials from employers and members of staff. If the person has particular interests both professionally and personally they may subscribe to one or more interest groups to receive updates and discussion opportunities.

Approved by CPD – Duration 45 mins* – £90.00+VAT

Course Description

This online course examines the main social media platforms and their use as marketing tools. In particular, we'll look at Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.

We'll cover the main business benefits, along with how social media can provide increased market insight and help establish your company as an 'influencer'. We'll discuss the sectors that use social media marketing the most and there’s advice on how to get started with social media marketing, and how to choose the right platforms. You'll see how to run campaigns with great content and compelling visuals and measure the effectiveness of your campaigns. We'll show you how to create a Social Media Policy and use social media for internal communications. You'll learn how to build social media into your recruitment campaigns, and train employees to use social media to promote your company. Online security is crucial and we'll cover the basic aspects everyone needs to know.

Finally, you'll learn how to handle negative feedback on social media, and the T-E-A approach to handling complaints successfully.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:
• Understand the major social media platforms and their benefits as a marketing tool.
• Recognize the effectiveness of social media campaigns.
• Learn to deal with the positives and negatives of social media campaigns.
• Create and implement a social media Policy.
• Recognize the importance of online Safety.

Target Audience

This course is aimed at anyone who is responsible for the social media activities of their company, or who is wanting to get an overview of the subject to support their existing marketing activities.

Approved by CPD – Duration 50 mins* – £149.00+VAT

Facebook is the world’s largest social network. With over a billion users it’s very likely that a proportion of your target customer audience will have a Facebook account. In the ‘Social Media for Business’ course you’ll have been encouraged to research and investigate the preferred social media platforms used by your target audience, so you should have a good idea at this point if Facebook is one of the right platforms for you.

Using Facebook in your business is about providing an effective means for your customers to interact with you and connect their friends to your business. Recommendation is the most powerful way a potential customer can be connected to a business, particularly when it’s being recommended by a friend. So if you know that a trusted friend likes a particular brand, you’re much more likely to engage with that brand.

Facebook is essentially a platform designed to facilitate social interaction between people with whom you’ve already established some mutual recognition.

Approved by CPD – Duration 80 mins* – £90.00+VAT

Twitter is a social media platform that is used by a wide range of people, from celebrities, who use it to communicate with their fans to companies and brands who can use it to engage their customers and attract new ones. It is also used by people for the social aspect – to chat and share information with friends. In fact, there is no restriction to who or what can have a Twitter account and often a larger company such as Starbucks will also have individual accounts for each product such as Frappuccino’s and even individual store locations.

Using Twitter successfully requires a significant commitment of time – being active is key to your success. It’s all about the image you create, and the best‐viewed companies are the responsive ones.

Twitter is a real‐time information sharing network where users can share messages, news, images, opinions and links via short bursts of information called ‘tweets’ – these tweets have a character limit of 140 including spaces, which may sound very short but you might be surprised at how much you can get into a little space and how much influence that can have. Even though Twitter is a fairly simple service, it’s still important to understand the mechanics of it thoroughly.

Approved by CPD – Duration 55 mins* – £90.00+VAT