With a new year upon us every business has to focus its efforts in managing its business either it on a micro or macro level. One key area to look at is the area of management development and business training. The success of the business may rest on management and key staff having the skills to develop and implement key business plans and strategies.

Management and leadership training will give the staff the knowledge, skills and confidence to effect the business plans and bring the business forward as well as dealing with the day the day requirements.

Some of the key areas to consider include:

Defining a management development plan

You will need to analyse and identify the key performance and management factors that will help develop the business. Once this is done the key skills required by management and staff will need to be outlined and a plan put in place to develop and nurture these skills in the workplace.
These areas include financial management, project management, sales and marketing, personnel management, customer management, etc

Satisfying existing customer needs

Keeping your existing customers happy is the first key starting point for any business. Communicating with your customers and seeing how you can best meet their needs will help a business in the area of Customer Services training. These Customer services training workshops for both management and staff will help implement these plans.

Marketing analysis and sales planning

An analysis of the market in which your business operates and the profile of the customer you are targeting will help you develop a sales and marketing strategy for the future of the business.
It doesn’t differ whether you are involved in consumer goods and services, technology or manufacturing a successful sales and marketing plan and training for its implementation is a necessity.

Why not pay a visit to Progressive Training’s website to see a full range of Business training courses on offer or call us on 1890 245 345. You can also contact us through our online enquiry form and we will be happy to assist you in your business and management training needs

A Content Management System – otherwise known as CMS – is an application that helps manage the
workflow of creating, editing and managing online content in a collaborative manner.
With a CMS, a series of complex tasks can be simplified using a collection of tools and procedures.
The procedures themselves can be computer-based or manual ones. Though you may not be overly familiar with the term, it’s highly likely that you have come across websites that use CMS in real life. One of the branches of CMS is Web Content Management System – a web application that is designed to help create and manage webpages. Here is some more information about Web CMS.

A Web CMS is used by professionals and regular folks alike to manage a huge collection of web
resources, which include text, images, HTML code, PHP scripts, and more. The functions of Web CMS
include — but not limited to — content creation, content control, content editing, and maintenance
functions as well. Though it is powerful in nature, as attested by its use by many professionals in the
field, users that have little or no knowledge in programming languages can also create and manage
online content easily. This is a big plus if you’re a bit in the dark when it comes to HTML, PHP, CSS,
JavaScript or any other web programming languages.

What sets Web CMS apart from its peers is the fact that the system comes with a presentation layer
that displays the content according to a specific template. Beneath the layer, though, lies the database
that keeps the content and data needed by the system. It is highly intuitive for users and visitors – but
remains powerful for programmers or web designers.

There administration part of the Web CMS can be done through web-based interface or through the use
of a desktop client – though the former seems more regularly used. Though setting up the system to run
in the first place may require the help of an experienced administrator, such as one that TechStore can
help provide, the maintenance part of the web CMS should be relatively easy even for those with non-
technical background. The website can be easily updated and changed with little training.

Choosing from a wide array of Web CMS that are available for free shouldn’t be hard to do. In this case,
you can stick with some of the most popular ones, such as Joomla, Drupal and of course – WordPress.
These are all Web CMS that use PHP scripting language. Alternatively, you can choose Web CMS
applications that are based on other languages, such as Java, ASP.NET, Perl and more.

Microsoft Access is rich application that helps create productive database. There really is no limit on
what the software can help you achieve, but it does boil down on how users plan, build and implement
the Access database. A good understanding of database design principles and methodologies is
therefore required. These are some questions you should be asking yourself if you want to build a
functional and problem-free database.

1. What is the purpose?
Before creating the MS Access database, you have to know the purpose of the database. This is
something that you will have to define beforehand. Some examples of database purposes include
log activity, sales monitoring and recording, and even jobs tracking.

2. Have you defined the workflow?
It would be a grave mistake to skip this question when you want to create a new database. Defining
your workflow will help you accomplish finishing your database in a timely and accurate manner –
because you are already writing down the step-by-step processes. Basically, the workflow is the way
you intend to process the information you receive from the start to the end.

3. Have you identified the Forms and Reports?
Once you have defined the workflow, you should mark next to each step the points where you will
need to enter, modify, view or print data.

4. Have you designed the Forms and Reports accurately?
To help design the Forms and Reports accurately, it is always good to start with pen and paper.
Draw on the paper what you envision the forms and reports to look like. Once you do, they will
become your database design. Some quick notes: write down the names of the fields that you want
to use on each Form and Report, as well as the names of the title. This helps you discover which
fields you really need and their location.

5. Ready to build the Tables?
Building your tables naturally come after designing them. The question above is really a hypothetical
one – because building tables isn’t really that complicated. There are many tools included in the
software that will help you build them. It will consist of creating the tables, the fields, setting field
properties and then establishing the relationships.

6. How to build Forms and Reports?
Since you already designed the Forms and Reports on paper, building the Forms and Reports on MS
Access database should be that much quicker and easier. There are many wizards that you can use –
or you can add them manually as well. Just make sure that the Tables are built before the Forms.
As for Reports, it is the last step on your MS Access database. Once the Forms are built, try to enter
some test data in order to see the end results on the Reports.

Conclusion
To remind you once more, these are the simple steps of creating an MS Access database. First,
design the Forms and Reports on paper. Continue by designing the Tables of paper. Building Tables
comes next, which is followed by building Forms and Reports.

Effective communication is at the heart of every organisation, every job and every personal relationship.
Without it, people can’t leverage the knowledge of larger groups and essentially live in silos or boxes.
In business, a lack of communication dooms projects, managers and companies. Such organisations
survive only by inertia. Eventually, they fail and disappear.

Good communications is key
The same communications skills that create strong personal relationships also power successful
businesses. Not long ago, effective communication was viewed as a “soft” skill that was nice for
managers and executives to have but unnecessary. In today’s rapidly changing business climate, it’s a
requirement for all employees. Organisations that fail to convey goals, strategies and processes – or
provide feedback, good and bad – are likely to lose to companies with better communication.

Communicating is much more than just talking or writing words to another person. It involves how we
write and speak, including body and facial gestures, vocal tone, rhythm and the pitch of the voice.
Also, listening is just as important a communication tool as writing or speaking. Today, we communicate in
a variety of formats, from the voice and written word to email, instant messages and other high-tech
solutions. The most effective communicators are able to connect with other people regardless of the
format.

Importance in the Workplace
Look at almost any job description, and you’ll see how important communication is in the workplace.
Nearly every job requires effective communication, which is a skill that is tested during job interviews.
Once hired, it’s essential for employees and managers alike. Without effective communication, there is
no teamwork or collaboration, and projects will fail more than they succeed. Effective communication
is also an absolute necessity for climbing the corporate ladder. Managers especially, must hone their
skills and understand the power of communication, whether in dealing with fellow employees or with
customers.

It’s also important to note that organizations with poor communications – whether top down or bottom
up – won’t identify and resolve problems quickly. As a result, mistakes are not caught until after delivery
to customers. Product recalls, to cite just one negative outcome, are often the result of a breakdown in
communications.

Tools of Communication
Today, an organisation’s leadership has an arsenal of tools with which to communicate with employees.
It can take the form of traditional conversations, staff meetings, emails, newsletters as well as social
networks, video conferences and online discussions. Regardless of the form, studies show that
communication improves employee motivation and engagement. It’s followed by improved work
quality, productivity and customer satisfaction.

Similarities between Life and Work
Communication skills pay off at work and at home. A husband and wife who share their thoughts will
have a happier marriage than a couple who don’t communicate with each other. Likewise, a manager
who communicates well with his employees and superiors will not only be more successful but will also
create a healthy office environment.

The reason for the success of communications at home and in the office is simple: People who are able
to share their feelings, thoughts and ideas are less likely to be misunderstood and less likely to bury
their emotions. Good communicators are more likely to keep lines of communications open with family,
friends and co-workers. They also take the initiative to start conversations and make their thoughts
known. They’re not afraid to speak up. At the same time, good communicators are also great listeners.
They hear what other people are saying and respond appropriately.

Invest in good Communication skill’s
Any effort made to improve communications skills will pay off is well worth the investment. Effective
communicators are rewarded with raises and promotions as they’re better suited for leadership
positions. There’s also a payoff outside the office as the same skills also work at home and everywhere
else life may take you.

As a business owner, you understand the importance of training employees. It’s how knowledge and
skills are transferred, and it’s essential to maintaining growth, building new revenue and generating
profit. Without trained employees, your business will suffer – and customers will notice poor service
from your incompetent staff. But traditional training isn’t cheap. In these tough economic times, it can
be a challenge to free up staff for training or hire outsiders or prepare a dedicated internal team to
conduct it. There is an affordable solution: It’s called Train the Trainer.

What is Train the Trainer?
Let’s say you’d like to send your project management team to a training event in some distant city but
can’t afford it. Using the Train the Trainer model, you would send one employee who would return
from the event and proceed to train the project managers who didn’t attend in person. Though it’s not
as beneficial as sending everyone, the approach is considerably less expensive and enables knowledge
transfer in a situation where there would have been none.

As the name implies, the Train the Trainer approach involves tapping internal resources more than other
training approaches. Besides the example above, it can be used to educate staff on process changes,
new software and other areas where traditional training might have been used in less lean times.

Are there other benefits?
Train the Trainer sessions create an atmosphere of collaboration and help build teams in the workplace.
Here’s an example: Let’s say your accounting department is deploying new software for tracking
expenses. In traditional training, the software vendor would supply training that it provides to other
customers. There is very little customization for your organization’s specific needs. With Train the
Trainer, one or more users (depending on the size of your company) would receive in-depth training by
the vendor and the accounting department. They would then hold sessions for their colleagues on how
to use the new system. Unlike the traditional training, the sessions can be held when it’s convenient for
your company and your trainees, and it can be focused to your organization’s specific needs.

With Train the Trainer, your organization not only transfers knowledge but also creates a group of
power users who can provide guidance and tips long after formal training is over. In addition, the new
system gains credibility when employees see that one of their own is leading the training.

What are the pitfalls?
There are some risks in the Train the Trainer approach. Trainees might feel like management is unwilling
to spend money on a traditional session. If the trainer isn’t prepared, participants might feel like they’re
wasting time. These problems, however, are easily avoided. The first step is communicating the fact
that management is behind the training methodology. Let employees know that you believe there are
benefits to this approach to training – and that it’s not all about money. Second, make sure the training
sessions are well-planned. There is nothing worse than having to sit through a poorly organized session.
Finally, make sure the trainer makes the session interactive and doesn’t lecture. The greatest benefit of
the Train the Trainer approach is the back-and-forth among colleagues.

What can be done to ensure effectiveness?
If your organisation is serious about training in general and the Train the Trainer approach specifically,
consider selecting one or two employees to become certified master trainers. They would take a
number of courses to build up their skills and learn best practices so that they can help others upon
their return to the office. The master trainers, however, wouldn’t lead all training at your office.
Instead, they would guide other people in preparation for their Train the Trainer sessions.

When you’re operating in the IT business or industry  you are acquainted with the developments which are ongoing every single day. It is vital when looking at your future employment,  career or occupation that people continue invest in IT or computer training. New Microsoft and Adobe based programs coupled with the rise in open source software creates a necessity for new computer or IT courses to meet these needs.

Latest version of Windows Operating-system
We see that Microsoft brought out a new operating-system known to as Windows 7. Training is going to be needed around the business and home versions of Microsoft Windows 7. There is also the newest version of Microsoft ‘office applications’ that is Office 2010.  It’s recommended that companies should allow staff training for a number of days to effectively implement Windows 7 or Microsoft’s new Office 2010 applications programs such as Excel 2010, Access 2010, PowerPoint 2010, etc.

New Microsoft Application Programs
With the latest 2010 version of  Word, Excel, Access, and MS Powerpoint there is a requirement to learn and understand these applications. Investing in a computer training course will assist a person when they are looking for employment with most companies or business.  Many computer courses can also be completed online.

Computer training or learning on the latest Microsoft programs will help you embark on a long career. Learning the new Office 2010 programs will bring your IT skills up to date and give you a competitive advantage.

Stay Competitive with Ongoing Microsoft Training
Getting been trained in the best software can make computer job candidates more competitive. Within the next few years,  you will see new versions of Home windows and Office programs and becoming trained can help you stay current and in contact with industry standards.

You’ll have the ability to give us a call at 1890 245 345 or complete our online enquiry form which we could discuss your training needs.

Projects can make or break an organisation. If completed successfully, they boost productivity, profits
and revenue. Failed or incomplete projects waste time, money and energy, leaving the organisation
even further behind than when the endeavor began. In today’s business world, it’s easier for projects to
fail than to succeed. They need to be championed, owned and actively managed, especially if they touch
multiple segments of the organisation.

Professional Project Management
That’s why professional project management is essential. Over the years, the task has evolved into a
dedicated position that is responsible for planning, coordinating, overseeing and executing projects
ranging from construction to software development. Project managers today are professionals who are
trained and certified to know how to identify risk and solve problems as well as manage diverse teams
to ensure the project stays on scope, on budget and on time.

Project Management History
Informal project management is as old as civilization. In the 1950s, as technological and managerial
complexity grew, more formal project management structures and processes began to evolve. Nobody
tossed the familiar Gantt Charts, but they were complemented by mathematical project-scheduling
models such as the “Critical Path Method” and the “Program Evaluation and Review Technique” (PERT).
Almost simultaneously, new tools began to emerge to better estimate the cost of projects and monitor
the use of resources.

By the 1970s, project management had evolved into a discrete field, separate from the engineers who
build or the managers who oversee operations or budgets. Today, the project manager is much like the
conductor of a symphony orchestra, overseeing the coordination of large teams and smaller groups.
When everyone plays together, projects succeed. When the conductor is missing, there’s the potential
for noisy, and potentially devastating, discord.

The Basics of Project Management
A project, unlike daily operations, is a temporary endeavor with a beginning, middle and an end. The
finish line is usually some sort of goal, whether it’s a new product, program or process. Project managers
plan, organise, secure and, of course, manage resources to get their projects to completion on time and
on budget. A number of software tools are available to help them do the job, but they also rely on an
extensive body of knowledge that has developed over the years, both from personal experience and
formal training.

Project Management Certification
A number of certifications are available for project managers. These aren’t required, but they are
often helpful because they show potential employers that candidates understand the basic principles
of project management and are aware of the best practices in the field. The Project Management
Institute’s PMP certification is the best known and shows that project manager has been trained in PMI’s
extensive Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK), which is a nonbinding collection of best
practices. Another popular certification is in Prince2, which is a collection of processes and techniques
sponsored by the UK government. Prince2 is the standard methodology for the UK and most English-
speaking countries outside North America.

Methodologies
Projects can be run in a number of ways. All projects are initiated, planned, executed, monitored and
closed. The challenge, however, is in the details. Here’s a look at popular methods employed by project
managers around the world:

PRINCE2: PRojects IN Controlled Environments is a process-driven method of project management. It’s
the standard used by the British government and in private companies there and around the world.
PRINCE2 is focused on business justification for projects, an organizational structure for the project
team, product-based planning and dividing the project into manageable stages.

Waterfall: This method involves a sequential design, with a heavy emphasis on getting the requirements
and expectations right early on in the project. Each phase of the project cascades to the next, from
conception, initiation, analysis and design to construction, testing, implementation and maintenance.
This method originated in the construction and manufacturing industries, where after-the-fact changes
are difficult, if not impossible. It also has been applied to software development.

Agile Scrum: In contrast to waterfall, this is an iterative and incremental framework popular today in
software development. At the heart is the sprint – a set period in which a certain amount of work is to
be completed. Each sprint is planned out in advance. At the end, a product increment is delivered. The
following sprints take place in the same manner, each taking a bite out of the backlog of requirements
and fixing any bugs that arise. Strict rules prevent features from being added to a sprint after it has
commenced. Instead, they are added to the backlog for consideration in future sprints.

Other Skills
Besides knowledge of project management techniques and methodologies, successful project managers
also have a number of other important skills, including:

• Diplomacy
• Deep knowledge of the business
• Communications skills to describe goals for the business, concerns of the team
• Ability to prioritize
• Open-mindedness to new ideas
• Negotiation skills
• Critical thinking

In the end, a well-managed initiative will not only allow a company to meet its goals but will also
minimise the amount of time wasted and money spent. A dedicated project manager is the person who
will see that it all comes together.

Being one of the most popular spreadsheet applications, Microsoft Excel is used by businesses, as well as homes, all over the world. While using the software will help your business reach its maximum potential, not everyone is proficient with spreadsheet — as it can be quite difficult to understand.
There are many Microsoft Excel training methods. Finding the right MS Excel training will require you to choose one that meets the unique needs of your company. If the method and location of the training aren’t suitable, the overall result will not be as effective. Check out the difference between each method below.

Off-site MS Excel Training
This is a type of MS Excel training that will be done at the trainer’s location – meaning your employees will need to go
to the trainer’s training facilities. One of the biggest advantages to this method is that the venue will be optimised for
training, allowing your employees to get the best training experience. There will be no unnecessary interruptions to
the training. The disadvantage of this type of training method is that it may be inconvenient for your employees to go to the training facilities.

On-site MS Excel Training
The other method of training is to have it on your own business facilities. While there will be no issues of getting to
the training place, on-site training comes with some disadvantages. Namely, there may be frequent interruptions from
other employees that aren’t listed for the training. Plus, not all businesses have the supporting facilities for the MS
Excel training. So keep these factors in mind.

Common Venue MS Excel Training
A common venue is an excellent compromise between the two methods of MS Excel training mentioned above.
Holding the training at a third-party venue will allow employees to conveniently go there and follow the training
without interruptions. The downside of this method is the cost of renting the place and supporting facilities.

MS Excel E-Training
Alternatively, your company can go the e-learning route. It is a no-brainer that MS Excel requires a computer to learn
the application. Then it is feasible to go a step further by choosing a company that gives MS Excel training over the
internet. This method of training allows the employees to learn the application at their own pace and choose their own schedule. The downside of e-learning is that not all employees are disciplined enough to follow through the whole training.

Which Method to Choose?
So the many methods of MS Excel training have been laid out before you – how do you decide which one is best
for your company? As mentioned, it’s best to choose the MS Excel training that will fit the unique needs of you
company. If you are still unsure, contact Progressive Training for solutions and advices of the training method that is most suitable for your needs.

When assembling a sales team, business owners and managers look for people who have the traits of
successful salespeople. For instance, candidates who are outgoing and think on their feet will seal more
deals than introverts who struggle to make a decision. Even when the ideal candidates are found and
hired, this in itself is not enough to ensure success.

That’s where sales training comes in. Done right, it provides the skills average salespeople need to
become great and best sellers to be even better. It’s also an opportunity for managers to communicate
their organisation’s philosophy, goals and long-term plans to the people who will be on the front line interacting
with the customers. Without training, your sales team is on its own and is unlikely to be as productive as they
could be. If your goal is greater productivity, sales training is a must.

Here’s a look at the opportunities created by sales training – and how successful teams benefit:

Communicate your goals
Whether your organisation is conducting training internally or hiring an outside firm, never lose sight
of the fact that the purpose is to provide team members with information they need to do their jobs
effectively. You’ll want to convey your organization’s sales philosophy, goals and historically successful
strategies. Let the team know that you trust them to make decisions on their own but be sure they
know when to raise questions to managers. Provide real-life scenarios. In today’s fast-paced business
environment, you do not want your sales team wasting time by escalating questions unnecessarily.
At the same time, you do not want to encourage maverick behavior when issues need to be raised to
higher levels of your organisation.

Inspire your staff: Sell your Sales Team on the Business
For your team to sell your products effectively, they need to be sold on your business. Sales training is
the perfect opportunity to do that. Invite the senior management to meet with the team
and talk about the organisation’s history, philosophy and mission. Be sure to prepare the executive
thoroughly before the session, and leave plenty of time for questions and answers. Such a meeting can
have the opposite of the desired effect if the executive comes unprepared, or leaves without interacting
with the team.

Share Strategies
Devote time during sales training for team members to share their successful strategies for sealing the
deal or upselling customers. Prepare for the session by identifying two or three team members who can
get the conversation started. Make sure they have some ideas to kick off the discussion.

Bond the Team
Sales training that brings your team together is an opportunity for everyone to share ideas, strategies
and even frustrations. The best bonding, however, usually takes place outside formal sessions. Be sure
to schedule plenty of time for informal conversations and get-togethers. Lunches and dinners are a great
time for mingling and exchanging ideas. If you’re a business owner or a manager with a budget, consider
picking up the tab – both to boost attendance and demonstrate your commitment to the team.

Stay Organised and Measure for Success
A poorly organised sales session will have the opposite of the desired effect. Rather than leave inspired,
participants will feel like their time has been wasted. It will also reflect poorly on the company.
When organising a sales training session, have a plan. Share the agenda with participants on the first day and
stick to it. Also, while the training is still being planned, chart out exactly what you hope to achieve -
and how you will measure its success.
Consider looking at key metrics – such as sales – and whether they change in the weeks and months after
the training session. Also, be sure to survey your team and ask them directly if they found the session helpful.
Solicit their ideas, too. Before you know it, you’ll have enough information to begin planning the next training.

Ultimately, a successful training program will not only boost sales but also show the organisation’s
commitment to its employees and its business. The sales team is a critical part of your organisation’s
success. Regular and well-organised training sessions will not only help develop the skills of your
salespeople but also demonstrate your company’s commitment to this group.

The are a number of different open source content management systems – otherwise known as CMS that are used to manage website content. While it is not always a given that the most popular system is the best, in the case of WordPress CMS, it is not hard to argue that it is.

Giant companies like Wall Street Journal, CNN and NY Times use WordPress CMS to develop and manage their blogs and websites. From conceiving, editing, publishing to indexing content – everything can be done with such ease. These are the top reasons why WordPress is the undisputed leader in CMS.

Free and flexible

For start-ups that want to keep costs to a minimum, you’d be surprised to learn that WordPress CMS is actually free to use – this despite its many powerful features. Whether you want to run a personal website or a commercial one – everything is gratis. Of course, you still have to take into account the domain and hosting charges. On top of that, it is also flexible – so you can customise it to fit your needs. It can be as simple as you want or as complex as your business requires.

Ease of use

You don’t have to be a nuclear scientist to use WordPress CMS, because many of the features have been designed with ordinary users in mind. For example, for every post that you create, you can easily assign different categories to it. Though powerful in nature, WordPress is known for its ease of use and simplicity. Getting things done will require less effort.

Extensive plug-ins

Thanks to the extensive number of available plug-ins for WordPress, gone are the days where you would have to pay developers to create a single application to run on the website. Everything you could possibly want out of a website can be easily had – most for free. There are thousands of third-party plugins that you can download, install and use. From Twitter tools, RSS feeds, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), to Google XML sitemap generator – everything is at your disposal.

Regular updates mean more security

Choosing WordPress CMS means making the right option of keeping your website clean from bugs, malwares and other security issues that usually plague the World Wide Web. WordPress is known for updating its system regularly; thus keeping the system, and ultimately the content and data on your website, secured.

Supported by developers

If there’s ever an application that you can’t find on the long list of plug-ins available freely for the platform, you can always outsource it to the thousands of developers that support WordPress. Being the most popular content management system on the planet does have its perks.

As an experienced WordPress developer, Progressive Training can help you learn how to manage and maintain a professional and sophisticated website at an affordable price. Why not call us on 1890 245345 or complete our online enquiry form for more details on our WordPress training courses.

?

Are you finding it progressively hard to manage your time and effort? Are you finding it too difficult on
top of all of the things you must do per day? It’s not easy to remain focused on the job but when you
follow these useful recommendations you might discover that it’s just got a little simpler.

Create a work schedule
Why don’t you produce a spreadsheet that allows you to definitely list everything you need to have completed on that day? Should you do that you’ll have the ability to allocate jobs to block of your time and you will make sure that you have given yourself enough time to get things done.

Take necessary breaks during your work time
Schedule breaks to make certain that you will get lots of time to yourself. Sometimes if we are busy
we even forget to take a suitable period of time to consume our lunch.

Consider what time of day you are most productive
People achieve more at different times during the day. You might be somebody that
will get more completed in the morning. If this sounds like your situation then make certain you place
aside time for the more important jobs throughout the morning time. If this can be done then you
will notice that you receive a lot more free time from your day than you’d did otherwise. Keep the latter time
of the day for the least challenging tasks because you will be less alert and less able to handle difficult jobs.

Find a good location for you to use
Consider the work place too because some jobs might be simpler to get completed in certain places.
It might be simpler to get some reading through work done sitting in a desk near a window than sitting inside
a corner within the shade, for example.

Eliminate all distractions
Avoid stuff that can easily get you distracted when it comes to you finishing all you need to. You will find
distractions which will stop you from being productive, like emails and telephone calls, or text
messages. Because of this it may be smart to section part of your entire day to take a rest and catch up with
your messages. If this can be done for yourself you will notice that your time and effort is handled more
effectively and also you become naturally more productive throughout your day.

Contact Progressive Training for further information on our time management training course.
Call us on 1890 245345 or complete our online enquiry form.

If you develop the training capabilities of all your employees, you will see definite advantages for your
company. The right training will help increase the motivation of your employees; whilst at the same
time enhance their skills. Because your employees are already familiar with the ins and outs of the
company – which include the strengths and weaknesses, the goal, culture and environment – teaching
employees to train will improve the effectiveness of the training. Here’s what you can do to make sure
that the next staff training will be successful.

Set responsibility and expectation
The participants of the training should be made aware of their responsibility to take the training
seriously. Instructions can only go far – so it will be up for the participant to make sure that they will get
the most of every training session. The company should point out the objectives and benefits of the
training. For example, if it has the objective of improving the skills of the employees – show how the
newly acquired skills can lead to a pay rise.

Don’t use a one-size-fits-all approach
When planning your training, you shouldn’t use only one method of learning. It is likely that your
employees will respond more to different learning styles. Some prefer to learn by seeing, while some
prefer learning by doing or hearing. The point is – make sure you include different types of learning
experience for your employees. It is important that you take into account individual needs. By keeping
the training flexible, you allow each individual to work at their own pace.

Provide high quality instruction and trainers
To ensure that the training will be done in high quality – you should see to it that all the training
materials are of the highest standard of quality. The training should focus on imparting knowledge,
improving skills and maintaining good attitudes of the employees. Likewise, make sure that the trainers
are of the highest standard of quality as well. The trainers should be familiar with the training materials.

Involve staff and supervisors
Before the training, make sure that the supervisors meet their staff. This allows the employees to
prepare themselves better. Involve the supervisors also after the training, so that they can review what
has been done and accomplished thus far.

Create the right environment for training
To optimise the time used for staff training it is best to setup the right training environment in which staff can
concentrate, focus and learn. The physical environment must be setup correctly to make sure staff are alert and
attentive at all time i.e not too stuffy and making staff drowsy.  The layout of the training room or location should
also be appropriate for the style of training being given.

Obviously, there are more factors that can make or break the training program of your staff. While the
above tips will provide a good starting point, it is recommended to contact an experienced staff training
provider such as Progressive Training.

Stress can be very overwhelming and often we do not see it creeping up on us. For the most part we
simply struggle on, knowing full well that things are starting to get on top of us. Rather than address
the issue early on we tend to ignore the problem and hope it will go away. Of course, this is not
the answer and it is far better to follow some handy stress management hints and tips that will help us
deal with the problem. It goes without saying that we can’t eradicate the problems associated with a
hectic life and work pattern but we can learn to cope with them a little better.

What is causing you the problem?
The most important thing is to identify what is causing you the stress. It may be work or it may be
something in your personal life. Without working out what it is that is getting to you, you cannot
address it.

Ask people around you to help you
If the problem is simply to do with your inability to manage all of your responsibilities then start to
use the people around you and share your load. It can be difficult to trust others with what we see
as our own problems to sort but when there isn’t enough time in the day to get everything done, it is
important to be able to delegate.

Get some perspective
Get some perspective and see things with fresh eyes. Not everything is as bad as you imagine but
stress can distort our perceptions and make us feel as though everything is far worse than it is really.
Take some time for yourself and spend some time with your friends and family. Enjoy yourself a little
more and feel the strain ease a little. Doing things that make you laugh or relax you can help you
deal with your problems in a much more relaxed manner.

Don’t worry about the things you cannot control
Realise the things that you actually have control over. There is very little point concerning ourselves
with things that we cannot change. It is far more productive to focus our efforts on what is within
our power to control.

Take feedback positively
Work on your resilience. You may receive feedback badly and feel it is a personal judgement but
standing back a little and taking your criticism on the chin can help you learn and grow.

Get the balance right
Don’t allow work to consume you. Your life should incorporate much more than your job so make
sure that you the right balance. As much as there should be room for hard work, there should be
room for enjoyment too. If you do feel though that having followed all of these hints and tips, you
are still becoming stressed or you are unable to address work-related problems, then consider
your options. You should not hate having to go to work every day, and you should not put up with
unfair treatment or a bullying boss. After you have taken the time to get some perspective, but you
still feel that you cannot make things better for yourself at work, then obviously must address this
through the appropriate channels.

Yes, stress is something we all feel and experience, but it should not become an on-going problem
that affects our health. If you suspect you are suffering with stress then you should speak to a
medical professional.

To be prosperous, a company must offer products and services that people are willing to buy.
But selling is not the end of the story. For a company to be successful and stay that way, it must understand
and cater to its customers’ needs. Satisfied customers keep coming back for more.  Unsatisfied customers
look to do business elsewhere.

Achieving customer satisfaction isn’t rocket science, but it’s overlooked surprisingly often by the average
and failing businesses. Follow these simple rules, and you’ll not only find new customers but keep them
coming back for more:

Convenience
Can your customers get what they want when they want it? Review your hours of
operations and make sure they fit your customers’ schedules. If your business caters to people who
work during the week, it makes no sense for you to be closed on the weekend. Also consider opening
for business earlier or setting a later closing time. Finally, make sure customers can always reach your
business. It can be through your website, an operator at a call center or even a voicemail message that
answers frequently asked questions. Customers might need information any time of the day or night.
Make sure they can find it.

User-friendliness
How easy is it for customers to do business with you? Look at how they interact with
you and try to find pain points. If your business has a physical location, is there ample parking nearby?
If most of your business is done over the phone, is the virtual attendant helpful or frustrating? Is your
website easy to browse or cluttered and confusing? Also make sure your website and any printed
materials for customers are available in the languages they speak.

Take Ownership of Issues
Do not let customers’ comments, problems or complaints slip through the cracks.
Own these issues and follow through until there’s a resolution – and the customer has received a
response. Make sure all your employees follow the same guidelines and know when and how to escalate
an issue. At no point should customers feel like they’ve been forgotten or just a number in your tracking
system.

Flexibility and change
To be successful in the long run, your business needs to change with your customers’ tastes.
Their needs may be very different now than they were two years ago. You should anticipate trends
and make changes quickly so that you’re not just meeting expectations but exceeding them. Ask your
customers about their likes and dislikes. You’ll rarely go wrong doing what the customer wants. Just
remember to give them more than what they expect. There may be times when you miss the mark, but
that’s part of the risk of being in business.

YES, of course!
The old adage says the customer is always right. That means you should be saying “yes” to your
customers, not “no.” Put yourself in your customers’ shoes. How would you feel if your request is denied
because it’s against the company’s policy? Too often, businesses instruct employees to deny special
requests except with special approval from a manager or the owner. Tell employees to deny requests in
a way that doesn’t feel like a denial. Rather than say “no,” they should provide customer with a range of
options, even if the initial request isn’t among them.
Customers who hear “yes” more than “no” will feel that you understand their needs and are doing
everything possible to help them.

Friendliness and Warmth
Successful businesses are inviting and staffed with friendly people. Everyone who comes into
contact with a customer needs to be warm and helpful, whether it’s the owner or the person on the front desk.
This is easier said than done; after all, everyone has a bad day. But as a business owner, you need to
communicate the importance of being friendly and helpful. Customers who are greeted by grumps
won’t hesitate to flock to the competition.

Continuous Improvement
Even if your company is struggling with the above mentioned points, customers will often be satisfied
knowing you are trying to do better. The challenge here is making sure customers know you’re striving
for continuous improvement. If an unhappy customer complains about poor customer service,
you need to listen and explain that action will be taken to improve. Most importantly, you need to
address the complaint with employees. If the customer comes back and has the same bad experience,
you’ve just lost that person forever.
Even in the absence of complaints, be proactive about improvement. Read reviews of your business on
the Internet, talk to customers and study what your competition is doing. Then use the information to
improve your operations. Your customers will notice.

These customer-centric ideas will make your business stand out from the competition. Adopt them, and
you’ll not only win new customers but also keep your current customers happy as well.

If you are interested in our customer services training courses why not contact us at Progressive Training
on 1890 245345 or via our online enquiry form.

Financial management and accounting are key to acquiring, analysing and understanding the numbers
that are at the heart of your business. With the right tools, you can quickly see how the business is
performing and the direction you are heading – up or down.

The secret to staying in business is staying on top of your finances. You need to know how money
is flowing in and where it’s flowing out. You need a way to share your financial information with the
government and your bank. To make informed decisions about hiring and strategy, you must have
instant or near-real-time access to all the financial data pertaining to your business.

Here is a closer look at the benefits of financial management and accounting tools:

Track Information:
All businesses, even small ones, generate an ocean of financial data. Even if you have
no interest in tracking this data closely, your banks and the government do. If you have taken out a loan,
for instance, your bank will demand financial reports to gauge how much of a risk you are. Governments
also expect you to provide key numbers to determine your tax obligation. With an accounting system,
reports can be compiled with a few clicks on a computer. Without such a system, it can take days or
weeks to compile the reports.

Improve Decision-Making:
As a business owner, you have to make decisions every day. An accounting
system puts numbers at your fingertips so that you can make the most informed decisions possible. The
best financial reporting systems supply numbers in real time, which enables you and your managers to
base your decisions on current conditions. Though there are no guarantees that you’ll make the right
decisions, having up-to-the-minute numbers increases the chance that your choices will not only be
smarter but also more profitable.

Problem-Solving:
Accounting and financial-management systems can help you identify and solve
problems quickly. They’re not just limited to reporting on the financial condition of the company. In
analyzing your reports, you might find that a particular color of a product you sell is doing poorly. Armed
with this information, you might decide to phase out that color and increase production of the more
popular varieties. By identifying problems quickly, you can spend more time fixing them and focusing on
the most promising aspects of your business.

Reduce Complexity:
An accounting system should help reduce the complexity of your business. It should
generate actionable reports that provide the information you need to succeed. If the accounting system
doesn’t provide all the necessary information, it should allow reports to be customized so that you have
quick access to the data required for your business.

Reduce Guesswork:
A successful business always involves a bit of luck, but it shouldn’t be the
foundation of your operation. Armed with data from an accounting system, you’ll be guessing
(and relying on luck) a lot less. You’ll have precise reporting to support your decisions. Bankers and
government regulators are much more amenable to hard data than hunches when considering a loan or
reviewing your tax return.

If you feel overwhelmed by the financial side of your business or have no idea how it’s performing,
chances are you do not have an adequate accounting system in place. Implementing one of these easy-
to-use programs can be the difference between a flourishing and a failing business.

Contact Progressive Training on 1890 245345 or complete our online enquiry form for details on the range of
Financial Management training courses we can offer.

No matter how big or small your business is – online marketing is one thing that you don’t want to overlook.
The many advantages of Internet marketing will help you promote your product and service more efficiently,
seal the deal faster and get the sales. But there’s more, online marketing will also help establish repeat business.
Before you jump into the bandwagon, here are some things about internet marketing that you should know.

Wider Audience for your business
By placing your business and products on the World Wide Web, you gain access to a wider audience. There are
millions of potential customers on the Internet that would no doubt help boost your business – if you let them
know that you’re available online. Creating an online presence is not as complicated as it sounds — but it won’t be
a walk in the park either.

Clear message and quick response
When it comes to designing the website, make sure that you add some personal touch. And it goes without saying
that the website should be clear, informative and helpful. Following up on queries and e-mails from potential customers
should be done in a prompt manner. It would be best to return their e-mail within the first 24-48 hours. Longer
than that and you will likely lose the customers.

communicate with your customers
With the website, not only will you be able to showcase your products and services 24/7 on the Internet, but
you will also improve the time it takes to send out messages to your customers. News about offers and special
promotions can reach them in an instant. Online marketing really is one of the most efficient marketing techniques
there is. Any changes to your product and services can also be communicated efficiently via mails and messages.
This way you are always keeping your customers in the loop.

Do it yourself v Hire a professional
Worried about the cost of developing and maintaining the company’s website? You don’t have to. There are
many applications available that can help build your site without breaking the bank. The web is abundant
with many Web CMS (Content management systems), shopping cart templates and online marketing templates.
Alternatively, you can outsource the task to professionals in the field which will assist your company in creating an engaging,
informational and e-commerce website with search engine optimization. The latter helps drive visitors to your
sales – which will ultimately drive more sales.

Contact Progressive Training on 1890 245345 or complete our online enquiry form for details on the range of
Internet Marketing or SEO training courses.

When it comes to managing your projects, you should know that mistakes can and will happen even
in the most meticulously-planned ones. It is more important for project managers to understand
how team members and they themselves can learn from such mistakes and never repeat them again.
Nevertheless, these are some areas where Project Management can decrease the possibility of mistakes
and errors from happening.

Communication is key
You can never have too much communication between team members. It is important for you, as
project manager, to ensure that every team member involved is updated constantly – be it on what is
generally happening with the project, its time-frames and dependencies, as well as on their role.
When you don’t communicate often with the team member, what you believe is a looming disaster – your
team may only treat it as some minor glitch. Make sure you tell all project members what information is
required, the format of the report, and how often you would like to be informed.

Define the goals and expectations clearly
Set goals and expectations of the project from the get go and communicate this information to
all stakeholders clearly. Define the time, details, and resources, as well as the budget so that each
stakeholder knows what to expect and no one will get disappointed. Don’t over-promise just to impress
stakeholders. It is more important for you to set accurate and realistic timelines for the project.

Flexibility is required, but set the limit
When you started the project, your stakeholders will most likely come up with a long list of wishes.
While you should try to be flexible in accommodating those wishes, only you as the PM and your team
member that know what is really feasible and applicable. You may have to be flexible and accept some
changes proposed by the stakeholder, but learn to say no if you know that the wishes will bring the
project to over budget territory.

Don’t start until you hear the whistle
Before you have a signed any contract and all the terms have been agreed by the two sides – you
shouldn’t try to start the project early. This is especially true in the case of a new client. It is not
uncommon for customers to have a change of heart and opinion – one that may leave you in the red.
Unless you already build a long term relationship with the client, always wait until you prepare all the
necessary documents and agreements.

Risk management isn’t an option
When it comes to cutting corners, some project managers treat risk management as an option. Fact of
the matter is, risk management is something mandatory – should you wish you avoid any surprises along
the way. Take the time to brainstorm with the team about the risks and properly estimate and calculate
them in the planning and controlling phases of the project.

To conclude, it is not always possible to avoid errors and mistakes 100% in a project. But these
guidelines should help reduce the possibility of their occurrences. The biggest mistake of them all is one
that you will face when you are not learning from past mistakes.

Contact Progressive Training on 1890 245345 or complete our online enquiry form for details on our range of
Project Management training courses.

Most people are familiar with Microsoft PowerPoint for creating presentations but did you know there are a range of other online applications that can be used as an alternative to this and not quite as expensive.

These Presentation applications include :

GoogleDocs - http://docs.google.com/
The popular online alternative to Office is Google docs. You can create a new presentation
within Google docs and features a a lot of practical presentations with the same functionality as MS PowerPoint.

Sliderocket - http://www.sliderocket.com/
This option has a full se tof professional design tools to assist you in creating amazing presentations that will impress your client. With themes and layout structure you also have shapes & charts, tables & pictures, audio, HD video, and Flash to tell your story without compromise.

Prezi - http://prezi.com/
You can create powerful presentations and store them online with this tool.
This can then be shared online.

Zoho Show - http://show.zoho.com/
Zoho Show’s has a lot of pre-built themes and can be used with clipart along with features like drag-and-drop which makes it an easy application to use.

280 Slides - http://280slides.com/
A full featured site allowing you create a powerful presentation and run it in-house or onlline
You can access these from anywhere, and share them with the world

You can contact Progressive Training on 1890 245345 or complete our online enquiry form here.

Known mostly as a spreadsheet program – Microsoft Excel can actually be utilized for various purposes.
This is exactly why the program is heavily used by businesses all over the country. Underneath the
deceptively simplistic design, Microsoft Excel is a powerful program that helps your business to flourish.
Here are some practical uses of Excel on a day to day basis.

Excel for Stock Control

One of the best uses of the program is for stock management within a business. Regardless of the tools and materials of your job, Excel can help keep track of things. You can easily tell how many stock items are left by setting up and using simple formula. This data can then be shared with your employees – even as they are out on the field. With Microsoft Excel, you don’t have to worry about running low on things that you need.

Excel for Time Keeping

If you have landed a job that requires you to calculate just how long will you be spending your time on the project,
Excel is the perfect tool for it. Simply input the number of hours into Excel, you can get the total hours instantly –
where you can then calculate the hour rate or even tell you your profit breakdown by the hour.

Excel for Accounting

It is not uncommon to use Excel for budgeting – where you keep track of your income and expenses. In addition
to that, you can also use Excel to keep track of all your accounts. In an essence, Excel can fulfill all your business
needs and more.

Excel for Invoicing

It will take only a little bit of your time to format Excel to create a professional-looking invoice. You won’t have to
worry about calculating Taxes and other charges as well.

Excel for Customer Tracking

Being a good business person, you should keep a database of all your clients and the projects you performed for them. With
Excel, you can create a spreadsheet that keeps tracks of all the details and more – such as the job and contact
information. This is a highly valuable information that can help you get more jobs in the future – either by the
same client or by people that your client recommend you. Simply set Excel to remind you to send email to you
clients a few months after the job is completed.

Excel for Project Management

Use Excel to create a database to calculate the duration of your project. With the many features available in the
program, you will have no problem calculating the time to finish a specific job, as well as the time required to finish
the necessary tasks.

Excel for Job Costing

Likewise, you can use Excel to calculate the cost required to finish a specific task, as well as how much the project
will cost you in overall. This is a surefire way to make sure that your project can be finished without the blues of
over-budget.

Contact Progressive Training for further information on our Microsoft Excel training courses. You can call us on
1890 245345 or complete our online enquiry form.

The purpose of a “Sales Meeting” is to increase sales. That should be self-explanatory; however sales
meetings (in common with most “meetings”) consistently fall flat and are perceived as boring lectures
which lack any clarity or purpose. Making every sales meeting interesting, informative and useful will
lead to increased productivity and hopefully more sales.

Consider these tips before calling your next sales meeting:

Prepare Refreshments
Preparing refreshments for your sales team helps set the right atmosphere and is particularly beneficial
if you have called the meeting for early in the morning. Coffee, orange juice, fruit and snacks will set a
great tone for the meeting and relax the participants.

Stick to an Agenda
Like any business activity, proper planning will really help sales meetings become a success. Make sure
you prepare an agenda beforehand and list the areas you wish to cover as “Objectives”. Distribute
this to all team members prior to the meeting. This will help keep the meeting relevant, improve time-
management and help when it comes to assessing how successful the meeting actually was.

Recognise Good Performance
At the start of the meeting, take a few minutes to recognize your sales teams recent achievements
like hitting sales targets, making large sales, gaining new clients, etc, etc. This provides positive re-
enforcement and encouragement and also starts the meeting off in a positive way.

Share Anecdotes
Sharing amusing and fun sales anecdotes will also help keep the mood light, keep people entertained
and strengthen team bonds.

Invite Team Sharing
Ask your sale team to prepare examples of the following to share with the group:

• How they made initial contact with a new client
• If there were any competitors for the sale
• What obstacles had to be overcome
• What worked and what didn’t
• If a fellow team member helped in any way

The sales team is a collective resource. Pooling experiences and discussing what worked and what did
not gets individual team members actively involved in the meeting. You can also ask the sales team to
prepare hypothetical sale mistakes for discussion as well.

Use Inspirational Guests
Inviting a regular customer in to discuss their purchasing experience or things they would like to see
improve can provide instructive and realistic feedback for your sales team. It will also provide relevant
subject matter for future meetings. Inviting successful sales colleagues from other areas of your
business or even unrelated businesses can be inspirational too.

Keep it Positive & Relevant
Sales team meetings provide a great forum to discuss issues concerning the whole team. Individual
concerns (particularly of a personal nature) should not be addressed unless the individual is sharing the
resolution to a problem. Keeping the meeting relevant will help keep the participants interested and it
allows the group to work on resolving problems and issues that directly affect them.

Remain Flexible
Try to remember there is no one “Correct Way” to do anything in business, particularly when it comes
to managing people. You might find it useful to correlate sales data to weekly sales meeting “objectives”
to discover how successful your meetings are. If not, make small changes that you can easily track to
ascertain their impact.

Ask for Feedback
Asking for feedback from the sales team will help your meetings become more successful and (all other
things remaining equal) help sales grow.

Contact Progressive Training for details on our Sales Training courses.
Call us on 1890 245345 or complete our online enquiry form for more info.

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Whether you are a teacher, instructor or learner you are always looking for some useful tools for creating a multimedia presentations or assignments.

The following apps and links can be used in this task:

SlideShare - http://www.slideshare.net/
Share your PowerPoint presentations online and embed them in your website or blogg.

ZohoShow – https://show.zoho.com/
Free Online Presentation tool or app similar to PowerPoint

Glogster – http://edu.glogster.com/register/
Create an interactive multimedia presentation for teaching or learning

Voki - http://www.voki.com/
Create  a personalised speaking avatar and use them on your blog, profile, and in email messages.

Vovox - http://www.vuvox.com/
An online  interactive presentation app where You can add text, imagery, and links over music, to make your scrolling presentation.

Contact Progressive Training at 1890 245345 or complete our online enquiry form for more details.

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With the growth in use of the apple ipad and ipad2 there is is growing awareness of its uses in the teaching or instructing environment. To help in this matter I have listed 10 iPad apps that can be useful for this area.

1. Dropbox - You can backup and access your teaching support files and resources online using Dropbox.

2. QuickVoice Recorder – This App will let you record a class or lecture for playback or review in the future.

3. Things for iPad – Useful task Manager and organiser App

4. Discover - This App will allow you easily explore Wikipedia in a simple and intuitive way.

5. Mobile Mouse – Use your ipad as wireless remote control device for your presentations

6. Pages for iPad – Wordprocessing App where you can create great-looking letters, reports, flyers, invitations, and much more

7. Numbers for iPad - Numbers App lets you create spreadsheets in minutes — with tables, charts, photos, and graphics using just your fingers.

8. Goodreader for ipad – GoodReader is the leading PDF reader App for iPad that allows you add notes to your PDF docs

9. Writepad - WritePad lets you take notes in your own handwriting with an iPad stylus pen or even your finger.

10. Evernote - With this App you can record your notes in text or voice format with the ability to handle attachments.

You can contact Progressive Training at 1890 245345 or complete our online enquiry form for information on our range of computer and business training courses.

It is important to work on improving your communication skills as these will assist you in your day to day
personal and business life. To help with this here are 5 tips to improve your communications skills

Listen to others

An important ability for good communications is the ability to listen to others. Some people may have a point to make and should be listened to. This will also improve the line of communications within the group or organisation if a person feels they are being listened to.

Be Patient

It is important to listen to and digest the information you have heard and not rush to a quick or rash conclusion. Be patient and make a decision and communicate that decision in a clear and concise manner.

Learn to focus

You must learn to focus when in a one to one or group situation and listen to the key aspects of any conversation or presentation. You will be able to pick out the important points to focus on and use these in any reply or response.

Observe body language

A key aspect to any form of communication is observing the body language of the person or persons you are communication with. Learning to understand or interpret their body language will help you engage with your audience and judge their reaction a lot better.

Be prepared

If you wish to communicate more effectively you should look at the various methods of communications and the tools you can use to make your message more understandable. You can practice and prepare your communication message and look at the different methodologies you can use e.g. visual presentation, group discussion, Q &A sessions, etc

If you would like information on our communications skills training course you can contact Progressive Training at
1890 245345 or complete our online enquiry form for more details.

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If you have just gained promotion to your first management position then you will almost certainly
have to examine things in a new light. If you are tasked with managing a team you used to be part of,
the difficulties increase significantly. Here are some common pitfalls to watch out for and some tips for
dealing with them.

1. Avoid Rocking the Boat

Well, at least to start off with. Many new managers feel they have to reinvent the wheel and make
sweeping changes to stamp their mark and prove they are up to the position. However, until you had
suitable time to assess the current systems and resources wholesale changes might not be such a good
idea and just cause confusion and resentment. Take 30 – 90 days to evaluate your colleagues, suppliers,
customers, etc, etc before making changes that you can effectively monitor and control.

2. Don’t Spurn Advice

If you have been promoted from within, chances are you excelled in your last role and did not often
require the advice of others. Now you may find yourself in a more challenging role so seek out a mentor
or coach who could help you. Take time to learn from the mistakes of others so you can try and avoid
them yourself and increase the likelihood of success.

3. Understand the Limits of your Control

You will quickly find that a dictatorial approach might not be the best way of leading a successful team.
It’s quite possible that many things are outside your scope of control. It’s important to learn what these
things are and worry about those things than you can directly control and influence instead.

4. Allow for Mistakes

Try to avoid the tendency for new managers to micro-manage their staff. It’s much better to lay-out
clearly defined and achievable goals for your team and assess them on their results and not their
processes. If you are too hard on their mistakes it could stifle their creativity or they might try to avoid
involving you with their work for as long as possible.

5. Always Listen

Some new managers believe they know best and to be seen consulting their staff will make them seem
weak. Whilst it’s true that managers unable to make quick decisions lose respect; managers who ignore
good council and make dramatic u-turns once a decision goes awry could (over time) lose their job.
Where time allows (and for decisions that are not straight-forward) involve your team and benefit from
their collected resource. This also has the added bonus of getting them on-side if the decision affects the
team as a whole.

6. Avoid being Buddies

It is challenging (even for experienced managers) to be managing a team of your former peers.
Trying to stay “One of the guys” will no doubt draw accusations of favoritism and undoubtedly lead to conflict in
the workplace. It is now vital that you develop an objective view of your team and its members so you
can effectively manage and evaluate its performance. This will be difficult; former teammates may view
you as a “Sell-out” but as important as a shift in your mindset is – so is a corresponding shift in theirs. As
long as you take charge respectively and decisively they will soon identify with you as the leader of the
group.

Contact Progressive Training at 1890 245345 for a complete range of Management training courses or complete our online enquiry form here.

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With CSS or Cascading style sheets playing an important role in the future of website design, content management and presentation we have compiled a list of 10 CSS resources that can be useful in building up your CSS web skills.

1. CSS Tricks – http://css-tricks.com/

2. Noupe Design Blog - http://www.noupe.com/css/

3. NYPL Online Style Guide – http://legacy.www.nypl.org/styleguide/

4. W3C CSS2 Specification – http://www.w3.org/TR/CSS2/

5. CSS-Discuss – http://www.css-discuss.org/

6. A List Apart – http://www.alistapart.com/topics/code/css/

7. CSS Zen Garden – http://www.csszengarden.com/

8. CSS Cheat Sheet V2 – http://www.addedbytes.com/cheat-sheets/css-cheat-sheet/

9. Deploy* – http://seaneill.com/deploy/

10. Blueprint – http://www.blueprintcss.org/

With the above resources you should have a good understanding of CSS and how to apply it
to your website projects in the future.

Progressive Training can offer you training in Website design to get the most of using these CSS resources.
Why not call us on 1890 245345 or complete our online enquiry form for more details and advice.

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Social media has been gaining immense popularity in the last few years amongst businesses.
If your business or company isn’t involved in social media, such as being on Facebook, Twitter or Twitter,
it won’t be wrong to say that you are losing money. The fact is — social media helps create new business
opportunities and improve customer loyalty, as they help connect you to thousands and even millions of
potential customers locally and worldwide.

More people are connected online every day and they expect your company to be there as well. It
would be easier to find things online than picking up the phone. Customers expect to see that your
business is online. They want to interact, provide feedback, share their experience and talk about you
online.

This shouldn’t discourage you don’t have the knowledge and resources yet, because there are many
social media trainings that your business can benefit from. From webinar, in-house training, to seminar
– the training can help improve and grow your business.

Upon taking the social media training, you can expect to create an ideal Facebook page for your
business, one that suits your target market. You will gain knowledge on what information you should
share on your Facebook and Twitter page – so that your customers will get real value. Know how
to present your business online to encourage people to do business with you and find out how to
convert leads to sales. You will learn of ways to build online relationship with customers and potential
ones. Ultimately, you will learn how to manage the online social presence of your business, as well as
formulating the right strategy to your service or product.

For some, this new marketing paradigm may seem irrelevant. Hence, you should keep an open mind if
you want your business to flourish. Like it or not, social networking has deeply penetrated our society on
a scale of impact that has never been seen before.

With the right internet marketing and social media training, you are already taking that important first step to educate yourself
and your employees of a whole new world of opportunities that are available out there online. Don’t get
left behind by your competitors by making that step now toward an untapped source of new business
leads and a higher level of engagement with customers.

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In my previous article, “Explaining the Balance Sheet” I briefly discussed how a balance sheet was
a snapshot taken at a certain point in time, whereas a Profit and Loss (P&L) account measured the
company’s financial performance over a certain period of time. The reporting period is usually one year
and it shows the company’s profit on the sale of goods or services over that particular trading period.

You can find an example P&L account below. The numbers in brackets and parenthesis show how the
calculations were made and explain each item category used in the P&L. The notes are found after the
example.

Super Widgets Limited Profit & Loss Account 2009/2010

“Notes” are used in the P&L statement to provide an additional breakdown as to how the individual line figure was calculated.
These “Notes to the Accounts” form part of the published financial accounts of a company. Using the example given above.
Note 1 – Geographical Analysis of Turnover

The Headings Explained

(1) Turnover

“Turnover” is another word for “Sales” and represents the returns made from the supply of products
and services during the reporting period, less VAT and any trade discounts.

(2 – 5) Cost of Sales

This category states the direct costs involved in the selling of products of services. It’s important to
remember to calculate the cost component for products or services that have actually been sold. If there
are any unsold goods left at the end of the reporting period these will be reported in the balance sheet
as “Stock”. For “Superwidgets”, all direct costs like the cost of the widgets (materials) and the wages of
the production staff would be included. Indirect costs like the rent of the warehouse and advertising
spend would not be included.

(6) Gross Profit

Put simply, “Gross Profit” is the amount of turnover less the cost of sales. Gross profit does not account
for indirect expenses, tax, interest or dividends.

(7) Distribution

This heading captures costs that occur during the process of transporting the products or services to
the customer. Some direct selling costs like sales commissions and advertising spend may be included in
here as they are directly related to moving the product or service from the business to the customer.

(11 – 13) Expenses

All expenses not previously captured are entered here. These are “indirect” expenses such like rent,
electricity, insurance, etc, etc necessary to keep the business running. Administrative and Accountancy
charges (like plant and equipment depreciation and bad-debt write-offs) are also included in here.
Depreciation is the amount the piece of plant of machinery has decreased in value over the period, and
special reporting rules exist for its disclosure. You have to disclose the method of depreciation used
(usually the straight line or reducing balance method) and how the figure is arrived at.

For super widgets, let’s say they own one piece of machinery and are using the “Straight Line” Method:

Purchase Price of Machinery:
Expected Life of Machinery:
Recoverable / Scrap value:

Purchase Price of Machinery:  €440,000 in 2008
Expected Life of Machinery:    10 years
Recoverable / Scrap value:     €4 0,0000 in 2018

So, the amount of depreciation charged to the P & L each year is 40,000 (440,000-40,000)/10.

The value of the fixed asset in the balance sheet needs to also be “written down” (reduced) by €40,000
each corresponding year. This ensures the transaction balances (“Double-entry” bookkeeping) and that
the true value of the machinery is reflected in the published accounts.

(14) Net Profit before Tax

This category is really self-explanatory. It shows the profit before taxation and is a useful summary as
every company’s corporation tax profile is different. For example, the company may have a lot of tax
credits or have just become profitable, so the level of tax isn’t always directly proportional to the level of
profit made.

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As the most popular desktop database system in the world, Microsoft (MS) Access offers plenty of great functionalities.
Database developers love MS Access due to its scalability, while users love it for its ease of use.

The fact that MS Access is part of Microsoft Office suite is also one of its strongest points, because it can easily integrate
with other productivity software like MS Word, Excel and Power point. To get the most of Microsoft Access, you may have
to take up a training program so that you can experience the maximum benefits for yourself and the company.
One of the things that you will want to learn is the use of MS Access queries.

If you are not yet familiar with MS Access queries, here’s a little bit of explanation. A query is simply the term used
when you want to mine some information from your database. Let’s say you want to know how many units of
computers you sold last year, creating an MS Access query will get you this information. In essence, queries are
questions that your data has the answers for. While there are many simple queries to choose from, some queries
can be quite complex when summing and grouping of data are what you after.

These are some useful tips to extract data the most efficient way from queries.
These tips should help you get by easier.

1. To help you identify the qualifiers that you can use, you should know the data types for each field on your
Microsoft Access database, especially those that you want to include in your report. For example, Date,
Number or Text.

2. To make sure that you have all the fields required, get a piece of paper and write all the names of the
tablets and their fields that you want on your final query report. This way – you can see how they relate.

3. When querying, you can add the fields first without marking any criteria. This test query will help you get
the total number of records being shown. This will also help you confirm that there’s no error.

4. You can then add one criteria option one at a time. This will save you time should you encounter any error
– as you can pinpoint the culprit easily.

From the tips above, it is obvious how important setting the right criteria is when filtering the data. To become
more proficient in this aspect of Microsoft Access, you will need a good knowledge base. Creating a good database
system is one thing – having the ability to pull those data using queries is a whole different ballgame. Don’t
hesitate to learn more of MS Access and its powerful query feature by taking a Microsoft Access training program, because it is no doubt the purpose and life of MS Access.

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Improve your productivity and the functionality of your workspace by having a clean and organised
desk. The following tips might help you achieve this and keep colleagues off your back at the same time:

1. Only Keep the Stationary you really need

People are creatures of habit with only two hands and the ability to use either one pen or pencil at the
same time. Unless you’re working in a stationary store, storing a dozen of each is unnecessary clutter
you don’t really need.

2. Make Space for Personal Items

It is important that you feel relaxed and comfortable whilst working, and having a set place for pocket
items like mobile phones, Bluetooth devices, keys etc, will help with this. This will help you find them
quicker, too.

3. Keep things you need close at hand

Common sense tells us that something we use on a daily basis should be closer than something we use
once a week, or once a month. However, sometimes people arrange their desks so they “look good” or
simply keep things closer that they used last. By keeping priority items closer you’ll save time having to
move everything around trying to find what you really need.

4. Easy to access files

Minimize the time it takes to file and retrieve items. You should be able to do this without moving your
chair or getting up. Making filing easier is an important tip as the harder something is to file, the more
likelihood you are to put it off and the clutter increases…

5. Scan Files

If possible it is always better to have a scanned copy of any paper files. This will reduce the amount of
time it takes to retrieve the document and allow you to move the space-consuming paper into storage
areas. A sheet feeder scanner can really get the job done quickly and another alternative is outsourcing
the scanning to companies who provide this service.

6. Scrap Notepad

Keep a scrap notepad especially to write down odd bits of information like phone numbers, names,
addresses, etc, etc. This will keep your desk from being overrun with scraps bits of paper and keeping all
the “ad-hoc” info in one place will improve your productivity as it will be easier to find.

7. Tidy as you go

It’s much more efficient to tidy-up as frequently as possible, or even as you go. Get in the habit of
tidying your desk every afternoon before leaving the office as opposed to weekly or monthly. If your

desk is too large (or there is simply too much on it!) tidy incrementally and organize certain areas of it
daily.

8. Be free from wires

Unless it’s absolutely impossible, wires for PCs, printers, routers, faxes, etc, etc should not be trailing
across your desk. They make your desk look unsightly and will make it harder to organize your desk. One
solution is to use Velcro straps or electrical tape to get them out of the way. Another is to investigate if
any wireless solutions exist to your tangle of wires.

9. Get more storage space

Investigate the possibility of getting more drawers, bookshelves or filing cabinets to help remove things
off your desk. It might be possible to get storage space that doubles as drawers and filing cabinets to fit
neatly under the desk.

10. Cleaning Supplies

If you keep your desk clean it will really help with its organisation. A study in 2002 found that the
average office desk had more germs per square inch than an office toilet seat. Wiping down your desk,
keyboard and phone with disinfectant wipes will help clean and organize your desk and kill germs at the
same time.

If you would like details on our management training courses please contact Progressive Training by telephone on 1890 245345 or complete our online enquiry form.

The vast majority of people will do anything to avoid conflict in both their professional or personal lives.
However, there comes a time when it falls to you to deal with a difficult co-worker, employee, supplier
or customer. Approached the right way, dealing with a “difficult” person can be quite rewarding.
Chances are nobody wants to deal with them in the first place so you could really help make a positive
change in the workplace.

The following are some tips to help you:

1. Change their title

When you think of the person in question, refer to them as “challenging” and not “difficult”. You will
find that very few people are deliberately poor communicators. Have faith in your own communicative
skills and realize that not everybody will be easy to deal with.

2. Take a step back

It’s easy to make quick assumptions that a person is “difficult” without finding out the reasons why. An
example could be a customer calling to complain loudly a delivery is one-day late. This seems slightly
irrational but further examination could reveal they are waiting for a replacement for a defective model.

3. Practice Your Response

If can step back from the situation, try to practice your response and put yourself in the other person’s
position. Think about their likely responses and plan for them.

4. Try for an agreement

It will help your situation if you are able to agree with the other person. You might not agree with their
opinion of version of events, but you should be able to agree that a problem exists. Once you agree
upon something it helps build rapport and provides a base for solving the overall problem. Use positive
terms and let them know what you are able to do rather than cannot do.

5. Ask for and explore alternatives

Never enter a situation thinking there is no hope for a resolution. Don’t be afraid of asking “What is it
you would like to see happen?” or “Tell me, what can I do to improve the situation?” Try to have a few
alternative solutions planned. Even if the person rejects them, it provides a starting point.

6. Speak in Private

If you are dealing with a challenging person might be better to deal with them in private. The very fact
a problem is being discussed in front of others could be one of the reasons that make them hard to deal
with in the first place. Some people have a completely different personality when you get them on their
own.

7. Use “I” Phrases

Using I phrases allows people to try and understand the impact of their actions on you. For
example, “You should…”, “You must…” “You could…” will likely make them defensive. Better alternatives
are: “I feel you should…”, “I think it’s better if you…”and are more likely to help reach an agreement.

8. Don’t Take Things Personally

It might be difficult, but try not to take the conflict personally. Try to separate yourself from the issue.
More often than not, there are other factors (such as problems at home, previous bad experiences, and
sometimes office politics!) affecting the situation.

9. Take a Breather

If tempers are becoming frayed suggest taking a breather for 20 minutes or so in order to collect
thoughts and re-approach the problem with a cooler head.

10. Check for Understanding

Always ask questions of the other person, listen to their response, (briefly) paraphrase their answers
and check for understanding. If you engage the other person it is far more likely you can both work out
a successful resolution to the problem or conflict. It is amazing how many problems in the workplace are
caused by simple misunderstandings.

So whether is the area of people management or customer care we have to apply the above tips in each given situation.

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As one of the most used computer software programs for businesses today, mastering Microsoft Excel is an
important skill that workers should have. It is no wonder that companies and businesses demand that their
staff learn MS Excel so that they can stay competitive.

Looking at it from the employer’s point of view, especially for those in the field of information technology system,
Microsoft Excel is an essential end-user computing tool that can help perform a wide range of tasks. From making
some of the mundane tasks more bearable through automation, to everyday functional tasks. Microsoft Excel is
also used as a decision-making support for employers.

It isn’t surprising how Excel has been dominating the spreadsheet product industry with a share of more than
90 percent. Thanks to clever programming, businesses have relied on Excel to improve the productivity level of
employees. Apart from that, Excel can also be used outside the corporate world.

For example, if you have a home office – you can use the program to calculate various costs, from sales tax to daily
expenditures and more. Tracking your assets, income, debt and net worth can be done easier using Excel. Aside
from the program’s obvious business uses, these personal uses tell us how flexible Excel is. There are a slew of
tutorials on how to maximise the use of Excel to suit either business or personal uses.

Here are some more uses of Microsoft Excel: create graph and chart, import data from the web, data converter,
data analysis and visualisation tools, and a host of other purposes to support financial decision and business
transaction for end users and business professionals.

Microsoft Excel is highly customisable to perform a wide array of functions essential to your business. Some
companies have made it mandatory for employees to undergo Excel training as a way to keep up with technology
and increasingly demanding business world.

If you feel that your skill on Excel isn’t up to par – don’t get behind the times and consider taking Microsoft Excel
training from Progressive Training your local training provider. As one of the most important tools in the workplace,
investing in a training program will be beneficial for your career and your company or business.

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Trying to decide on the “correct” price for your business’ products and services is a challenging
endeavour. It’s possible to ask three different kinds of questions:

1. How much will customers be willing to pay? (Customer-based pricing)
2. How much do we need to sell to make a certain amount of profit? (Cost-based pricing)
3. How much are competitors charging? (Competitor-based pricing)

Of course, the question most relevant to your product and services depends on what type of market
you find yourself in. If you have a monopoly and are the only seller of super-widgets you can set what
price you like. If you find yourself in a market with a lot of competition, it will be wise to answer all three
questions and run different pricing scenarios for each.

The following three factors will help evaluate the market for product or services:

1. Competitive Analysis

When we examine our competitors, we can focus on other areas apart from the price alone. Say for
example you notice that a competitor’s price is hard to match. You also notice that they are always
out of stock and have long lead times. The market will probably take a mark-up to their price if you can
stress shorter lead times and a continuous supply.

2. Ceiling Price

Looking at a product or services ceiling price is a good way of gauging the range of prices available.
Usually, for products that have been on the market for a while, they will never hit the ceiling price
again (antiques aside). If you’re selling a product, it’s worth considering the product life-cycle as the
market will pay less when they reach maturity and then ultimately decline (as is the case with Home
Computers).

3. Price Elasticity

Put simply, price elasticity is how the level of demand changes with price changes. Some goods are
deemed to be “inelastic”, such as petrol, cigarettes, and alcohol. The demand for these good does not
change in proportion to price rises (people still need to drive their car for example) and this is the main
reason why the government taxes them heavily (and their price always changes).

Trial and error (where possible) is a good way of determining the elasticity for your own products or
services. However, consumers generally do not like change. If you notice that stocks are selling out
quickly (stock turnover is high) or is sat on the virtual shelf for too long (Stock turnover is low) chances
are you need to change the price.

The Importance of Research

Once you have chosen an appropriate price level it is important that you constantly review it. The
market remains dynamic and in this modern, information age your competitors will be monitoring your
results closely. With the advent of the internet consumers are kept well informed about prices, too. This
is especially true if your products or services are exactly the same (homogenous).

Research is of vital importance as product pricing should be performed in advance of the product being
made available for sale. However, as the market is so dynamic the lead-time between research and
taking the project “live” needs to be as short as possible.

Contact Progresssive Training at 1890 245345 or complete our online enquiry form for information on the range of sales and marketing training courses we can provide.

From the maker of Flash and PDF reader, Adobe has another program that has been gaining in popularity
among professionals in the field of web design and development.

Adobe Dreamweaver is used by web designers and webmasters – novice and professionals – to create
engaging and dynamic websites. If you aren’t familiar yet with Adobe Dreamweaver, here
are some reasons why this is one of the best website development programs available in the market.

• With Adobe Dreamweaver, website management can be done a lot easier – as you can simply toggle
  between the many sites being worked on. This feature is a must for those who must tackle several
  projects at once.

• The software comes with a feature that lets you upload the websites via built-in FTP. Combined with the
  keyboard shortcut, updating websites can be done in a flash.
  The built-in FTP also allows automatic changing of file permissions.

• Adobe Dreamweaver is known for its excellent CSS features. This is just one of the many advantages of
  the program, as it simplifies coding processes. With an intuitive point and click CSS window, adding
  CSS styles to the site is as simple as 1, 2 and 3.

• The program comes with a wide range of rollover buttons. You don’t have to manually code the rollover buttons, because the program will do everything for you on the background. This makes creating rollover buttons super simple. You can even select from a dozen or more flash buttons with rollover effects. Just click and choose – and you’ll see it straight on your website.

• The built-in pop-up menus creation in Adobe Dreamweaver makes it super easy to create professional-looking web pages with navigation links. Likewise, everything will be done for you by the program behind the scenes, you just have to point and click to see the results. In addition to built-in pop-up menus, you can also create exceptionally functional web forms with Dreamweaver. The forms can be easily set to be sent to any email addresses.

• One of the most essential features in Adobe Dreamweaver is the inclusion of Server Side Include buttons.
  Unlike other website building software, this feature is readily available for usage – and there are plenty options to select from.
• The last on this list of benefits of using Adobe Dreamweaver is the inclusion of many template files. This makes designing the website easy for beginners, yet the program can also handle a more sophisticated design due to its flexibility.

To sum up, Adobe Dreamweaver is one of the best website creation and publishing solutions in the market. Find
out what you have been missing by taking a training course on Adobe Dreamweaver to unlock its full potential.

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There is an old saying in business, “Tell me how you will measure me and I’ll tell you how I will behave”.
This underlines the importance of feedback in the day-to-day operations of business.
Feedback can be used to “course-correct” employees who perhaps can be working more productively
and in tune with the management’s goals.
Feedback can also be used to encourage employees to keep up the good work.

Understanding how to give good feedback is important because:

• It stops small issues become large, disruptive ones
• It helps build trust in working relationships
• It promotes professional and personal growth
• It acknowledges individual and team achievements
• It resolves any misunderstandings

Being able to give effective feedback improves employee productivity, morale and makes the workplace
more enjoyable and rewarding.

How to Give Good Feedback

1. Feedback should be helpful and supportive

Always try to ensure that the person is expecting some feedback and is ready for it. It’s worth asking
them for their assessment of a situation before providing your feedback. Feedback should always be
helpful and supportive, and not just used as a way to chastise employees.

2. Be Specific and Sincere

It’s important that feedback remain objective at all times. Keep to the actual behavior you observed
and not personality traits. “You’re much too chatty!” could be better expressed as “I observed you
were away from your desk for long periods and I am worried about your productivity”. Avoid vague
statements and inferences.

3. Be Sincere

Use” I…” statements “I saw…I heard..I felt”. Describe how the behaviour affects you and use sincerity
to get your message across. Don’t give out praise if you feel it really wasn’t deserved.

4. Provide Balance

Always try to give out a balance of positive feedback and feedback for improvement. It’s always better
to end with a positive comment and to encourage a response to the feedback. Remember, it’s much
easier to de-motivate someone than motivate them.

5. Ensure Timely Feedback

Feedback loses its effectiveness and negative if it is delivered too long after the situation under review.
Don’t hold-back feedback of any kind and try to give it as close to the event as you can.

Providing Positive Feedback

Positive feedback is used for when somebody did something well. A very simple method exists for giving
positive feedback:

• Describe what the person actually did or said
• Describe why this action was effective

Ensure the “What” and “Why” method uses the points covered above. An example could be:

“I am very happy with your improvement report and summary. It was clear, concise and has raised a
number of points I will be acting on. Well done.”

Providing Feedback for Improvement

Similar to positive feedback a good approach for feedback for improvement (remember – not “negative
feedback”!) is:

• Describe what the person actually did or said
• Show them a more effective approach
• Explain why that would have been better

An example; “I feel your comments about the improvement report came across as sarcastic and were
too general to be helpful. If you keep your reports objective and express your concerns clearly and
concisely we could really use your input”.

Following some of the above tips will help you build up your team leadership skills and improve your supervisory management techniques as well as motivate and direct your staff.

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Many business owners can pick-up the basics of a profit and loss account without too much trouble.
For non-financial users, the balance sheet continues to be a source of continued exasperation.
The profit and loss is a measure of how well a business has performed over a period of time (say 1 year).

A balance sheet on the other hand is a financial snapshot at a particular point in time.
Let’s examine a fictional balance sheet and discuss the various headings and definitions:

1. The company name and current year end will be
   found at the top of the balance sheet.
2. Shows the current period figures. This can be
   anything from 1 day to 18 months.
3. The previous periods figures are shown for ease
   of comparison
4. Fixed assets are usually pieces of property, plant
   or equipment that are brought to help the business
   make money. They have an expected life > 2 years.
   Can include “Intangible Fixed Assets” like intellectual
   property rights or goodwill.
5. Current assets are assets that remain on the balance
   sheet for < 1 year. They are ordered by how easily
   they are able to be converted to cash (or its equivalent)
6. The balance of the bank account can appear in
   Current Assets or Current Liabilities if the account is
   overdrawn and using an overdraft facility.
7. Current Liabilities detail any financial obligation (or debt)
   that will become due over the next 12 months.
8. Net Current Assets illustrates the businesses ability to
   meet its current debts. A high figure shows a greater
   margin of safety whilst a negative figure will probably
   mean the business is in danger of failing.
9. Long Term Liabilities are expected cash out-flows that
   will become due after 12 months. Examples usually include
   loans from banks or people.
10. Net Assets is arrived at by subtracting total liabilities from
    total assets. For an insolvent business the figure will be
    negative there won’t be enough assets to meet the liabilities.
11. Capital and Reserves illustrate how the business is funded.
    This usually shows the initial source of funding (capital)
    plus any retained profits carried over. Larger companies
    will have several different types of shared capital
    (preferred, ordinary, etc)

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The “new thinking” that often pervades Business Management text books, seminars and training
courses are that meetings are a waste of time. Whilst it’s true that an over-abundance of unproductive
meetings are no good to anybody, business meetings still have an important role to play in business
decision making, delegation and communication.

To remove some of the negative associations of “Business Meetings” it is important that they are
planned and conducted as effectively as possible.

Planning a Business Meeting

It is worth asking ourselves the following questions:

1. Is the meeting absolutely necessary?

Do you need to call the whole department if only a few members hold the relevant information? Can an
alternative to the meeting (such as a conference phone-call, group email, etc) be as effective.

2. Who is required to attend?

Keep the numbers as small and specific as possible. Smaller groups are more productive and it is much
harder getting larger groups to reach agreement and stay on track. If necessary, it can be a good idea to
invite people to certain sections of the meeting. An example of this is meeting with the supervisors and
then having the staff in at the end of the meeting to communicate the decisions reached.

3. Has an agenda been circulated?

Having an agenda keeps people focused and adds much needed structure to the meeting. Ensure that
the agenda is circulated ahead of time and it is as clear and concise as possible.

4. Are visual aids required and understood?

Visual aids help get points across quickly and succinctly. When conducting a meeting you need to ensure
that the data is accurate, understand where it fits with the agenda and try to anticipate any likely
questions.

Conducting the Meeting

The following tips will help you conduct a business meeting:

Always start at the assigned time
The agenda has been circulated in advance so everybody knows the correct start time. Waiting for
latecomers, or stopping the meeting to tell them what they have missed will make the meeting run over
time. This will inconvenience those that did make it on time. Also, if people know you will start without
them they will be inclined to improve their time management for your next meeting.

Start with the easier issues
Start with easily resolvable issues first and leave the more challenging ones until the end. By solving the
easier problems first, the participants will have developed a sense of rapport and successfully exercised
their problem solving skills. It will also help the overall productivity of the meeting getting the easier
tasks resolved first. You will then know exactly how much time you have left for the weightier problems.

Be strict with time management
Try to plan an amount of time for each agenda item and stick to it. If the dialogue is going in circles or
no solution looks imminent then note the progress made and move on. Don’t try to force a resolution as
some issues could take weeks or months to resolve.

Continue unresolved topics at later meetings
It’s always best to try and resolve as much as possible in the original meeting. However, new problems
may come to light, or more data could be required to solve certain issues. Make a note of all unresolved
issues and schedule them for the next meeting, or arrange a smaller meeting with the individuals
directly connected to the issue.

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Developed by the same company, Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator have their own uses and unique tools.
While Photoshop is mainly used by digital photographers and professionals alike to retouch and edit images,
Illustrator is used to create vector-based drawing. It does not make one better than the other, but it is simply
depending on your needs. Combining the two together will no doubt bring you unparalleled results.

To say that Adobe Photoshop is popular would be an extreme understatement. The program has become
synonymous with digital imaging. It is used to take any existing images and give it a more polished and professional
look. Basically, your imagination is the only limit as to what you can achieve using Photoshop.

There are some tools on Photoshop that you will find as well on Illustrator, but the latter will have a more
complete drawing and vector art tools. Known as the world’s most used vector drawing tool – if you are in charge
of creating logos, letterheads, company profile, etc. – most likely you will be using Adobe Illustrator. Hence,
Adobe Illustrator is more suited for serious graphic designers.

Using Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator does not sound as complicated as it sounds. Since both programs
share some basic components – by mastering one, it is most likely that you already have the basic knowledge to
run the other. Use Photoshop to retouch your images to become even more stunning or create something entirely
unique by using Illustrator. It is recommended to use both programs for all your image creations and digital
photography needs.

It is not uncommon for designers to use Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator on the same project. For example,
they will use Illustrator to draw the logo, as well as other vector graphics, while Photoshop will be used to apply
special effect to the images.

Don’t put your company’s image on the line by bringing mediocre result. Bundled as the Adobe Creativity Suite,
Photoshop and Illustrator will mean the difference between super quality graphic design and the less than stellar
ones.

Progressive Training can provide training classes that help you acquire the skills required to use the two programs
effectively. You will learn the key functions of Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator and understand how to
use the two together to create your next masterpiece. This training can give you that vital edge to succeed in an
increasingly competitive world.

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We provide a full range of business and personal ICT courses. They range from beginners to advanced levels.
These courses can be tailored to meet your own needs and can be delivered in a class setting or a one to one basis.
We also provide customised onsite training to manage your in-house training needs .

We can provide  following Computer Training Courses.

Office Courses

• MS Word
• MS Excel
• MS Access
• MS PowerPoint
• MS Outlook
• MS Publisher
• MS Project

Web and Graphic Design Courses

• Adobe Dreamweaver
• Adobe Illustrator
• Adobe Photoshop
• MS FrontPage
• Internet & Email
• Blogging for Business
• Internet Marketing & SEO

Teacher Training Instructor Courses

• EDI (JEB) Teaching Dip in ICT

ECDL Courses

• ECDL Standard
• ECDL Advanced Word processing
• ECDL Advanced Spreadsheets

Please call us on 1890 245345 or complete ouronline enquiry form for more details.

We offer flexible, cost effective corporate and personal training solutions for all your business training needs.
Well-trained staff are generally more motivated and in turn are more productive. Your employees are normally your biggest expense and your company’s most important asset. We offer you a wide range of quality training courses for all your business needs.

Our courses include:

Management Training Courses
We offer powerful, practical business-learning solutions in Ireland. Our professional Management Courses take your career and your company to the next level. Our management training courses cover every aspect of organisational enhancement and career development. More info >>

Supervisory Management Training Courses
We offer intensive supervisory management courses for Supervisors, Team Leaders and those new to management where they will acquire the valuable skills needed to become a success in management. More info >>

Project Management Training Courses
Our courses are designed to take new and experienced Project Managers through the whole project management process including people and task management. More info >>

Sales Training Courses
From basic selling skills to advanced sales management strategies, We offer you comprehensive range of Sales Training Courses to guide you through every stage of your professional sales life – to help you build long-term customer relationships. Whatever level you’re at in your career, you’ll discover how to increase sales, keep your customer base intact and expand your client list. More Info >>

Customer Care Training Courses
Providing a first class customer service and creating the right impression first time is a must for front line staff. To be successful at customer care requires an understanding of customer expectations and the skills to exceed that expectation, even when faced with difficult customers. All our training courses can be tailored to suit your individual needs. Take a look at all the features that separate us from other Customer Care training courses.. More info >>

Human Resources Training Courses
As more day-to-day Human Resource decisions are delegated to line management, the role of personnel and training specialists is changing. Aimed at those embarking on a career in HR or taking on new HR responsibilities, our courses
provides a broad overview of Human Resource issues. We have an extensive range of HR Courses for you to choose from.
More info >>

Finance Training Courses
If you are competent in understanding and managing the financial aspects of your day-to-day business, you will be far more effective in your job, and with a course tailored exactly to your own requirements, we can provide you with the tools you need. More info >>

Personal Development Training Courses
Our Personal Development Courses take your career and your company to the next level. Our courses cover every aspect of organisational enhancement and career development. More info >>

Office Administration Courses
Our Office Administration Courses cover a broad range of fundamental business and office management competencies. It is suitable for secretaries, administrators, receptionists, call centre staff, and clerks. More info >>

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We specialise in all types of Business training and Corporate training across all industry sectors.
Our training centres are located in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Belfast.
Our Business and Interpersonal Courses are run by a team of qualified professionals with many
years practical experience in industry supported by academic qualifications.

Each trainer has an area of speciality and is recognised as an expert in their field.
Call us on 1890 245 345 for all your corporate or personal training needs.

Business report writing is a difficult but important subject to master. Reports are your chance to prove
that you can play an effective part in business decision making. They need to be professional and
concise, without coming across as dull and rather boring.

Here are 10 tips to help improve your business reports.

1. Evaluate the Target Audience
A title alone is not enough to write an effective report. You need to consider exactly who the report is for.
If you are writing for non-financial managers it’s best to present financial highlights rather than
pages of how exactly the figures were arrived at. Think of the reason why they are reading the report
and try not to stray from that reason.

2. Write a Strong Introduction
A strong introduction will captivate the reader’s attention and entice them to read further. It will lay
out a report’s objective, problem definition and the methods employed to solve the problem.
Writing a strong introduction makes it is easier to keep the report well structured.

3. Keep Free From Errors
You report could completely revolutionise your business but spelling and grammatical errors could really
lessen its impact and make it appear unprofessional. It is important that all calculations are double-
checked as just one “typo” could lead to people questioning the accuracy of your data as a whole.
For really important reports, it’s worth having a colleague proof-read it for you.

4. Use Appropriate Language
The language used in the report needs to be appropriate for the audience of the report. It’s always
best to keep the language as clear and concise as possible. The facts of the report should speak for
themselves and they needn’t be over-embellished with a colorful narrative or turn of phrase.

5. Avoid Lengthy Reports
If the report is too long, it is likely that the most salient points will get lost. It is always best to keep
a report as clear and concise as possible. If calculations or exact references need to be provided
the “Appendix” is the best place for them.

6. Always Use an Objective Style
It is always better to let people arrive at reasonable conclusions for then trying to talk them into it.
An objective style helps and allows the evidence to remain the main focal point.
Avoid using ambiguous phrases like “may be”, “seems to appear” and “probably”.
These could lead to people perceiving the report as merely conjecture on the author’s part.

7. Keep the Format Simple
Be careful not to distract the reader by using too many fancy and colourful fonts. These only serve to
distract the audience from the content of the report. If the report is to be delivered in a presentation
format (like power point for example) then graphics and flash are a good thing – but beware of over-
indulging. Only use images that reinforce and add value to the report’s findings.

8. Don’t Overdo the Charts and Graphs
Charts, graphs and tables are a great way of summarizing data into easy-to-remember visuals.
Try not to break-up the flow of the report with too many graphics that essentially show the same thing.
Pick the chart, graph or table that best fits with the report and move succinctly on to the next point.

9. Keep the Report Attractive
It is of vital importance that a business report be neat and legible for the reader. A successful business
report proves that you can play an important part in business decision making.

10. Use Logical Analysis
A report can really hit the mark if good supporting evidence is used to back-up the statement of facts
presented. There must be a clear chain of evidence between the research collection, analysis and any
conclusions reached. Never introduce something into the conclusion that was not analyzed or discussed
earlier in the report.

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It wouldn’t be wrong to say that MS Outlook is one of the most powerful email management programs around.
However, people have the wrong perception that Microsoft Outlook is strictly an email client.
Even though email is an important component of MS Outlook, the app can actually do much more in helping you boost your productivity. Aside from its email component, you can create appointment and tasks, schedule meetings, store contact data, manage calendar, make notes, and more.

While the app is quite easy to learn, it is when it’s not being handled properly that it may cause headache to users.
These are some tips to keep your MS Outlook running flawlessly.

1. One of the most important things to do if you use Outlook is to create back-ups of your PST and OST files. This is a great way to ensure that you have all your email and data intact if Outlook somehow crashes. It’s always recommended to have a copy or two of the files – placed in different folders – in case the original gets corrupted.
2. A simpler approach is to use a free add-in that Microsoft has created for Outlook program that helps you locate the PST files and have you pick a new location for the back-up file.
3. To avoid any crashes, you should always remember to close the Outlook application before shutting down the computer. Note that applications will not close by themselves and you risk causing future problems.
4. To improve the performance of the app – such as when you feel that it’s running slower than usual – you can disable the internal virus scanner on the app. Assuming you already have a stand-alone Anti- virus app that will scan any ‘received and sent’ files, there is no need to run the internal virus scanner within Outlook.
5. To keep the app running smoothly, you can turn off any add-ins that you don’t use – as they only eat up valuable memory and processing power of the computer.

If you feel that you’re not using MS Outlook effectively the tips above, unfortunately, won’t help you much. However, you can always enroll on a Microsoft Outlook training course that covers all of the basics to the more advanced features. The course will help you become more proficient in using the app and improve your productivity in the office.

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Being able to make effective comparisons is a key analytical skill for anybody involved in financial accounting and management. It is important to know what to compare, how to compare and what the end result actually tells you.

Take the example of buying a new car. If we wanted to compare performance levels between cars we would not usually look at features like the size of the steering wheel or efficiency of the windscreen wipers. We are used to looking at such metrics like miles per gallon, miles on the clock, the time since its last service etc, etc.

The same approach can be applied to businesses and their published accounts. All the information we need can be found in the Balance Sheet and Profit and Loss accounts. All we need to do is to look at some established financial ratios (the financial equivalent to MPG) and understand how to calculate and use them.

We shall now example two ratios and discuss how they can help you analyze a business’ performance.

The Current Ratio

In our previous article “Understanding Working Capital within Financial Management” we discussed the importance of working capital and its calculation which was:

Current Assets – Current Liabilities = Working Capital

The above calculation will give a monetary value. This is quite hard to compare with other businesses, and indeed previous years as the trading conditions are pretty unique business to business, year to year.
How much working capital (in cash terms) should a large supermarket have compared to a corner-shop for instance? It’s a hard question to answer without knowing a lot more information.

However, observe what happens when we re-arrange the equation to:

Total Current Assets / Total Current Liabilities

This is called the “Current Ratio” and it is a great indicator of how liquid a particular business is. It is now far easier to follow an assumption like “All large supermarkets should at least have a current ratio of > 2) and quickly calculate the ratio for a number of supermarkets.

Return on Capital Employed (ROCE) Ratio

Many people use profits to analyze a company’s performance. Again, this is not as straightforward as it seems. Consider your reaction if I told you I made 20,000 Euros on the sale of a house. You might at first be impressed. If I then told you the value of my house was 600,000 Euros how might your reaction change?

The “Return on Capital Employed” ratio is a great way to understand how well a business performed turning its resources into profit.  It is calculated as follows:

Return on Capital employed = Profit / Shareholders funds * 100

This is a very important ratio and many people use it when considering investment decisions. How much did a company make last year for its investors? Was it a better investment than other companies or opportunities available like bonds, commodities or saving accounts?

We can adjust the ratio slightly for our house seller as follows:

ROCE = 20,000 / 600,000 (the amount of investment) * 100 = 3.33 %

Consider Ratios in their Wider Context

So you can see, making a 20,000 Euro profit is not as impressive as first thought. Other issues like the length of investment and the overall market conditions can cloud the issue.

This is equally true with the ROCE ratios and any ratio in general. It is a starting point, a useful tool for comparison but ratios should never be used in isolation to make concrete assumptions.

Combine Ratios for Informed Analysis

Using two (or more) ratios together is a good way of getting a better picture of the situation. Say we calculate a ROCE of 10%. This sounds pretty good and we are interested in investing. However, the current ratio comes out at 0.25 and signals the current liabilities outweigh the current assets by 4 to 1. This would be a sign that the business has serious liquidity concerns and should probably cool our interest.

It is also worth noting that published financial statements are “Snapshots in time” and might not accurately reflect the current trading situation of the business.

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Achieving and maintaining success in an online business require great understanding of how SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) works. As a vital part of online Internet marketing, continually improving your knowledge in the field will get you faster to the top and remain there. In this case, the benefits that SEO training have will greatly outweigh the financial investment you make.

Training to suit your business needs
The best SEO courses are those that can be catered to meet the needs of your company or organisation.
Steer clear from those that seem to follow a generic and rigid outline as more often than not they will not be able to turn your vision into a reality. If you are not sure yet what you want to achieve with the course, don’t hesitate to ask questions. They may even help asses and identify your needs. It goes without saying that the course should offer the fundamentals of SEO – be it from the technical and content aspects.

after training support and advice
Another important criterion is to go with institutions that provide great support. There is nothing more comforting to know that you are not alone out there as you venture on your online business. Make sure you enroll in a training that gives you feedback and solution in your time of need.

Practical and hands on experience
Don’t get too fixated on trying to look for the right SEO companies to enroll in. Think outside the box a little and seek the advice of experts and professionals that have been in the field for a considerable amount of time instead, preferably those that offer SEO training courses. One of the best aspects of this approach is that you will be able to extend your business circle even more. Don’t underestimate the power of social networking. The more business circle you have, you get access to more resources and references. As they have been around longer, they can share the best practice of online business – so
don’t hesitate to share, learn and grow with them.

The times are a-changing. To succeed in today’s fierce competition, you will need more than sheer luck or talents.
As long as you have the desire and determination to learn the most successful strategies of SEO by joining the right training course, you’re that much closer to a successful online business.

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The ability to negotiate is an important skill that we need in both our professional management and personal lives. Chances are you negotiate each and every day as part of your work. Skilled negotiators rarely “wing it”. They approach negotiation with a well structured plan. Focused preparation will help make negotiations a success. It is important to identify in advance what your position is and that of your counterpart.

These three questions will help evaluate your position:

What is my goal?
A specific list of items is much better than a general idea. Take the example of applying for a new job.
Points to consider might be salary, vacation time and training. Knowing specifically want you want adds confidence and strength to your negotiating position. Being vague will only serve to lengthen the process and may result in key points being left out. Your position may be seen as a lot weaker if you don’t know what you want.

Where can I compromise?
Negotiation is a two-way process and it is likely you will not get everything you want. Instead, prioritise your demands to identify those that are of vital importance and those that have scope for compromise.

Plan alternative courses of action
It pays to analyse all the possible courses of action open to you if the negotiation is not a success. If you have not planned an alternative course you might make a snap decision and desperately take whatever’s offered during the negotiation. Always reserve the option of walking away to get a better deal.

Once we have identified our position it is time to turn our attention to our counterpart’s:

What is their goal?
Identifying what the other side wants increases the chances for making mutually beneficial agreements.
The negotiation itself is a sure sign they want something from you. Their position may have a range of limits (the price they can pay for your product or turn-round time for example) and these might be possible to discover in advance. Ultimately, if you don’t know what the other side wants you can always ask rather than be unprepared and surprised.

What do they value?
Once you understand what your opponent values you can gain a better idea of your negotiating position. Say for example a company wants to do business because they want exclusivity rights to supply a certain product then price becomes slightly less significant.
Why are they negotiating?
If somebody has a completely dominant position there would be no reason to negotiate. Understanding why they need to negotiate can add strength to your position, especially when it is unexpected. Consider an employee who has announced they are leaving. If the company tries desperately to negotiate with the employee it is signaling an improved contract could be available for negotiation.

What do they offer?
In most negotiations it is clear what the other side brings to the table. If it is not and you cannot see any possible benefit to negotiate, then save your time and energy and don’t participate.

What resources do they have?
Evaluating the extent of the other side’s resources and likely alternatives will help to improve your position.
Can they get want they want easily from somewhere else? Do you offer something that they don’t have and are willing to make concessions to get?

So remember the five P’s i.e. proper planning prevents poor performance and approaching negotiations without the correct amount of preparation could leave you short-changed.

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To say that the life cycle of a software or product development project will not be complete without some unforeseen changes isn’t an overstatement. Change is something to be expected in every project and may be the one and only constant variable.
It may occur as minds, budgets and even market places change. How exactly should a good project manager handle change? And how Microsoft Project comes into play?

Cost Estimation
Estimating the cost and the time to make the change are the two top things to do when managing change.
The first – estimating cost – is quite straight forward, where you have an SME (Subject Matter Expertise) estimate of how the new work will cost. You must identify which existing planned work to be  eliminated then subtract it from the cost of the new work.

Work Scheduling
What is harder is estimating the change to the schedule, but it doesn’t mean that it’s impossible. You can take advantage of Microsoft Project to turn what is an overly complex analysis into a manageable one, where you will be able to calculate the impact of the change would do on the schedule. With the software, simply create a new baseline for the project. Alternatively, you can rename the file of the project then update it to the new baseline.

Do note that any change you make to the schedule and WBS (Work Breakdown Structure) will affect the project’s completion date. Unless the prior deleted activities have no subsequent activities dependent on them.

Afterward, you will need to validate the new completion date. Verify as well for any dependencies and make sure that they have been defined. Use the program’s “Change Highlight” feature to help you out. The feature will help you highlight any successor activities which start and completion dates have been changed by a predecessor date’s change.

Manage resource usage
Another important thing to check is whether or not you have sufficient existing resources to accommodate the proposed change. Again, MS Project can help you out. With the program’s Report feature, simply select “Resource Usage” to view what the work hours per week is for each resource. Should you find that a resource is doing more than the allowed number of hours, some load leveling may be required.

Though you have everything set, it’s never a bad idea to look for different approaches of doing the work that allows you to deliver the changed project faster. However, take extra careful if you are thinking of pulling this kind of trigger. As long as you thoroughly identify any possible risks as well as the confident that you can manage them – go for it.

Microsoft Project has been designed to support practically all the best industry practices. Why not take up a training course on MS Project to help you be the best Project Manager you can be.

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Everybody is familiar with the concept of having enough money in their bank to pay the bills at the end of the month.
Working capital works on much the same principle. The process of financial management i.e. Measuring and controlling your level of working capital, ensures your business can function from day to day and have enough current assets (money) to pay your current liabilities (bills).

How is working capital calculated?

Current Assets – Current Liabilities = Working Capital

This is also sometimes called “Net Working Capital”. The figure can be positive, negative, or zero.
Generally, a positive figure is seen as good. If the current assets exactly equal the liabilities the business has no reserves to meet unexpected events like repairs, stock problems, staff recruitment, etc, etc.

Current Assets

Current assets include anything that is able to be converted into money within 12 months

Some examples of current assets are:

• Cash or its equivalent – (overdrafts and credit cards fall under this heading)
• Inventory / Stock / WIP – Most businesses expect their stock to sell within 12 months
• Debtors – This is anybody who owes the business money, usually having purchased something on credit

Current Liabilities

These are the exact opposites of current assets. They include anything that has to be paid within 12
months and represent claims made against the business.

Some examples include:

• Rents / Mortgages
• Wages
• Utility bills
• Bank Interest on loans
• Taxes

The Importance of working capital

A business may be profitable but is at risk of failing if the working capital is not managed correctly.
Many new businesses often fail due to working capital problems. Working Capital can be seen as the lifeblood of business,
the oil that keeps the machine running.

The options open to businesses for increasing the level of working capital include:

Obtaining / increasing an overdraft

This is one of the most common methods of improving working capital and the least costly.
Most banks offer competitive overdraft rates and overdrafts are quick to set up and easy to manage.

Short-term Loan

A bank may well agree to a short-term loan (of less than one year duration) to provide temporary financing.
Note that the interest on the loan will become a new current liability.

Factoring

Factoring is a type of lending where an external company will advance the business money against the value of the outstanding invoices. The factoring company charges a service fee and interest on the value of the outstanding invoices. Factoring typically appeals to small businesses. An “in-house” solution is to reduce the time it takes customers who owe the business money (debtors) to settle their account. Both methods improve working capital,

Trade Creditors

Working capital is improved by lengthening the time creditors are paid. Rather than paying trade creditor invoices immediately, a business can improve working capital by waiting until they actually fall due. Also, it might be possible to renegotiate credit terms, such as moving from 30 days to 60 days for repayment, or to a “sale or return” policy.

Equity

For many small businesses, equity is a popular way of improving working capital. Entrepreneurs may invest their own funds, or those of family members or friends into the business. Some companies (like internet-start-ups in particular) will use venture capital funds. Once a business is established, a share- issue or reducing the share dividend are two common methods of improving working capital.

You can contact Progressive Training on Locall 1890 245435 or complete our online enquiry form for up to date information on the range of Financial management training courses we offer.

To most people, creating and giving business PowerPoint presentations may be the bane of their life.
It’s safe to say that most of them haven’t mastered the art of creating simple yet effective PowerPoint
presentations. For all its flaws, PowerPoint presentations remain the most used form of business presentations.

Instead of being controlled by the fear and dislike of giving business presentation – the better approach is to learn the software and skills in order to take advantage of it to the max. Pay attention as well to the following tips on creating and giving the perfect business PowerPoint presentations.

Being Well-prepared Is Key

One of the key factors in ensuring a successful business presentation is to be thoroughly prepared for it.
In business presentation, you are basically selling something to your audience – be it a concept, service
or a product. Whatever it is that you are presenting, the goal is to inspire action. It is very important for
you to know the material on the business presentation inside out. If you appear not knowledgeable,
your audience can easily pick up on it.

Good content
Another area that you should prepare carefully is the look and content of your presentation. Organise
and design the slides on the presentation so that they flow smoothly.

Practice, practice, practice!
When it comes to giving business presentations, there’s no such thing as too much practice.
Think yourself as an artist on stage with all eyes on you. Surely you don’t want to stutter, stumble, and falter.
In addition to having superb knowledge of your content, you should know the structure and flow of the
presentation – this means you have to rehearse it. The most effective way is to stand in front of a mirror
and give the presentation out loud. It’s even better if you can do it in front of your friends, family or
colleague.

Some more useful tips include

• Keep your presentation simple and to the point.
• Don’t drown the presentation in a sea of words. If possible use relevant images or charts – as they are easier to process. Relevant images also engage the audience better and they keep them interested.
• Make clear titles, headings, captions that are easy to read. Don’t go overboard with the fontstyling.
• Remember to make the background and text contrasting colors.
• Don’t be too generous with the number of slides. In business presentations, less is always more.
• As long as you have already covered relevant points, don’t drag the information for too long.

If you would like some assistance in learning to maximiase your presentation skills why not contact Progressive Training on 1890 245345 or complete our online enquiry form for details on Powerpoint training courses we offer.

Rome wasn’t built in a day. Likewise, you can’t master web design skills in a short amount of time, let alone 24 hours.
Whether the reasoning behind your intention to take up web design course comes down to the actual need of reducing job outsourcing in your company, or you just plain want to diversify your skills – there’s bound to be a suitable web design course for you to embark on.

Find your training level
Similar to other courses, you should choose a web design training course that matches your current skill level.
Initially, you don’t want to aim for the stars because you may just end up being frustrated. In many cases, people can be quite too cocky with their skills that they start the course at a higher level than what’s more appropriate.

The prospect of starting the course at the bottom may seem boring, but mastering the basic and fundamental is such an important part of the learning process – so it’s one that you definitely shouldn’t skip.

Set your training goal and reason
Equally important to the experience is the fact that you need to define your goal prior to taking the course.
If you plan to become a professional web designer, take up a course that offers a progressive step toward a higher level of proficiency. Identifying this goal early will save you precious time, because then you don’t have to backtrack on the course to deal with some gaps in the future. You will instead be moving up on your course in logical sequence.

If you’re only after some practical knowledge in web design, you don’t have to master all of the complex stuff and can instead focus on the more practical aspects of web design. The bright side of this approach is that you can avoid joining high-end training programs that will cost more.

Find useful online resources
Apart from taking the web design training course, you can also broaden your knowledge by getting information easily found on the Internet. Try to take part in online communities and forum that specifically discuss topics of web design. YouTube is also a great source for some online tutorials.

It goes without saying that you need to practice the skills instead of being mired solely with theories. Here’s a little mantra to get you through the course: practice a lot and don’t be afraid to experiment with the many creative ideas you no doubt have.

To know which course is most suitable for you and your business contact Progressive Training @ Tel: 1890 245345 or complete our online enquiry form.

One of the most important traits that a leader should have is his or her ability to communicate effectively.
A good communication is often regarded as the difference between a successful plan and a failed one; an effective leader and an ineffective one. The road to become a great public speaker isn’t exactly easy – but it’s not impossible to reach with enough patience, practice and training. The following are three steps that you can follow if you want to improve your public speaking skills and hold your audience’s attention better.

1. Slow down

Pace yourself well when speaking in public, as it’s not about who can finish the fastest. For people to be able to hear what you have to say, you have to give them the time and ability to do so. Though a short pause or silence may feel like a lifetime for you, your audience will regard it as what it is – just a second of silence.

Slow yourself down by taking a breath or a sip of water. This is something that your audience will appreciate as they have more time to process the message.

2. Smile

When you smile, the whole world will smile with you – or in this case, your audience. Not only will smiling give a good vibe, but it will also improve your self-confidence and your body language. Attract the attention of your audience by giving them a genuine smile. Don’t fake it, because your audience will see right through the insincerity.

Whatever rough morning or day you have had prior to the speaking, think of something that will put that smile
back on your face. This may seem harder to do than said, but it can’t be stressed enough how important SMILE is.

3. Keep it short

There’s nothing worse than a public speaker who drones on and on – especially a bad one that can put the audience to sleep. The point is – keep your speech brief and simple. If the message can be conveyed in one paragraph, there’s no use making it longer. Remember, less is always more.

These steps will not turn you into a perfect public speaker overnight, but these are things that can help you become a stronger leader. Why? Some of the world’s greatest leaders are known for their great public speaking skills — and at one point in time have delivered a classic speech where their words have been immortalized. The choice is yours whether you want to be remembered as the charismatic, strong communicator – or one that flubs at presentation and public speaking.