35 Online Education courses in London

R&D work is often carried out in entrepreneurial companies with the aim of developing solutions to scientific or technological problems for a wide range of customers. Projects can include longer term 'frontiers of science' research, medium term product development/manufacturing or more immediate troubleshooting or contract research assignments. In all these contexts, the ability to create innovative solutions in a timely and cost-effective manner is the essence of successful R&D. Whilst R&D groups typically excel in technical expertise, those involved often recognise that there is scope for improving the way that projects are managed. The aim of this training programme is to address this need whilst ensuring that the creative, entrepreneurial spirit that is fundamental to good R&D continues to flourish. MODULE 1: Creating the foundations for success * Off-line video tutorials and exercises * Total time ~ 1 - 1.5 hours VIDEO 1: MAKING THE MOST OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT IN R&D * Characterising R&D projects * Applying project management to R&D work * Exploiting the potential of project management in R&D VIDEO 2: PROMOTING SUCCESS IN R&D PROJECT MANAGEMENT * Modelling successful project management * Evaluating performance and promoting success * The role and skills of the project manager/leader MODULE 2: Initiating and defining R&D projects * Live interactive sessions (via Zoom): * Session 1: 10:00 - 12:00 * Session 2: 14:00 - 15:30 SESSION 1: SELECTING AND INITIATING PROJECTS * Recognising worthwhile opportunities; initiating projects * Identifying stakeholders and their goals * Characterising and engaging stakeholders SESSION 2: DEFINING GOALS AND AGREEING DELIVERABLES * Establishing the full scope of the project * Clarifying and prioritising project deliverables * Defining and agreeing deliverable specifications MODULE 3: Planning R&D projects * Live interactive sessions (via Zoom): * Session 1: 10:00 - 12:00 * Session 2: 14:00 - 15:30 SESSION 1: IDENTIFYING AND ORGANISING ACTIVITIES * Creating effective plans; avoiding planning pitfalls * Identifying tasks and assigning responsibilities * Sequencing tasks and estimating durations SESSION 2: DEVELOPING THE TIMELINE AND RESOURCE PLAN * Identifying the 'critical path'; creating a resource plan * Dealing with estimating uncertainty * Accelerating the programme MODULE 4: Leadership and teamwork in R&D projects * Off-line video tutorials and exercises * Total time ~ 1 - 1.5 hours VIDEO 1: WORKING EFFECTIVELY IN PROJECT TEAMS * Building teamwork in contemporary organisations * Recognising each other's skills; building synergy * Building good working relationships; handling conflict VIDEO 2: THE ROLE OF THE R&D PROJECT TEAM LEADER * Building teamwork: the role of leadership * Creating an effective team culture * Delegating work and motivating team members MODULE 5: Managing uncertainty in R&D projects * Live interactive sessions (via Zoom): * Session 1: 10:00 - 12:00 * Session 2: 14:00 - 15:30 SESSION 1: CHARACTERISING UNCERTAINTY; IDENTIFYING RISKS * Exploring uncertainty; applying risk management * Focusing the risk management process * Identifying and defining risk events SESSION 2: MANAGING AND CONTROLLING RISKS TO THE PROJECT * Evaluating risk events * Selecting between risk strategies; setting contingencies * Updating and controlling exposure to risk MODULE 6: Implementing and controlling R&D projects * Live interactive sessions (via Zoom): * Session 1: 10:00 - 12:00 * Session 2: 14:00 - 15:30 SESSION 1: INITIATING ASSIGNMENTS AND MANAGING CHANGES * Creating a pro-active implementation and control culture * Establishing effective implementation and control procedures * Assigning work and managing changes SESSION 2: MONITORING, MANAGING AND DEVELOPING PERFORMANCE * Adopting meaningful monitoring techniques * Responding to problems; building performance * Managing and controlling multiple project assignments

The aim of this course is to expose the commercial context within which technical work is carried out. It is to allow technical staff to understand how they fit into a larger picture, why they may be asked to undertake tasks that may not appear to be technical and the impact their interactions have within the commercial context. The scope of the programme includes: The course emphasises the collaborative nature of delivery and the need to offer value to customers. The principal training objectives for this programme are to help participants: * Understand why technical roles are broader than we might assume * Appreciate the importance of, and the need to support, sales * Value the idea of 'Good Enough' * Recognise what can affect profitability * Realise the future needs protecting 1 INTRODUCTION * (Course sponsor) * Why this programme has been developed * Review of participants' needs and objectives 2 THAT'S NOT MY JOB! * How we see our own role in work * How other people see our role * Stakeholders: who are they and why do they matter? * The organisational backdrop * What is my role really? 3 SALES AND MARKETING * Where does the money come from? * Where do we find customers? * The sales process * One-off sales versus repeat business * Customer/supplier relationships * What something costs versus what the customer will pay * The value chain 4 ESTIMATING * Purpose of estimates * The problem with precision * Five estimating techniques 5 CHANGE CONTROL * Can you just do this for me? * When being helpful leads to bankruptcy * How to deal with change requests 6 RISK MANAGEMENT * Risk in projects * Risk in operations * Categories of risk 7 THE VALUE OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY * Issues with sharing information * Commercial in confidence * Non-disclosure agreements 8 COURSE REVIEW AND ACTION PLANNING * (Course sponsor present) * Identify actions to be implemented individually * What actions should be implemented to improve working with non-technical people? * Conclusion

Generating new leads and new business can be both time-consuming and frustrating. It's not easy - it takes skill, careful preparation and the creation of effective models and methods, even perhaps using formal approaches and scripts. Once generated, a new lead or enquiry must also be carefully managed to maximise the potential revenue it can generate. But it's crucial to get it right. If your company can afford not to worry about getting new business - congratulations! If your company is completely confident that it is performing at peak potential in generating new leads - again, congratulations! But if your company is working in the real world, couldn't your team do with some help, to become even just that little bit more effective, to make the process just that little less painful? This highly practical, intensive workshop gives sales teams the proven strategies and tactics they need to build a sustainable new business pipeline. This course will help participants: * Develop a clear and consistent process for new business development and lead-generation * Master the secret of effective new business development and lead-generation - 'only sell the appointment or next stage of the sales process, not your product or service' * Set and achieve the right level of new business development and lead-generation activity to achieve your personal and organisational sales goals * Apply the key principles of effective prospecting and pipeline management using a proven toolkit and approach * Overcome the most common 'put-offs' when conducting telephone or face-to-face business-development and lead-generation activities * Develop an engaging telephone voice and manner - and a 'networking personality' * Qualify potential opportunities with more accuracy on a consistent basis * Prioritise opportunities and manage their time when sourcing new business * Discover online sources of leads, contacts and referrals * Overcome psychological blocks to cold or warm calling - theirs and the client's * Identify potential prospects - and decision-makers and influencers within target prospects - with greater accuracy * Make outbound sales or appointment calls with improved confidence, control and results * Improve the conversion of calls to appointments by using more effective questions and sales messages * Get past gatekeepers and assistants more effectively * Make the most of your CRM software and systems 1 ONLINE MARKETING - WHAT WORKS! * Workshop overview and learning objectives * Choosing your social media channels * LinkedIn for sales and marketing * Designing and implementing an effective new business email campaign online * Creating a lead-generation strategy online - with case studies * Avoiding common mistakes in social media marketing * Case study: 'Best practice in social media sales and marketing' * Using blogs and video-based marketing (eg, YouTube) * New trends and how to keep your finger on the 'social media' pulse * Twenty essential websites and online marketing tools 2 MAKING APPOINTMENTS BY TELEPHONE * Planning the call, telephone techniques, integrating with email and online marketing * Developing a clear and consistent process to appointment-making * Setting and achieving the right level of telephone activity to achieve your appointment goals * Applying the key principles of effective prospecting and pipeline management generation, using a proven toolkit and approach * Overcoming the most common 'put-offs' to seeing or engaging with you * Overcoming psychological blocks to cold or warm calling - yours and the client's * Identifying potential prospects - and decision-makers and influencers within target prospects - with greater accuracy * Making outbound sales or appointment calls with improved confidence, control and results * Improving conversion of calls to appointments by using more effective questions and sales messages * The five keys to developing an engaging telephone voice and approaching manner 3 POWER NETWORKING * Strategies for networking and B2B referral-based marketing * The importance, and different types, of networking * How to work a room - preparation and strategy * Communication dynamics in networking - the power of the listening networker * Assumptions when networking * Business networking etiquette * Making connections, asking for cards, contact details and referrals, gaining follow-up commitments * Building relationships - follow-up and follow-through 4 DEVELOPING NEW LEADS * Strategies for first-time sales calls * Gaining rapport and opening first-time and new business sales calls effectively * Advanced consultative selling - questioning techniques to quickly and efficiently uncover opportunities, need areas and preferences * Presenting your solution to a new or first-time customer - creating an enthusiastic and compelling personalised and persuasive summary of your proposal * Value message - differentiate your solutions clearly and accurately, with tailored value statements * Presenting the right initial USPs, features and benefits and making them relevant and real to the customer * Smart ways to position price, emphasise value and be a strong player without being the cheapest or leading on price * Learn and use advanced techniques to determine customer needs, value and decision-making criteria in depth on a first-time call 5 ORGANISED PERSISTENCE - CRM AND PROSPECT-TRACKING * Organised persistence - sales tracking, following up on 'sleeping' customers, gaining referrals, time and territory management * Maintaining a good database for maximising new business ROI * Developing a contact strategy with different types and levels of contact * Analysing your contact base using state-of-the-art software and tools * Making the most of your CRM systems and solutions * Understanding that your attitude makes a difference when sourcing new business * Setting SMART objectives for new business development and lead-generation * Practical exercise - setting personal development and business goals * Time management tips to improve daily productivity * New business pipeline management strategies for peak sales performance 6 WORKSHOP SUMMARY AND CLOSE * Practical exercise - developing your new business action plan * Review and feedback

Customers are astute and well-practised in researching and seeking information, solutions and added value in the minimum number of clicks online. There's only so much time they're willing to spend carrying on clicking. This mentality isn't just restricted to the world of B2C. In our increasingly hectic world, where information is expected to be available instantly, it applies just as much to B2B. In this workshop, we look at how putting yourself in the shoes of your customer and mapping their decision-making and buying journey is critical to ensuring that you provide what they perceive as fast solutions and added value. You will learn all about the three pillars for creating competitive brand experiences: Customer engagement planning puts you firmly in the shoes of your customer, helping you to build meaningful marketing communications delivered through the right resources at the right time to inspire your customers to engage with you. This programme will help participants to: * Understand the evolution of the customer buying journey * Map a customer buying journey for your brand or solutions * Understand the customer micro-moments and signals indicating interest and buying intent, both online and offline * Apply the psychology of branding to build marketing communications with impact * Develop sales and marketing content that differentiates your brand(s) from the competition by demonstrating unique value and how you can meet your customer's needs 1 THE EVOLUTION OF THE CUSTOMER JOURNEY * Understand how the use of mobile has had an impact on the customer buying journey where today's customers can research and compare products and solutions whenever and wherever they like, making the purchase journey even less linear * Explore how marketers are adapting to this new customer behaviour and drawing upon various strategies to win the hearts and minds of their audiences 2 THE SEE-THINK-DO-CARE FRAMEWORK * Explore the many different frameworks used to track the customer journey * Understand and apply the modern marketing model, where the internet has enabled the customer to hop between multiple touchpoints before making a purchase decision 3 CUSTOMER MICRO-MOMENTS AND SIGNALS IN THEIR BUYING JOURNEY * Understand the online and offline moments when customers seek information to research and make buying decisions * Apply this understanding to build a marketing communication plan to reach customers at all stages of their buying journey 4 THE ROLE OF BRANDING IN THE CUSTOMER JOURNEY * Explore the psychology of branding * Learn how to ensure your branding is relevant to your target customer needs * Bring together your brand value and story to achieve brand loyalty 5 THE WHY-HOW-WHAT FRAMEWORK * Apply a systematic approach to build a successful and compelling brand * Understand how starting with 'why' will help build your brand purpose * Apply the content marketing matrix to communicate your brand's value * Apply the hero-help-hub model to build engaging content marketing ACTIONABLE OUTCOMES We will use your brand examples to provide opportunities for practice: * You will learn and reflect on best practice examples of customer engagement * You will discover your brand value, purpose and the 'sweet spot' to drive engagement with your customers * You will create a customer engagement plan that can be implemented immediately within your business * You will receive immediate feedback on your customer engagement plan * You will have the opportunity to share common issues and solutions with your colleagues in the group

Taking minutes is a much under-rated skill. It can be challenging at the best of times. So how do you do it for virtual meetings? This trainer-led session will help. It's a very practical programme which explores the issues specific to minuting on-line meetings and gives solutions to some of the trickier problems. Full of useful tips, the session will enable participants to: * Identify how to adapt their current minute-taking skills to on-line meetings * Plan and prepare for a meeting * Follow a line of discussion * Work in partnership with a remote Chair * Deal confidently with minute-taking challenges. 1 WELCOME * Programme objectives * Personal introductions 2 ADAPTING MINUTE-TAKING TO VIRTUAL MEETINGS * How is it different? * What changes in approach are needed? 3 PREPARATION * Preparing for the meeting * Technology and equipment * Dress and personal presentation * Liaising with the Chair * Practical preparation tips 4 MINUTING TIPS * Managing the 'techie' elements, eg. poor sound/visual quality * Knowing who is speaking * Following a line of discussion * What if I don't hear or understand? * Tips for producing a set of minutes 5 SESSION REVIEW * Summary, key learning points, feedback and close