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Eps 43 - Let’s get 2019 back on track Jul 11, 2019

Show notes

You set goals at the beginning of the year, right? Before Jan 31, you made new year's resolutions. How did you do? (Let's look back...to get back on track)

Maybe you are on a well-deserved break as you read this or listen to the episode or maybe you are still working.

Either way, at the half-way point through this year, now is a good time to review your progress in light of the goals (committments) you made to yourself.

In episode 20, we suggested that there were 4 areas to concentrate on for this year. So let's use those again as a 'yard stick' to see how you measured up against them. Cool?

Review your journey

Ideally, you created goals under the following four headlines last December. Did you?

revenue goals
marketing goals
relationship goals
investment goals

So how far along are you towards their achievement?

Imagine that your training business is the vehicle to get you to where you want to end up at the end of this year.

So, now is a good time to 'pull over' to the side of the road and carry out a quick inspection of those four 'engine parts' (revenue, marketing, relationships and investment)

Are there any 'leaks'? Are there any problems you cannot see from your driver's seat? Are you happy with your journey so far?

Happy with some things, but no so elated with others?

(That's ok)

Restart the engine

The good news is that we are only half-way through the year, so it's not too late to get your 2019 business goals over the line.

Nonetheless, we don't want to get too relaxed. We all have work to do. Lots of work.

Maybe it's time to make some changes. That's a good idea.

But don't make the changes too radical until you are sure that you have a good reason to make them.

Take a day or so to digest your 6-month progress
Consult your team, a business coach or advisor
Tweak, amend, revitalise your goals and start again

Plan slowly, execute quickly ... then measure

And we'll be back to this topic again in 6 months to see how far you got. Fair enough?

Biggest takeaways for you today:

Why you need to 'pull over' to take stock of your progress today
Why goal-setting will clarify what you need to do and by when
How you can reduce costs and increase profitability
Why you need to consider both online and offline marketing
Why investing in yourself amounts to investing in your business

Eps 42 - How you can use lead magnets to get more training clients Jul 04, 2019

Show notes

So who are the anonymous visitors to your website? With an attractive and useful lead-magnet, you can find out who they are, how to contact them and what they need help with...

Capture email addresses

Ever seen a pop-up or some advert for an ebook or a resource guide just begging to be dowloaded?

(Of course you have!)

You entered your email address and...(hey presto)...you saw a link to a download in your email inbox.

When you clicked on that link, you just proved that content-marketing really works.

As today's guest Kevin says:

"....It's very rare for someone to come to your website and immediately hire you. 'So what you need to do is to get the email address of the visitor so you can contact them.

Then over time (once you have their email address) you can start to send them useful content. Over a period of time, you win their trust so that they are more likely to hire you.

Effectively, you need to build useful content in an attractive, concise format which convinces your target audience that your content is worth exchanging their email address for.

So where's your first ebook?

Start writing today

The good news - as Kevin explains - is that you don't have to write a 100-page tome or huge book!

Think of the last .pdf you downloaded from the web. It wasn't the complete guide or the last-word on that subject, was it?

It didn't need to be because most people just want a few tips (usually 3-7 steps) to accomplish something. That's something like 500-800 words plus pictures.

The point is that you don't have to write a whole book. You can start with something simple ..but valuable.

The beauty of software like Beacon.by is that you can select the kind of lead-magnet you want to create, and Beacon.by creates the front page, back page, table of contents....the works!

So, start up Microsoft Word or Google Docs and start with an outline, then add some content to each paragraph.

When you are ready, you can paste the words into Beacon.by and download your new ebook to feature on your website or email your customers.

What are you waiting for?....

Biggest takeaways for you today:

How lead-magnets are changing the world of marketing
Which kinds of lead-magnets are right for you
How you can include video in your lead-magnets
Why you need to add a CTA (Call to Action)
How you can create a very effective title in 2 steps
How Beacon can convert a blog-post into a lead-magnet
Where you can find free pictures to make ebooks attractive
Why you need more than one lead-magnet for success

Some helpful resources for you:

beacon.by- Create downloadable resources for prospects leadpages- Create landing pages to market your training mailchimp- Use your prospects email address to market to them drip- Create automated email series to send your prospects

Eps 41 - Scaling his training business with Andrew Sillitoe Jun 27, 2019

Show notes

Andrew Sillitoe has developed a successful corporate training brand and a personal coaching brand. How did he do it?

Eps 40 - What is TAP certification and why do I need it? Jun 20, 2019

Show notes

How do you prove that you are competent to stand up on front of your clients and deliver an effective training program? Have you been tested? Where's the badge?

Many training companies have their own internal TTT (train-the-trainer) qualifications. But how do they 'stack-up' against industry-standard trainer qualifications? Are they recognised?

This is the first of a mini-series looking at Trainer Certifications, which can help you and your people decide which credentials will work for you.

Today, we are going to look at TAP, Learning a UK-based training certification body which runs the internationally-recognised Certificate in Training Delivery.

Prove you can

You have heard of a 'TTT', right?

Simply put, it stands for 'Train the Trainer'.

A Train the Trainerprogram is usually created to enable a training professional to deliver a specific piece of content to set standards.

For example: When I worked at Disneyland Paris, I completed a TTT in order to prove that I could deliver on-boarding for new cast-members.

I learned how to:

Conduct a training needs analysis
Design a training plan in order to satisfy job requirements
Competently deliver a training session to adults
Communicate via visual, auditory and kinaesthetic media
Evaluate training program success

In fact, I have undertaken multiple TTT's produced by a range of organizations over a number of years, including most recently, the TAP Certificate in Training Delivery for Experienced Trainers

Although many 'internal' TTT's are good, many are not good enough. This is why organizations turn to the TAP as a 'benchmark' of trainer skills development.

It is not uncommon for organizations to expect you and your training consultants to have completed such a qualification.

Therefore, your TTT 'badge' proves that you have the necessary skills and experience to deliver a quality training experience.

So when a prospective client next asks for proof of your training skills or those of your team.

(what are you going to tell them?)

Show your credentials

Of course, TAP is not the only programme out there.

Many countries have their own national bodies supporting training professionals in acquiring training skills e.g. AITD (Australian Institute of Training and Development),

In the US, the ATD (Association for Talent Development) provides a robust and internationally-recognized Certificate in Training Design and Delivery

In Ireland, the IITD offers a MA (Masters of Arts) in Learning & Development Consultancyin association with University College Cork.

In the case of TAP, training professionals who pass the respective exam can put either TAP.cert, TAP.dip or TAP.mdip(Master Diploma) after their name.

If you decide to take the relevant ATD route, you can put the coveted title ATD Master Trainer ™ on your LinkedIn profile.

Once you have passed, you can proudly show your qualification on your LinkedIn page and/ or CV making it easy for prospects to find you.

In the age of the internet, people make up their minds quickly.

Having the right certification makes you, findable, hireable and professional.

What are your next steps?

Biggest takeaways for you today:

Where TAP Learning is recognised internationally
Which kinds of learning programs are offered by TAP Learning
Why understanding Adult Learning Theory is essential
Why you need to re-certify and how to go about it
How to get your TAP Diploma or TAP Master Diploma
Which resources are available to TAP Learning graduates

Some helpful resources for you:

TAP- TAP Learning for Training Professionals [UK] ATD- Association for Talent Development [USA] AITD- Australian Institute for Training and Development [AUS] IITD- Irish Institute of Training and Development [IRL] Disney Institute- Walt Disney's Training and Development Institute [USA]

Eps 39 - Which software and websites can help my training business? Jun 13, 2019

Show notes

Are there websites, software and systems which can free up your time and make things easy? (Sure!) That’s what today’s episode is all about….

The ‘internet’ has been around since the 1950’s. The ‘WWW’ (World Wide Web) was born in 1991.

They are two different things. I know because I used to teach this stuff at the Institute for Public Administration in Ireland.

But, who cares… (Right?)

What really matters is that you are taking advantage of some great websites and software online which will save you money and simplify a lot of the tasks in running your own training business.

*** DISCLAIMER: I am not an expert in matters of law, tax or business compliance. It is strongly advisable that you seek professional advice in these and ancillary areas as they are complex subjects in their own right, which require subject matter expertise ***

Start off simple

One of the ways in which online services can make your life easier is in the area of business formation.

Sure, you can start out as a sole trader regardless of where you are heading on your journey.

But, there are advantages to keeping things simple at the outset.

Dip your toes

If you are just ‘dipping your toes in the water’, you might want to trade for a while in your own name to establish whether you like running a training business and whether you want to – and can afford to – keep going.

But – let’s say you do like working for yourself and that you have reason to believe your training consultancy / coaching business can survive the critical first two years in business.

LLC or LTD?

In that case, many training business owners consider setting up an LLC (Limited Liability Company) which is a US form of private limited company.

An LLC and its counterparts in other jurisdictions, are created to allow a business owner to separate personal assets and liabilities from those of the business.

In the UK, business owners may opt to create a Limited Company (frequently abbreviated as ‘Ltd’).

In Australia, the equivalent is referred to as a Proprietary Company (Pty Ltd).

Many clients I work with, require that I have a limited company before they will do business with my brand. This is why I have to have a private company.

So… is that the case for you?

Save your money

The formation of a legal entity requires that you get things right first time. The problem is that this expertise can be expensive to avail of.

LegalZoom was created to make common business legal services both affordable and transparent.

They can help you with the registration of a trademark, the filing of a patent, the filing of a DBA (Doing Business As) [USA], the creation of an NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement), business licenses and much more.

LegalZoom’s packages start at $79 plus filing fees in the USA, or £34.99 in the UK.

* PLEASE NOTE: None of the links on this page are affiliate links – which means I do not benefit financially from anything you click on or decide to sign up to. It is your choice to select your provider *

Have you given any thought to which type of business formation suits you?

If not….it’s time to go talk to a few people and find out.

Find the money

One of the most rewarding times in running your training business is the moment when you submit your invoice for a job well done.

In the beginning, you might simply create invoices using a Microsoft Excel template.

You might even be creating your invoices in Microsoft Word and send them via email.

(But, that sounds so ‘1999’!)

Make life easier

Instead:

Why not send your invoices automatically and receive notifications when the money is credited to your account?
Why not give your accountant access to your online records so you s/he can file your taxes on your behalf?
Why not run reports which instantly show spending patterns at the click of a button?

These are just several of the many reasons why it makes sense to use online accounting software.

Less time chasing expenses and filing claims. More time consulting and making money.

For a modest fee, you can set up an account with one of a range of online accounting providers including Xero, Quickbooks, Zoho, Freshbooks and more.

Xero has come in for special attention because of its ability to connect with many apps including your marketing software, your CRM (customer record database – listen to the episode) and of course, your bank account.

Check your bank

I’m definitely not a numbers and accounts kind of guy, so using online accounting software is designed to make my life easier.

You can sign up for each of these for a free trial, which means that you can play around with the software before you decide to commit.

Just remember that you do need to ensure that your bank can connect with the relevant online accounting software vendor!

Now listen to the episode to get more information on the kinds of services which can help you.

Biggest takeaways for you today:

Which online services can help you to create a winning brand
Why you might need a landing-page rather than a web-page
Why you need to understand SEO and Online advertising
How a CRM can track every interaction you have with customers
Where you can find free images and videos to use in your content
Why you need both an offline and online marketing strategy
How you can find local events and create sell tickets to your events

Some helpful resources for you:

LegalZoom – Avail of affordable legal and business services UpCounsel – Identify and hire legal experts in a range of areas [US]

Xero – Connect bank accounts and manage accounts Freshbooks – Track your time and invoice for project work Zoho – Manage accounts and invoicing online QuickBooks – Online accounting & invoicing platform

NameCheckr – Free service to check domain name and social media names 99Designs – Create design contest to attract designers GoDaddy – Buy domains and arrange website hosting Fiverr – Find and hire designers, coders, assistants online Moo – Create and order quality business cards

Wix – Low-cost website builder using templates LeadPages – Create landing pages online Instapage – Create landing pages online Unbounce – Create landing pages online Ontraport – CRM, landing page and marketing automation NeilPatel – Expert on Search Engine Marketing Amy Porterfield – Expert on Facebook marketing

Hubspot – Marketing, Sales and CRM platform PipeDrive – Sales-focused CRM Zoho – Online CRM Salesforce – Small-business version of salesforce CRM

Pexels – Find free photos and video footage for marketing Unsplash – Find free photos and video footage for marketing PiktoChart – Create infographics, presentations, reports online Beacon – Create ebooks and lead-magnets for marketing purposes

EventBrite – FInd events and sell tickets to your own event MeetUp – Find groups and create your own group Zoom – Host webinars and video conferences online BigMarker – Host webinars, video conferences and webcasts online

Eps 38 - Starting Her Own Mental-Health Training Business Jun 06, 2019

Show notes

The demand among employees for mental-health services is steeply-rising. We speak with Maureen Hotchner about her plans to start a business in this market.

Eps 37 - What do you do when you don’t win a training contract? May 30, 2019

Show notes

Hands up. When was the last time that your training proposal was rejected? Here are 10 questions to ask yourself so you can improve your chances next time.

Eps 36 - How to get more leads through public speaking May 23, 2019

Show notes

Have you ever been asked to give a talk at an awards-ceremony or event? Have you ever approached any organisation to speak to their members? You should. Here's why....

>>>>Here is my check-list to accompany today's episode!

Eps 35 - Building Impact Factory from the ground up May 16, 2019

Show notes

JoEllen Grzyb tells a wonderful story of how she and Robin Chandler built a world class training business in the face of every possible adversity.

Eps 34 - How to stand out as an associate trainer May 09, 2019

Show notes

In this week's episode, we're taking two tips from my free ebook 21 Tips to succeed as a freelance trainer. You need to write your profile and you need to be passionate.

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