Training Seminar Marketing and sale ?

ECept Education > Supervisor Training

Q. Training Seminar Marketing and sale ? I'm trying to arrange for some training seminars - lasting roughly an hour - to take place at the company I work at. The user community is non-technical, and I need to come up with ways of 'selling' the event. The key benefits are: + Learning 'power-user' tips and tricks with Windows, Lotus Notes, Internet Explorer, etc. + Being able to work much faster (given more efficient techniques) + Less likely to have to deal with the helpdesk. I've been asked how I'm going to draw a sufficient crowd. I was kind of hoping that the ability to do things faster/better/stronger/more/etc would have been a good motivator, but apparently IT isn't 'sexy' enough.

A. -Only techies care about that stuff : Focus on how it will make their jobs easier. Normal users don't care about the technical details or any 'power user' tricks. Tell them how knowing these tricks will get them results. (Example, knowing how to search the internet using IE to find information about the competition's products). Do they aready know the basics? Or are you trying to teach power-user tricks to people who haven't mastered the easier ways? You really think this is a selling point? If so, then they are unlikely to come to a seminar run by the helpdesk people. - Remember that your seminar takes AWAY from their department's productivity. Can you clearly show them how they'll get at least ten hours of saved labor PER each employee PER each hour they attend your seminar? If you can, they'll snap to attention and you've just made a sale. And don't think the lame techie answer "Of course it will!" will convince an experienced manager. Also, don't cop a condescending attitude towards non-techies. Yes, some people feel stupid using some types of technology. However, most people couldn't care less about technology that doesn't benefit them in some way nor do they care to know everything there is to know about it. They don't feel stupid. Just the opposite, they probably think you're stupid for caring so much. Think back on your days in high school. Think of the guys that obsessed over their "hot rods". Same thing. You might think it's cool, but you're the only ones that do. And most managers are business people and not techie people. You need to sell them on the business reasons. You do that and they'll make sure their people take your seminar. Now if the main beneficiary of employees attending your seminar is the Help Desk, this becomes a harder sell. Your seminar is helping your department and not that manager's. But the solution is simple. You simply have to go further up your company's hierarchy until you reach the person that is responsible for both of the departments concerned. Unfortunately, this person might be your company's CEO and it may require your boss to do the pitching ... or at least be there for moral support while you pitch the CEO. This means you first have to prove to your boss that there's really a cost-savings before s/he will stick their necks out for you. And if you want to REALLY show off, factor in the time reaching this decision into the overall equation. Your time, your boss', the CEO's, etc. Remember their time equals money. Literally. The company is paying them money for every hour they work ... which includes listening to your pitch. Guesstimate the salaries of all involved and include this in the pitch. Simply label it "Decision Cost" and leave it at that. Ten to one they'll take the bait and ask you what that cost is. Oh, ALWAYS overestimate people's salaries thus how much they cost the company each hour. Everyone likes people to think they make more money then they actually do. You do this and you'll win good marks. You're showing you can think like a businessman and not a techie. They'll remember that. More than once I sat through a presentation that a techie gave to one of my CEO clients and was impressed when the techie showed they understood that the purpose of the company was to make a profit and not to have the latest coolest techno gear/software and/or most highly trained personnel. Each time after these big-picture presentations, the CEOs would remark that they were impressed and that they would keep an eye on that one or comment to me that "that one's on the rise".

Ask an Education Question

Other Questions:

Can anyone point me in the direction of UK-based Fortran training courses? Our personnel department and our IT recruitment consultant claim that there are no such courses, and therefore we should drop Fortran usage. I have been asked if I c...

Sales Training and BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER - IRELAND ? Anyone got any experiences ordering from them in Ireland?-I wouldn't want to live and work there, because I'm spoiled here, but Ireland is just beautiful and the people out in the countr...

Training Seminar Marketing and sale ? I'm trying to arrange for some training seminars - lasting roughly an hour - to take place at the company I work at. The user community is non-technical, and I need to come up with ways of 'selling' the eve...

Stress Training = Fewer Deaths? Problem about Management ? I don't think ANYONE would argue to attempt to simulate EVERY problem that might happen! I've noticed a definite REMOVAL of any attempt to create any stress with divers in a class......

Best training or information sources for Entourage database management ? I have been loosing Entourage database data and just recently realized the importance of backing up the Entourage database. I have several Old Database files that may have ...

ECept Education Menu

Ask a Question
About Us / Me
Contact Me
Privacy Policy

Sitemap

Quality Education Links

US Department of Education
APA Student Resources
Student Gateway to the US Government
Education.com
Education News

Q&A Subjects