The media is more widespread and pervasive than it’s ever been and its reach is growing all the time. Depending on your line of work or hobbies, or just a plain twist of fate, you could end up being the answer part of a question-and-answer session with a member of the media. It’s easy to become nervous or tongue-tied when being in this situation. Plenty of people get distracted when they consider that what they are saying could very soon be on some news organization’s website or Twitter feed. Being uneasy is perfectly understandable, but you can learn to deal with the media, on a one-off basis, or as a recurring situation. This module will give you the tools you need when dealing with the media and putting your best foot forward without putting your foot in your mouth.

Most companies spend huge amounts of time and money designing, construction, outfitting, transporting, and setting up their trade show booth. This module aims to have you understand some of the basic skills that would allow you to get the most out of your trade show experience. The workshop will start by looking at who attends trade shows and why they are there. It will explore a number of things that should be done before the show even starts, including setting trade show goals, understanding your company, and developing good trade show introductions. It will then look at trade show etiquette and skills emphasizing active listening, body language and questioning. A special emphasis will be placed on conducting prospecting. The workshop will end with an exploration of the follow-up necessary after the show. This one-day module will highlight basic skills that should allow you to generate more leads, prospects and especially qualified prospects at your next trade show.

Social selling isn’t just a fad or the latest approach to selling that businesses need to adopt. It’s a result of the massive integration of social media in how we conduct our lives. Sales professionals understand they can connect to and leverage these habits. This module is designed for entrepreneurs and sales professionals to learn how to function in that space. In this one-day module, we’re going to explore how social selling is an essential requirement for sales teams, and how the relationships that are created and nurtured within social media will help you grow and sustain your business. We’ll also learn how to apply specific techniques to connect with your audience and potential fans in the social space.

The ideas behind encouraging sustainability and social responsibility in business seem noble, as organizations commit to creating optimal circumstances for people to live and work. The reality is that every company, whether it is a micro-business or a large multinational corporation, can take steps to create sustainable, socially responsible environments that contribute to positive workplaces, communities, and futures.

This two-day module is designed for business owners and entrepreneurs who are ready to create a business plan. All the essential steps are covered, including drafting the original document; identifying the audience; gathering information; researching; describing product plans; and marketing, sales, and accounting terms. Students will come away from the module energized and prepared to write their business plan.

Slack is a cloud-based platform that connects teams with the apps, services, and resources they need to get work done. This module is intended for anyone who wants to start using Slack. Among the topics you will find are how to set up a Slack account and teams, communicate in channels, use Slack’s communication tools, customize user and team preferences, and manage individuals and teams. Getting Started The module begins with an overview of Slack, and quickly moves to creating teams, opening channels, communicating through messages, editing profiles, and getting help. Communicating in Channels In the next lesson you will delve deeply into messages, learning the basics of how to manage them. You continue with other features such as mentions, announcements, and sharing. You will also discover how to create, manage and work with threads. Working with Channels This lesson will increase your expertise, as you explore how to search channels, invite members, join and leave channels, and rename and customize channels. You will also gain the required knowledge to convert public channels to private, and to archive channels. Communicating with Slack This lesson offers you more options, such as direct messaging, posts and snippets, and adding and managing files. Customizing Your Slack Experience The next proficiencies you will acquire consist of how to add your personal preferences to Slack, including creating and configuring notifications. Adding and managing apps is also an important part of this lesson. Working with Slack Teams The final lesson is about teams. You will learn how to customize appearances, settings, and permissions. Changing users’ roles, transferring ownership, exporting team data, and deleting teams are some of the other topics that will be covered.

Purchasing and procurement functions are about much more than bringing goods and services into an organization. They are the foundation of strong, collaborative relationships with suppliers. Since many companies source products from around the globe more frequently than ever, a procurement manager needs strong capabilities. These skills cannot just be learned on the job: they need to be taught. As well, the value of procurement is now recognized as an integral part of cost control within the organization. In this two-day module, students will learn the basics of procurement, including what a supply chain looks like, the purchasing cycle, essential tools and strategies for making the best purchasing relationships work, managing bids, and more.

Starting and building a business begins with a great idea. At this moment, there are millions of ‘great ideas’ seeking attention and success. Some of those ‘great ideas’ may be very much like your own. To make your idea not only stand out, but to take root and grow a sustainable, successful business, you need the right team, tools, and expertise. This one-day module will highlight the essentials of business acumen, from relationship selling to team building, through to planning and marketing, that will position your company to grow and thrive today and in the future.

The supply chain is a crucial part of any business’ success. Optimizing the flow of products and services as they are planned, sourced, made, delivered, and returned can give your business an extra competitive edge. This two-day module will introduce you to the basic concepts of supply chain management, including the basic flow, core models, supply chain drivers, key metrics, benchmarking techniques, and ideas for taking your supply chain to the next level.