local enterprise office south cork training schedule 2016/2017 guidelines .pdf · start ups start...

Local Enterprise Office South Cork Training Schedule 2016/2017

The Local Enterprise Office South Cork has the primary function of promoting enterprise and assisting

with the development of micro-enterprises at local level. The Local Enterprise Office Supports include

financial assistance (subject to eligibility), business advice, mentoring, training and business to business

networking.

The provision of training supports is a fundamental part of the Enterprise Development plan and

activities to support entrepreneurs in our region. The Local Enterprise Office currently provides a wide

range of training opportunities for the small business manager owner, all of which are highly subsidized.

These programmes equip entrepreneurs, owners and managers with the knowledge to plan, grow and

sustain productivity, innovation and competitiveness.

The Local Enterprise Office South Cork is currently seeking tenders for all Training Programmes for the

period January 2016 to December 2017.

Detailed below is a list of proposed training initiatives for next 2-year period, training providers may

tender for multiple programmes. Please refer to guidelines at the end of this document for important

submission information.

Start Ups

Start Your Own Business Programme

Financing your start up

Business Planning

Taxation for the sole trader

Taxation for the small company

Financial Management

Presentation skills

Family Business & Succession

Build a brand

Web & Digital

An introduction to Mobile Marketing

Video Marketing – create online videos and use as a promotional tool

Word-press maintenance

Google Tools for online business

Search Engine Optimisation

Develop a digital marketing strategy for your business

Email Marketing

Creative Industries

Merchandising your product effectively

Trade Show preparation

Packaging & Design for Creative Enterprises

Product and Business Photography

Social Media

Facebook START

Facebook ADVANCED

Twitter for business

LinkedIn Masterclass

Growth

Export Programme

Supercharge your sales

Powerful Tenders

Human Resource Management

PR – How to make publicity work for you and your business

START UPS Start Your Own Business Programme Length of programme: 6 evenings or over 3 full days

Time: 6.30pm-9.30pm or 9.30am to 4.30pm

Number of participants: 15 (max)

Description: fundamental guide to starting up and running a small business. The aim of this programme

is to assist small business managers/owners in assessing their business idea, its viability and to help

them decide if they should proceed. Participants should come away with a skeleton business plan by

end of programme.

Self Assessment / start your own business

Legal issues for start-ups

Preparing a business plan

Marketing

Researching the market

Finance

Funding sources

Basic book-keeping

Sales

ICT Financing Your Start up Length of programme: 1 half day or 1 full day

Time: 9.30am to 1pm or 9.30am to 4.30pm

Number of Participants: 15 (max)

Description: Businesses who are in a start-up situation need to know how to estimate costs associated

with starting up and the potential funding options. Templates should be provided to help participants

apply learning to own business scenario. Funding opportunities should also be explored during this

workshop.

Business Planning

Length of programme: 1 day

Time: 9.30am to 4.30pm

No of participants: 15 (max)

Description: Suitable for those with a start-up idea or those in a start-up situation with a focus on

business plan development. Business plan template should be made available so that participants come

away with a skeleton business plan.

Taxation for the Sole Trader

Length of programme: 1 half day

Time: 9.30am to 1pm


Description: An introduction to tax planning for the sole trader.

Reporting requirements of sole traders and partnerships. The Self-Assessment system Preliminary Tax – What & When to Pay The PRSI System The completion of an Income Tax return How to navigate/use ROS Personal Allowances and Rate Bands Tax and PRSI Liability The VAT System - Calculating VAT and preparing VAT returns Important Dates Online Banking & using it (DEMO)

Taxation for the small company

Length of programme: 1 half day

Time: 9.30am to 1pm


Description: An introduction to tax planning for the small company.

Reporting requirements of limited companies. The Self-Assessment system Preliminary Tax – What & When to Pay The PRSI System The completion of an Income Tax return

How to navigate/use ROS Personal Allowances and Rate Bands Tax and PRSI Liability The VAT System - Calculating VAT and preparing VAT returns Important Dates Online Banking & using it (DEMO)

Financial Management

Length of programme: 2 days/ 4 half days



Description: Practical insight into basic accounting and understanding your business finances.

Understanding accounts (making sure all clients understand basic book-keeping)

How to reduce costs

How to grow sales and profits

How to manage: o Cash flow o Debtors / Getting paid on time o Payment terms o Accessing finance

How to work effectively with an Accountant and the Banks

Using online Banking to effectively Manage your Finances

Presentation Skills

Length of programme: half day

Time: 9.30am to 1pm


Description:

- Methods for designing and preparing a presentation that gets your message across

- Delivery techniques

- Confidence boosters

- Handle the unexpected

- Presentation feedback

Family Business & Succession strategies

Length of programme: 4/5 half days

Time: 9.30am to 1pm


Description: Supporting, advising and helping to build sustainable futures for Ireland’s family owned and

family run businesses.

- Conflict resolution

- Succession planning

- Leadership development

- Estate planning

- Management

- Governance

Build a Brand – How to build powerful business identity




This programme should equip small business owners/managers with an understanding of the

importance of branding and how to build a powerful business identity.

Content

- What is a brand?

- Why have a brand?

- Identify your business message/image

- Build a cohesive brand across platforms

- Using your brand/creating content for your brand

- Sharing your brand using social media

WEB & DIGITAL

An introduction to Mobile Marketing

Length of programme: 1 half day/full day

Time: 9.30am to 1pm/9.30am to 4.30pm


Description:

The digital marketing world is changing rapidly because more of us are using smartphones. Over 60% of Facebook usage happens on a smartphone, over 50% of emails are opened on mobile and over 35% of Google searches happen on mobile devices.

Does your business understand how to reach people on their smartphones by:

Running Facebook adverts targeted at mobile users

Getting found in “Facebook local” on the mobile app

Building repeat business with customers through text message marketing or email marketing

Getting found on Google mobile and local search results

Driving people to a mobile friendly website. This course will show you how. We will also look at how you can improve your digital marketing by using your smartphone to create and edit business videos and some smartphone apps every digital marketer will find invaluable.

Video Marketing – create online videos and use as a promotional tool

Length of programme: 2 days


No. of participants: 10 (max)

Description: The course covers planning your video content, integrating the use of video into your

marketing strategy and using it to boost your online presence.

It includes basic camera skills, basic lighting, basic sound, editing your video content, hosting on Vimeo,

hosting on YouTube and hosting on your own site. It also discusses the best, most cost-effective options

for investing in equipment.

Word Press Maintenance

Length of programme: 1 day Time: 9.30am-4.30pm Number of participants: 10 (max) Modules:

Publishing posts and pages

Using page templates

Inserting images, video, and other media

Editing posts

Installing plugins

Adding other users

Getting your site found - SEO

Friendly URLs

Saving revision pages

Backing up your site.

Back-end management of themes, plugins, and other assets Google’s tools for Online Business Length of programme: 1 day Time: 9.30am-4.30pm Number of participants: 10 (max) Modules:

• Google Plus • Google Webmaster Tools • Google Analytics • Google Adwords • Google Places

Search Engine Optimisation Length of programme: 1 day Time: 9.30am-4.30pm Number of participants: 15 (max) Modules:

Introduction to search engines

Planning and preparation

Implementation

Promotion

Server logs

Develop a digital marketing strategy for your business

Length of programme: 2 days



Description: Learn how to increase your sales through the implementation of a digital marketing

campaign.

Facebook marketing

Twitter marketing

LinkedIn Marketing

SEO

Website Conversion Marketing

Mobile Marketing

EMAIL MARKETING


Time: 9.30am-4.30pm

Number of participants: 15 (max)

Modules: Email marketing is very effective and it's free. Discover all the main challenges associated

with setting up and implementing this Email Marketing Campaign.

• Why businesses are using email marketing today

• The “do’s” and “don’ts” of email marketing

• Best email practices to help you create successful email campaigns

• How to get your emails opened

• How an email service provider can make your life simpler

• Tips on crafting up content for your email campaigns

• Learn from your results and reporting

• Creating your first email campaign

CREATIVE INDUSTRIES

Merchandising Your Product Effectively


Time: 9.30am to 1pm


Description: Aimed at Creative Industries, half day workshop focusing on branding and how this

translates into merchandising and display of a gift or craft product. Pricing on display is a key component

in the consumer purchase decision, therefore critical in all visual and merchandising options. This

workshop should also look at packaging, designing your display and consumer engagement.

Trade Show Preparation


Time: 9.30am to 1pm


Description:

Establish costs and outcomes sought before Trade Show

Measure ''Pay Off''

Set Trade Show objectives that are SMART

Understand the trade buyer

Tailor your product/service offering

The stand itself/design of booth

Pricing and preparing sales pack

Stand staffing behavior

Pre Trade Show Communication and marketing

Post Trade Show follow up Packaging & Design for Creative Enterprises Length of programme: half day

Time: 9.30am to 1pm


Description:

An interactive workshop investigating unique and brilliant packaging designs and concepts. Participants

should be given the opportunity to produce product packaging through an accelerated design process.

Including conceptual generation, ideation through to mock up modeling and design refinement and

detailing culminating with prototype.

Product & Business Photography

Length of programme: half day/full day

Time: 9.30am to 1pm


Description:

An opportunity to learn how photography is important for presenting your product as part of your

marketing strategy.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebook START

Length of workshop: half day/full day

Time: 9.30am to 1pm/9.30am to 5pm


Description:

This programme is aimed at business owners/managers who may/may not have taken their business

online via Facebook and are interested in exploring the potential of Facebook as a brand building and

marketing mechanism for their business online.

Facebook ADVANCED

Length of workshop: half day/ full day

Time: 9.30am to 1pm/or to 5pm


Description:

Overview of advanced techniques and examples of businesses using advanced techniques.

- Advertising on Facebook

- Promoted posts

- Paid for custom apps to engage with audience

- Facebook promotions

- Grow followership techniques

- Facebook commerce

Twitter for Business


Time: 9.30am to 1pm/ or to 5pm


Description:

Practical half day programme designed to give SME's a brief overview of Social Media and also a

practical in-depth tutorial on how to use Twitter for your business. The session encourages the

participants to learn about the opportunities that are available by using Twitter and how to adapt to

your business.

LinkedIn Masterclass




Description:

Practical half day course designed to give SME's both a brief overview of social media and also an in-

depth tutorial on how to use LinkedIn for business. The session encourages participants to identify

opportunities that are available using the LinkedIn platform and develop a strategy going forward for

this platform and the business.

BUSINESS GROWTH

Exporting for small business




Description:

This workshop aims to assist participants to fully examine their readiness to begin export activity. It allows the opportunity to assess their motivations and the reality of their current situation. You will be guided through the strategic export planning process and come to realization of whether your product is export ready.

Supercharge Your Sales


Time: 9.30am 1pm/ or to 5pm


Description:

This one day programme should help you to become a more effective sales person. Successful sales

people are constantly updating their techniques, making sure that they generate business by being at

the cutting edge of sales and sales techniques.

Content

- Sales techniques and approaches

- Understanding your business and selling style

- Setting sales targets and developing a sales plan

- Getting ready for the sale and getting the appointment

- Asking the right questions

- Body language and understanding your customers

- Listening to your customers

- Winning formulae for sales

- Closing effectively

Powerful Tenders


Time: 9.30am 1pm/ or to 5pm


Description:

Provide participants with the knowledge on how to develop persuasive written tenders and proposals

and to promote a strong and sustainable bid-writing capability.

To take the fear out of tendering & public procurement system

To provide an overview and tour of e-tender and the other European e-tender sites.

To provide participants with a full understanding of the tendering process.

To demonstrate the opportunities to clients to increase their customer base and drive sales

To demonstrate and provide skills in developing a strong tender document

To understand why and what tendering organisations buy, their motivations, requirements and methodologies

Human Resource Management

The small business owner/manager must be the jack of all trades so it is important that they understand the legislation surrounding the hiring/management of staff and are completely compliant. Also, deciding who to hire and how to establish how suitable they are requires the use of a variety of recruitment tactics and skills, which this programme should cover. Length of programme: 3-4 days Time: 9.30am-4.30pm Number of participants: minimum 10, maximum 15 Modules:

Employment law

Correct candidate screening, interviewing & hiring procedures

The national employment rights authority (NERA)

Performance management

Disciplinary policies

People management

Dismissals

How to make Publicity work for you and your business

Length of programme: 2 days/ 4 half days Time: 9.30am-4.30pm Number of participants: minimum 10, maximum 15 Modules:

Introduction and practical guide to PR The importance of standing out Traditional methods of PR New Media How to write a press release Planning and call to action How to capitalize on FREE publicity opportunities Budget planning for public relations

TENDER GUIDELINES 2016/2017

Tender Guidelines for Provision of Training Initiatives in 2014 & 2015

All proposals are to be submitted in hard copy only (4 copies) in sealed

envelopes marked clearly ‘’Tender Documents Enclosed’’ and received no later

than Friday November 27th, 2015 at 12noon marked FAO: Ciara McGee at

offices of LEO South Cork, Unit 6a South Ring Business Park, Kinsale Rd, Cork.

Please ensure the following information is clearly written on each envelope:

Sender name and address, contact email address and list of training courses

tendered for.

Submissions should demonstrate that the core modules of the programme are

practically based and targeted specifically at the SME Sector. Proposers must

also demonstrate experience and knowledge in dealing with this sector.

Proposers should clearly demonstrate how they will assist with the recruitment

of suitable client companies.

Fee structure must include; consultant fee and travel, course materials, initial

company audit if required, mentoring (if applicable), laptop/LCD projector, and

final evaluation report.

Locations – training will take place in the catchment area of South Cork. This

will be organized directly with the Local Enterprise Office South Cork.

A sample of course notes must be provided to the clients and a hardcopy of

these is to be provided with the tender documents.

Evaluation forms and attendance record sheets must be submitted on

completion of programme(s). Templates provided by Local Enterprise Office

South Cork.

Proposers may tender for more than one of the listed programmes/workshops.

Each proposal should outline its content, fee structure and delivery.

Trainers making a submission must have professional indemnity insurance and

hold a valid tax clearance certificate. Please include a copy of both in your

submission.

Training Tender Evaluation:

The successful proposals will be selected following an evaluation process by Local Enterprise

Office South Cork on the basis of the most economically advantageous tender and including

the following criteria (weights in brackets):

Expertise & experience in a similar role (25%)

Quality & innovation of approach (20%)

Content (20%)

Value for money (25%)

Management & administration (10%)

Local Enterprise Office South Cork may shortlist tenders for interview on the basis of the

written tenders before taking a final decision on tender selection. The Local Enterprise Office

South Cork is not obliged to accept the lowest, or any, tender. The Local Enterprise Office

South Cork may decide, following evaluation of tenders, not to proceed or to proceed with a

limited number of elements of the proposal.

The Local Enterprise Office may also decide to appoint more than one training provider where

deemed appropriate and in-particular for programmes where demand is high.

All queries associated with this tender should be directed to Ciara McGee on

[email protected] or telephone 021 4975 281.

mailto:[email protected]