BusinessTrainingCourses Spring 2016

Supporting smallbusinesses in County Kildare

Welcome to the Local Enterprise Office Kildare’s Spring2016 Training Schedule. We hope that the range ofcourses on offer will enable you to further enhance yourbusiness and at the same time give you the opportunityto network with other small businesses in countyKildare. All courses are delivered by professionaltrainers to a very high standard and are heavilysubsidised by the Local Enterprise Office Kildare. Noconcessions can be made on any course.

➢ Priority will be given to owners / managers or employees ofmicro-enterprises in County Kildare.

➢ Places are limited on all workshops / courses.

➢ Early booking is advisable as places are allocated on a firstcome first served basis.

➢ If insufficient bookings are received on any course, the coursewill be cancelled and a full refund will issue.

➢ Fees are NON REFUNDABLE except where a course iscancelled by Local Enterprise Office Kildare due toinsufficient bookings.

➢ A light lunch is included in all day long courses.

HOW TO BOOK A COURSE PLACEPlaces must be booked online at www.localenterprise.ie/kildare usingCredit or Laser Card.

COURSE CATEGORIESStart- Up Courses 4

Start Your Own Business

Finance Courses 5Basic ExcelIntroduction to VATUsing Revenue Online Services (ROS)Introduction to Pricing & Costing

Social Media Courses 6Twitter for Business Facebook for Business - BeginnersFacebook for Business - AdvancedLinkedIn for Business - BeginnersLinkedIn for Business - Advanced

Sales & Marketing Courses 9Sales & Marketing WorkshopEditing & Uploading Videos using YouTube Editing a Website using WordpressImage EditingGoogle Adwords - BeginnersGoogle Adwords - IntermediateSearch Engine Optimisation – BeginnersSearch Engine Optimisation - Intermediate

Health & Safety Courses 13Manual HandlingOccupational First AidOccupational First Aid Refresher

General Courses 14Managing PeoplePersonal DevelopmentStrategic Planning Essential Employment LawFood AcademyEnergy Reduction Workshop

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Start Your Own BusinessThis course will cover all aspects of starting a business including business planning, legal issues,market research, sales & financial management. It is suitable for anybody considering the ideaof starting a business.

Duration: 4 full daysDates: Saturday 20th, 27th February, 5th & 12th March 2016Time: 10:00am to 5:00pmVenue: Keadeen Hotel, NewbridgeCost: €80

OR

Duration: 10 evenings (Mondays & Thursdays)Dates: Monday 15th, Thursday 18th, Monday 22nd,

Thursday 25th, Monday 29th February, Thursday 3rd, Monday 7th, Thursday 10th, Monday 14th,Wednesday 16th March 2016

Time: 7:00pm to 10:00pmVenue: Westgrove Hotel, ClaneCost: €80

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START-UP COURSES

Basic ExcelThis programme will enable participants to understand what a spreadsheet is, how to format &edit a spreadsheet, how to use formulas, how to create charts & reports. Please bring a laptopwith you to this course.

Duration: 4 eveningsDates: Wednesday 24th February, 2nd, 9th & 16th March 2016Time: 6:30pm to 9:30pmVenue: Osprey Conference Centre, NaasCost: €80

Introduction to VATThis practical course will facilitate participants to register for VAT, apply correct VAT rates,prepare VAT invoices, explain how VAT returns are completed.

Duration: 1 half dayDate: Tuesday 16th February 2016Time: 9.30am to 1:00pmVenue: Westgrove Hotel, ClaneCost: €25

Using Revenue Online Services (ROS)At the end of this course participants will be able to submit their tax returns online and ensuretax payments are up to date.

Duration: 1 half dayDate: Tuesday 23rd February 2016Time: 9.30am to 1:00pmVenue: Westgrove Hotel, ClaneCost: €25

Introduction to Pricing & CostingThis one day course will familiarise participants on how to design a user friendly, easilyunderstood way of costing products/services as part of their pricing strategy.

Duration: 1 full dayDate: Tuesday 29th March 2016Time: 9.30am to 4:00pmVenue: Killashee House Hotel, NaasCost: €40

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FINANCE COURSES

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Twitter for Business An overview of Twitter for businesses that would like to explore the opportunities Twitter has tooffer and learn about links and hashtags. Learn Twitter basics, language and etiquette as wellas a few tips and tricks on driving traffic and sales and increasing brand awareness. Suitablefor those with limited experience of using Twitter. Participants should have a Twitter accountset up prior to attending this course. Please bring a laptop with you to this course.

Duration: 1 full dayDate: Thursday 3rd March 2016Time: 9:30am to 4:30pmVenue: Osprey Conference Centre, Naas Cost: €40

Facebook for Business - BeginnersAn overview of Facebook, Facebook etiquette, how to set up a Facebook business page and targetnew customers. Suitable for those with limited experience of using Facebook. Participants shouldhave a Facebook account prior to attending this course. Topics include:➢ Facebook Lingo➢ Setting up a business page➢ Editing settings on your page➢ Setting up Admins➢ Competitions➢ Optional Topics (participants can choose – Advertising, Apps,

Personal Profile Privacy Settings)Please bring a laptop with you to this course.

Duration: 1 full dayDate: Tuesday 8th March 2016Time: 9:30am to 4:30pmVenue: Glenroyal Hotel, MaynoothCost: €40

SOCIAL MEDIA COURSES

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Facebook for Business - AdvancedThe aim of this programme is to provide those with a working knowledge of Facebook forbusiness, with the skills to explore the relevance and potential of Facebook for their particularbusiness and take their Facebook to the next level of usage. Participants must have a “businesspage” on Facebook and be familiar with using it. This course will be tailored for participantsbased on a short survey prior to the course. Topics will include:➢ Idea generation➢ Analytics: How to read an insight report➢ Website integration➢ Applications/tabs➢ Updating methods➢ Paid-for advertising➢ How the newsfeed works➢ Advanced page settings➢ Image editingPlease bring a laptop with you to this course.

Duration: 1 full dayDate: Thursday 10th March 2016Time: 9:30am to 4:30pmVenue: Westgrove Hotel, ClaneCost: €40

LinkedIn for Business - BeginnersThis course is designed for businesses who are interested in creating a strong presence onLinkedIn and getting more business through this professional network. It will cover the mainfeatures of LinkedIn, how to setup your profile correctly and how to optimise it fully and efficientlyso it is found in search results on LinkedIn; how to “spy” on your competition without beingnoticed; how to make visitors click on your website; how to build your authority in the field; howto get endorsements and recommendations. Learn a few effective strategies for growing yournetwork and generating more leads for your business. Participants should have a LinkedInprofile set up prior to attending this course and should bring a laptop with them.

Duration: 1 full dayDate: Thursday 18th February 2016Time: 9:30am to 4:30pmVenue: Keadeen Hotel, NewbridgeCost: €40

SOCIAL MEDIA COURSES

LinkedIn for Business - AdvancedThis course is designed for businesses who have a working knowledge of LinkedIn and wouldlike to learn a few efficient strategies and practices for building network and connecting withideal target audience. The following topics will be covered:➢ How to optimise your profile➢ How to setup and use your company page on LinkedIn➢ How to choose and use LinkedIn groups to expand your network➢ How to do efficient and effective email marketing through LinkedIn➢ How to become an authority figure through LinkedIn➢ How to stay “top of mind” with your ideal audience➢ How to manage your time on LinkedIn efficiently➢ How to prepare a LinkedIn marketing plan that worksPlease bring a laptop with you to this course.

Duration: 1 full dayDate: Thursday 25th February 2016Time: 9:30am to 4:30pmVenue: Keadeen Hotel, NewbridgeCost: €40

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SOCIAL MEDIA COURSES

Sales & Marketing WorkshopThis programme will enable participants to conduct professional, face to face sales calls followinga structured needs-based selling approach. The programme focuses on the skills and knowledgerequired to correctly interpret common types of customer behaviour and act appropriately,identify the personal and business needs that motivate individual buyers, sell the benefits of asolution in the context of the needs identified, manage objections and gain commitment.

Duration: 2 full daysDates: Tuesday 1st & Wednesday 2nd March 2016Time: 9:30am to 4:30pmVenue: Killashee House Hotel, NaasCost: €60

Editing & Uploading Videos using YouTube Video is the future of content marketing. Nielsen claims 64% of marketers expect video todominate their strategies in the near future. Five years ago most of Facebook was images, infive years, it will be mostly video, according to Mark Zuckerberg.This full day course is designed for beginners with no video editing skills. The course will coverfree video imaging software to create a video from photographs, as well as sample videos. WithYouTube being the dominant video hosting website, this course is mainly focused on YouTube.➢ Uploading a Video to YouTube ➢ Making a Slideshow Video in YouTube➢ Adding Background Music to a Video in YouTube ➢ Creating a Video ➢ Adding Text to Videos ➢ Embedding a Video on your Website➢ Sharing your Video across the Social Networks ➢ Briefly: Facebook video

Duration: 1 full dayDate: Thursday 31st March 2016Time: 9:30am to 4:30pmVenue: Cenit College, Monread Road, NaasCost: €40

Editing a Website using WordPressThis course is for business owners who either have no website OR who have a dated website thatthey want to replace with a new brochure-style WordPress website. Participants will be introduced at a beginners-level to WordPress, and, at the end of this four-week course, they will have their own working website, that they can edit and modify in the future.Note: While WordPress itself is free to use, every website needs a domain (e.g. www.localen-terprise.ie) AND hosting. Participants will have to purchase this on the first day of the course,the cost will be roughly €60 for a year of hosting. Participants can choose any hosting companythey want, but the trainer will provide some recommendations as well as any available discountcodes.

Duration: 4 full daysDates: Monday 4th, 11th, 18th & 25th April 2016Time: 9:30am to 4:30pmVenue: Cenit College, Monread Road, Naas Cost: €100

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SALES & MARKETINGCOURSES

Image EditingA picture speaks a thousandwords: Business owners whomanage their Social Media orWebsite understand that excellentimages can make the differencebetween a share, or a sale. There are many free image-editing resources online thatparticipants will be introduced to.This highly-practical workshop ensures participants will be going home with at least ten imagesthat they can use over the next year on their Social Media accounts.While stock images will be provided, participants are encouraged to bring their own images.Topics include:➢ Basic Design Rules ➢ Sourcing Free Images➢ Sourcing Paid-for Images ➢ Cropping Images➢ Facebook/Twitter profile picture ➢ Facebook cover photos➢ Memes ➢ HTML colours: Get your Branding Right➢ Use of Fonts ➢ Checking the sizes of images needed➢ Creating a promotional online-flyer on your website

Duration: 1 full dayDate: Tuesday 12th April 2016Time: 9:30am to 4:30pmVenue: Cenit College, Monread Road, Naas Cost: €40

Google Adwords - BeginnersIt’s not always possible to get that coveted number one position on Google, so often GoogleAdwords can be a good alternative. This course will help participants set-up a dynamic, resultsdriven Google Adwords campaign. Suitable for business owners who have a website but find it isnot generating any sales. A working knowledge of Google and Internet Explorer is required.Topics include:➢ What is Adwords ➢ Introduction to Pay-Per-Click advertising➢ Lingo ➢ Setting up a campaign➢ Setting up an ad ➢ Writing copy for an adPlease bring a laptop with you to this course.

Duration: 1 morningDate: Wednesday 23rd March 2016Time: 9:30am to 1:00pmVenue: Training Room, Kildare County Council Office, Áras Chill Dara, NaasCost: €25

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SALES & MARKETINGCOURSES

Google Adwords - IntermediateThis course is designed for those who already have a working knowledge of Google Adwords.Participants are invited to submit their ads to the trainer prior to the course to use as exampleson what can be improved. This course will be tailored to participants needs based on a shortsurvey prior to the course. Topics include:➢ Monitoring your ads ➢ Tweaking to save money➢ Connecting your adwords account ➢ Your landing pagewith Google Analytics

➢ Optimising your site for e-commerce conversionsPlease bring a laptop with you to this course.

Duration: 1 morningDate: Wednesday 30th March 2016Time: 9:30am to 1:00pmVenue: Training Room, Kildare County Council Office, Áras Chill Dara, NaasCost: €25

Search Engine Optimisation – BeginnersThe aim of this programme is to provide participants with basic knowledge in SEO (Search EngineOptimisation), in order to improve the visibility of their websites in search engines such as Bing,Yahoo, and, in particular, Google.This programme is suitable for business owners who are considering getting their first website,as well as website owners who have no prior SEO knowledge.Topics include:➢ Introduction to SEO ➢ How does a Search Engine work➢ What are search terms and how to pick them ➢ Picking a Domain Name➢ Hosting ➢ Getting your search terms

into your website➢ Optimising Images for Search Engines ➢ Linking within your website➢ In-links from other websites ➢ Page HyperlinksTopics may vary on the day, depending on participant feedback and the latest developments.Please bring a laptop with you to this course.

Duration: 1 morningDate: Wednesday 16th March 2016Time: 9:30am to 1:00pmVenue: Training Room, Kildare County Council Office, Áras Chill Dara, NaasCost: €25

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SALES & MARKETINGCOURSES

Search Engine Optimisation - IntermediateThe aim of this programme is to provide participants with basic knowledge in SEO (Search EngineOptimisation), in order to improve the visibility of their websites in search engines such as Bing,Yahoo, and, in particular, Google.This programme is suitable for participants who have completed the ‘SEO Beginners’ course, orwebsite owners who already have a good working knowledge of SEOTopics include:➢ Metatags and Title➢ HTML➢ Heading 1 tags➢ Google Penguin and Panda➢ Blogging for SEO➢ Measuring and tracking success using Google Analytics ➢ Usability and User Experience➢ Google Webmasters➢ The future of SEO

Topics may vary on the day, depending on participant feedback and the latest developments.Please bring a laptop with you to this course.

Duration: 1 morningDate: Wednesday 6th April 2016Time: 9:30am to 1:00pmVenue: Training Room, Kildare County Council Office, Áras Chill Dara, NaasCost: €25

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SALES & MARKETINGCOURSES

Please note: Due to the high demand for places, a maximum of 2 employeesONLY per company can be accommodated on the Health & Safety courses.The Local Enterprise Office reserves to right to cancel any additionalbookings from the same company.

Manual HandlingAll employers have a duty to training their employeesin safe manual handling techniques. This courseexplains the legal regulations and the principles ofsafe manual handling and lifting. This is not apatient manual handling course.

Duration: 1 morningDate: Monday 22nd February 2016Time: 9:30am to 1:00pmVenue: Osprey Conference Centre, NaasCost: €25

Occupational First AidThe Safety Welfare at Work Act 2005 requires that all employers must have a specified minimumof Occupational First Aiders trained and deployed in the workplace. This programme providesthat training and is certified by FETAC (level 5).

Duration: 3 full daysDates: Monday 29th February, 7th & 14th March 2016Time: 9:30am to 4:30pmVenue: Westgrove Hotel, ClaneCost: €100

Occupational First Aid RefresherSuitable for people who need to renew their FETAC Level 5 Occupational First Aid Certificates.In order to qualify for the refresher course, current certificates must not be expired anymorethan 90 days (Valid Certificate must be submitted with booking)

Duration: 1 full dayDate: Tuesday 22nd March 2016Time: 9:30am to 4:30pmVenue: Glenroyal Hotel, MaynoothCost: €40

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HEALTH & SAFETYCOURSES

Managing PeopleManaging your people effectively is of huge importance to SME owners and managers in ensuringtheir organisations remain sustainable and profitable. There is a huge body of research toindicate that when people are managed properly they are more motivated and content in theirroles. This programme looks at how to manage people in a practical way through clarifying roles,setting individual goals aligned to the organizations goals and measuring performance againstthese goals through effective Performance Management Practices of which the PerformanceAppraisal is an essential part.

Duration: 3 full daysDates: Friday 19th, 26th February & 4th March 2016Time: 9:30am to 4:30pmVenue: Keadeen Hotel, NewbridgeCost: €90

Personal DevelopmentManaging ourselves effectively is a key ingredient in managing our businesses effectively. Thisprogramme will address the core elements of becoming a highly effective communicator andwill be delivered in an interactive and participative way. Covers assertiveness, communicationskills, conflict resolution, motivation and confidence building.

Duration: 3 full daysDates: Friday 15th, 22nd, 29th April 2016Time: 9:30am to 4:30pmVenue: Osprey Conference Centre, NaasCost: €90

Strategic Planning – setting longer term goals for your business& developing a plan to achieve themBusiness owners and managers often become so engrossed in running the day to day aspects ofthe business that they forget to allocate adequate time and resources to identify plans for thefuture. The benefits of developing a strategic plan include:➢ Better understanding of your current business➢ Agreement between key stakeholders➢ Identifying new opportunities for the business➢ Identifying key initiatives to achieve the strategy➢ Improved clarity & focus on business priorities➢ Development of energy, momentum & driveOn completion of the course participants will be able to develop a comprehensive strategic plan,contribute effectively to the execution of the plan and communicate strategic priorities tocolleagues.

Duration: 3 full daysDates: Wednesday 27th April, 4th & 11th May 2016Time: 9:30am to 5:00pmVenue: Killashee House Hotel, NaasCost: €90

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GENERAL COURSES

Essential Employment LawThis one day course will give participants a fullunderstanding of the main aspects of employmentlaw that are likely to impact business owners andtheir employees. It will cover employment issues,contracts, policies, termination and employersobligations.

Duration: 1 full dayDate: Monday 21st March 2016Time: 9:30am to 4:30pmVenue: Killashee House Hotel, NaasCost: €40

Food AcademySuitable for new start up food businesses interestedin growing their sales, branding, packaging andidentifying routes to market. This programme is runin conjunction with LEO Meath and is supported by AnBord Bia and Musgrave Retail.

Duration: 4 full daysDates: Friday 11th March,

Tuesday 5th April,Tuesday 17th May, Tuesday 14th June 2016

Time: 9:30am to 4:30pmVenue: Hamlet Court Hotel, Johnstown BridgeCost: €150

Please contact the office for an Expression of Interest Formto register your interest in this programme.

Or download from www.localenterprise.ie/kildare

Energy Reduction WorkshopLearn how your business can save between 10% and 20% on your energy bills. This workshop aims to provide smaller companies with energy savings and auditing training.

Duration: 1 morningDate: Monday 7th March 2016Time: 10:00am to 12:30pmVenue: Training Room, Kildare County Council Office, Áras Chill Dara, NaasCost: Free of Charge however you must register to attend

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GENERAL COURSES

Oifig Fiontair ÁitiúilÁras Chill Dara, Páirc Uí Dhubhuí,An Nás, Co. Chill Dara.

Local Enterprise OfficeÁras Chill Dara,Devoy Park, Naas,Co. Kildare.

t (045) 980838e localenterprise@kildarecoco.ie