Category Archives: Town centres

50 Online Local Business Directories to list your Franchise or Business

Posted on June 30, 2021 | 1 comment

Even Google Promotes itself!

Promoting a local business opportunity isn’t easy these days.

Whether it’s because of oversaturation or complicated search engine algorithms, it’s all too easy to feel like no one will find your business in the local or national search results.

Luckily, there’s an easy way to improve your local SEO. All you have to do is list your business in online business directories such as Yellow Pages, Manta, and more. This is called building citations, and it’s a critical piece of a local marketing strategy.

What is a business directory?

A business directory is an online list of businesses within a particular niche, location, or category. One way local businesses can get found by online searchers is through inclusion in business directories.

Why you need to get listed in multiple relevant business directory?

Today, Google is inserting itself between consumer and local business websites much more often. For proof, you need to look no further than Google My Business, Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP), featured snippets, and most importantly, local packs.

By building citations, you can make sure that you appear in these local packs when people look for businesses like yours in their area. Business directories may seem like a thing of the past, but they’re a great way to grow your presence online.

You can improve visibility by listing your local business’ NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number) on directories, online business listing sites, and citation sites. Aside from improving your local SEO, these can also improve your rankings on search engines because the listings usually link back to your site.

Make sure your company listing has the following information once you add it to a directory:

• Consistent NAP. If you add or update your business on multiple business listing sites, make sure you’re providing the same company information across each directory.

• A link to your website. Backlinks — also known as inbound links — are crucial to your company website’s Domain Rating. Consider adding a tracking link at the end of this URL as well, so you can see how much traffic your website specifically gets from the business directories that are linking to it.

• A company description. Make sure you have a detailed description of your business that reflects your organization’s mission, culture, and values.

• Multimedia. Give company searchers a visual taste of your business with a picture or video of your office, your employees, or your daily business operations.

There are plenty of location-specific and industry-specific business listing sites where you can submit your data. To start promoting your local business, however, you should start with the big sites and work your way toward the more niche directories.

First, let’s go over the top free business directories.

Free Business Listings

• Facebook

• Apple Maps

• Google My Business

• LinkedIn Company Directory

• Bing

• Yelp

• MapQuest

• HubSpot

• Super Pages

• YellowBook.com

• Thumbtack

Online Directories for Local Businesses

• Facebook Pages (Domain Rating = 100)

• Instagram for Business (Domain Rating = 99)

• Google My Business (Domain Rating = 98)

• LinkedIn Company Directory (Domain Rating = 98)

• Apple Maps (Domain Rating = 97)

• Yelp (Domain Rating = 94)

• Bing (Domain Rating = 93)

• HubSpot’s Solutions Directory (Domain Rating = 93)

• Better Business Bureau (Domain Rating = 93)

• MapQuest (Domain Rating = 92)

• Foursquare (Domain Rating = 91)

• Yahoo! Local (Domain Rating = 91)

• Thumbtack (Domain Rating = 90)

• Yellow Pages (Domain Rating = 90)

• Angi, FKA Angie’s List ( Domain Rating = 91)

• Nextdoor (Domain Rating = 87)

• Manta (Domain Rating = 87)

• Merchant Circle (Domain Rating = 85)

• YellowBook.com (Domain Rating = 82)

• Dun & Bradstreet Business Directory (Domain Rating = 80)

• Local.com (Domain Rating = 79)

• Hotfrog (Domain Rating = 79)

• ChamberofCommerce.com (Domain Rating = 79)

• 2FindLocal (Domain Rating = 46)

• EZlocal (Domain Rating = 78)

• Brownbook.net (Domain Rating = 77)

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Does and Don’t Prior to Getting Your Wedding Hair Extensions Done

Posted on April 3, 2017 | Leave a comment

Five Tips About Getting Your Wedding Hair Extensions Done

I wouldn’t ever suggest doing your wedding hair yourself in the first place and please please do not put clipins in for your special day!

For a wedding you’re attending, sure. Go right ahead.

Do your own curls, straighten your own locks, run a brush through it and call it a day.

But with your own wedding, you have to remember all eyes are on you. And, during your ceremony, all eyes are on the back of your head. You want to make sure what they’re looking at is perfection and you can get that from a professional. When you’re stressing out wedding morning — hoping that your groom makes it to the church on time, wondering if there will be enough food at the cocktail hour — the last thing you want to do is stand in your bathroom with a curling iron. You won’t have the patience to hold each curl long enough and your hair will be a mess. And you’ll regret it.

I put together a list of five tips about getting your wedding hair done so that you don’t end up looking at your photos and regretting anything.

1. Don’t wash your hair the morning of your wedding.

Showering when you wake up just makes you feel energised. And for wedding day, that’s what you need.

2. Know what you want. And make sure you get it.

Pinterest is an amazing tool to help you find wedding hair ideas. In fact, we have a some wedding hair ideas Pinterest board and growing. Feel free to pin any and all of those ideas. Because when you’re getting married, you need an idea of what you want. The standard hair extension technicians at the salon will not look at you and say, “Oh, you have medium-length hair. This is the style for you.” Instead, they will say, “What style did you have in mind?” And it’s so much easier to show them a photo as a guide instead of saying, “I was thinking something half up and down with curls. I think. Maybe. Or all down. Or no curls. What do you think?”

Just a note to have a Signature Hair Extension Consultant offer you that service you would have to be prepared for a big bill.

When you decide what you want, make sure you get it.

A bit of advice, don’t be unreasonable or too far reaching about your style. For instance if you have 1 inch of hair don’t go asking for 26 inches. (unless it’s a wig)

3. Don’t waste your money on hair extensions trialstyles.

This is the most controversial tip, but I am really sticking firm to stating you don’t need a trial. However with hair extensions I suggest you get them installed at least a week before your wedding if they are semi permanent. I also recommend you have a stylist that is use to styling long hair extensions.

Many stylists will have a portfolio where you can check out their work and styles they’ve done before so you can get an idea of what they are capable of. Salons who attend wedding expos will have these at the booths usually (I’ve never seen a salon at an expo that didn’t have one, but you never know). Portfolios should help you feel comfortable at a salon you’ve never used before. (MAKE SURE IT’S THERE WORK AND NOT DOWNLOADED FROM THE INTERNET)

And you have to remember, too, you’re hiring a professional. You have to trust that she knows what she’s doing because this is what she gets paid to do. If you were having surgery, would you go to the doctor for a trial? No. You would just go and get it done. Extreme example, but same concept.
4. Find out if your salon will travel.

Unless you are really confident that everything will be done if you went to the salon, find out if your stylist will come to you along with the makeup artist.

Make sure you also have some quality time for your stylist and that you won’t be disturbed.

5. Don’t forget to pull out some cash to pay your stylist.

Getting organised the day before for things you need to pay for is worth it.

Your debit card has probably been hammered and the last thing you want is paying for your hair and makeup to go drastically wrong. Also prepare for emergencies incase a bridesmaid has a desaster that needs fixing straight away.

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Global Personal Bloggers of Influence for 2017

Posted on February 6, 2017 | 1 comment

THE 20 MOST INFLUENTIAL PERSONAL STYLE BLOGGERS RIGHT NOW AND WHY BLOGGING CAN HELP YOUR BRAND

Available from Amazon

When twitter came out and account holders tweeted what they ate, we all thought twitter had a short life span. Now the media rummages through top celebrities tweets to find something sensationable to report about. Would be employers have been know to use candidates social media postings as evidence against them.

The era of the Personal style bloggers use to get caricatured as either geeks or pretty, brainless girls who dress up for their camera-wielding boyfriends and post their results to a WordPress blog.

But wait a minute, with instagram, Facebook, linkedin and twitter integration most of these bloggers have grown quiet influential with hundred of thousands of followers. Over the past decade, these independent publishers have become a real force in the fashion industry — not just snapping up front row seats at fashion shows, but landing major campaigns and collaborations with brands, becoming regular guests on TV shows like “Today” and “America’s Next Top Model,” and turning their blogs into multimillion-dollar businesses. Some have become household names. Independent European bloggers are harder to pin down as most of them are linked to magazines.

Chiara Ferragni, Hanneli Mustaparta and Nicole Warne. Photo: Clemens Bilan/Stringer

To determine the ranking, consideraction was given to:

Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Pinterest followers, as well as website traffic. These numbers gave us a snapshot of how many people these bloggers are reaching every day.
Brand extensions. We gave props to bloggers who have used their influence to create original products.
It factor. We talked to industry insiders about whom advertisers are loving right now, and who is moving the most products via affiliate links.
Google News searches. Headline makers were rewarded for extending their reach beyond their own network.

Chiara Ferragni. Photo: Jason Merritt for Getty Images Entertainment

1. Chiara Ferragni, The Blonde Salad
The 27-year-old Italian, who now lives in Los Angeles, has the broadest reach of any individual fashion blogger on our list, with more than 3 million Instagram followers. She’s a global star, as popular in Europe as she is in the U.S. What’s more, links from her site drive traffic and conversions, according to many of the brands with whom she has partnered. She was also recently named to an expert panel that will help determine the shortlist.

Oh, and she graced the cover of Lucky magazine’s February issue along with fellow bloggers Nicole Warne and Zanita Whittington.

2. Aimee Song, Song of Style
Song, 28, is a Los Angeles-based interior designer whose straightforward street-style shots have made her popular with brands and readers alike. Song also has an incredible Instagram following — 1.9 million — and has worked hard to build her YouTube audience as well, with more than 28,000 subscribers to her channel.

3. Wendy Nguyen, Wendy’s Lookbook
Yet another L.A.-based blogger, Nguyen, 31, is best known for her YouTube channel, which currently boasts 600,000-plus subscribers. (Her 2011 video, “25 Ways to Tie a Scarf” has been viewed over 29 million times.) Nguyen’s point of view is unique in that she grew up in the foster system, and has opened up about her experiences to her readers.

Kristina Bazan. Photo: Frazer Harrison for Getty Images Entertainment

4. Kristina Bazan, Kayture
This Swiss-model blogger, 21, has an impressive reach on Facebook — with more than 1.1 million likes — in addition to a major presence on Instagram, Twitter, etc. Bazan is a favorite of high-end brands: she’s worked with Louis Vuitton, Hugo Boss and Piaget, among others.

5. Julie Sariñana, Sincerely Jules
The 29-year-old blogger, who lives in Los Angeles, started her site in 2009 — early, compared to many of her peers. Her easy, approachable style has translated well into her own line of t-shirts, printed with often inspirational, occasionally irreverent, quotes.

6. Rumi Neely, Fashion Toast
Neely, 31, launched Fashion Toast in 2007. Her particular style of blogging — photo-heavy posts featuring cool clothes and model poses — has greatly influenced the generation of influencers who have followed her. While Neely has collaborated with established brands in the past, she recently launched her own line. Are You Am I, a collection of slip dresses, tap pants and distinctly cut tees, is notable for its specificity. For fans who want to emulate Neely’s style — and there are plenty of them — there is nothing more perfect.

7. Nicole Warne, Gary Pepper Girl
One of three bloggers to land Lucky‘s February 2015 cover, the Sydney-based Warne, 25, first launched Gary Pepper as a vintage e-commerce site in 2009. Warne started out blogging and modeling the clothes as a way to market the website, and by 2011, it was one of the largest online vintage retailers in Australia. However, the young entrepreneur’s side project soon became the main event, and in 2012 she shut down the e-commerce leg of Gary Pepper to focus on her blog-driven business.

Blair Eadie. Photo: Cindy Ord for Getty Images Entertainment

8. Blair Eadie, Atlantic-Pacific
The New York-based Eadie, 29, is best known for her accessible, yet educated, approach to fashion. Based in San Francisco when she launched the blog, Eadie has worked as a merchandiser for brands like Gap and Tory Burch, which means she has a professional edge when it comes to outfit posts. And brands like love working with her because she has a reputation for converting readers into shoppers.

9. Julia Engel, Gal Meets Glam
The San Francisco-based Engel, 23, is seen as an up-and-comer in the space. She’s already amassed a large following across platforms, from Pinterest to Instagram. Appealing to the same sorts of readers who worship Lauren Conrad’s pretty aesthetic, Engel’s site is easy to navigate, with lots of opportunities to shop affiliate links.

10. Nicolette Mason
Mason, who writes a monthly column for Marie Claire and designed her own collection for Modcloth last fall, is one of the most in-demand bloggers working right now. The 29-year-old writer played a role in the promotion and social media around Target’s new plus-size collection Ava & Viv and is also a budding TV personality, offering style advice on programs including “Today” and “Good Morning America.” Mason is notable because she uses her blog as a platform to discuss bigger social issues, including race, sexuality and body image.

11. Shea Marie: Peace, Love Shea
The Los Angeles-based blogger and TV host, 27, has the high-fashion-meets-Southern-California look brands eat up. She’s worked with the likes of Dior, Gucci, H&M and Guess.

Bryanboy. Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris for Getty Images Entertainment

12. Bryanboy
The OG fashion blogger and best friend of Fashion Toast‘s Rumi Neely, the New York-based, Philippines-bred Bryan Grey Yambao has transformed from an online-diary keeper to a celebrity and fashion insider. While other bloggers from his era have fallen off the map, Yambao, 32, has remained relevant by branching out. Memorable projects include a collection with furrier Adrienne Landau and a hosting spot on several seasons of “America’s Next Top Model.”

13. Elin Kling
The New York-based Kling, who is Swedish, was one of the first bloggers to collaborate with a brand on a collection. (In 2011, H&Mreleased a Kling-designed line.) But her fantastic stand-alone label, Toteme, has transformed Kling, 31, from a blogger to a full-fledged designer.

14. Zanita Whittington
The Stockholm-based Aussie, 28, was one of Lucky‘s February cover stars. Along with modeling and blogging, Whittington is also serious about photography. Her site is a sort of “how to” for aspiring bloggers, with service pieces on starting a blog and building an audience.

Gabi Gregg. Photo: Ilya S. Savenok for Getty Images Entertainment

15. Gabi Gregg, Gabifresh
One of three plus-size bloggers chosen to star in the campaign for Target’s new Ava & Viv collection, Gregg started her blog in 2008 when she couldn’t find an entry-level job in fashion journalism. Now 28 and based in Los Angeles, the blogger has appeared on the “Today” show, designed a sell-out swimwear collection, and partnered with brands including Misguided, Nordstrom and Laura Mercier.

16. Danielle Bernstein, We Wore What
The New York-based blogger, 23, started her site as an FIT undergrad eager to capture the style of her fellow students. It soon transformed into a personal style forum, leading to a design project with Topshop.

17. Jessica Stein, Tuula Vintage
This Sydney-based blogger, 25, spends a good chunk of her time traveling, and sharing her adventures via Instagram. (She’s currently parked in the Maldives.) Brands like Dior Beauty partner with her for the obvious reasons: she has great taste and an enviable life.

Susanna Lau. Photo: Cindy Ord for Getty Images Entertainment

18. Susanna Lau, Style Bubble
Forever the no. 1 blogger to fashion insiders, the 31-year-old Lau is now one of the industry’s leading voices. While her creative outfit posts are still appreciated, she is even more loved for her sharp opinion, contributing to publications including Elle UK and Business of Fashion, as well as posting regularly on her own site.

19. Chriselle Lim, The Chriselle Factor
With a massive YouTube following, the Los Angeles-based wardrobe stylist, 29, offers her audience plenty of tips and tricks via video. She’s worked with brands including Coach and Banana Republic.

20. Jane Aldridge, Sea of Shoes
Another blogging pioneer, the Dallas-based Aldridge started her site at age 15. Eight years later, she’s still at it, partnering with brands like Lovegold and Cartier on a regular basis.

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Are Emerging Demographics reshaping New Emerging Markets

Posted on July 13, 2016 | Leave a comment

Creative ways to find new customers

Emerging Demographics Are the New Emerging Markets

Guest Blog Richard Dobbs Jaana RemesJonathan Woetzel

Marketing savvy just isn’t enough to track consumers anymore. Companies will need a more detailed portrait of target customer groups than ever, including their age, income, ethnicity, and shopping preferences. But what could this mean for small businesses?
A radical demographic shift is transforming the nature of consumer markets. Until the turn of the century, population growth powered more than half of global consumption. As population growth slows, that will fall to only one-quarter in the next 15 years.

Per capita spending will be the engine of consumption growth. In this new world, companies need to know which consumers have the purchasing firepower, where they are, what they want to buy, and what drives their spending.

There are surprises. For example, people aged over 50 bought nearly two-thirds of the new cars sold in the United States in 2011. McKinsey Glog research finds that China is expected to spend 12.5% of all consumption growth on education for those under 30 — higher than any other country apart from Sweden. Young people in China are learning to love coffee. And North American millennials don’t trust company claims about their products, but are happy to let a room in their house to a stranger who they trust because of an Airbnb rating.

A recent report by the McKinsey Global Institute, Urban World: The Global Consumers to Watch, has identified three key groups of urban consumers with the numbers and purchasing power to shape the consumer landscape over the next 15 years. One thing common to all the groups is their location in cities. Over 91% of world consumption growth over this period will come from city-dwelling consumers.

The first of these is the 60-plus age group in the United States, Western Europe, and Northeast Asia. Their number will grow by more than one-third to stand at 222 million in 2030. In those 15 years, they will generate more than one-third of global consumption growth. In comparison, European millennials, for instance, will contribute less than 2%. The young may be the darlings of marketers, but for companies chasing growth, the truly glamorous market is the elderly.

To give an idea of their dominance, the 60-plus age group will account for 60% of total urban consumption growth in Western Europe and Northeast Asia, the latter comprised of Japan and South Korea. This group, not surprisingly, spends heavily on healthcare, but that’s not all. In the United States, these consumers will contribute more than 40% of consumption growth in housing, transport, and entertainment. A decade ago, those aged 55 and older accounted for less than one-third of all U.S. spending on home improvement. By 2011, this share was more than 45%. Companies in every sector — some of which have never been associated with the elderly — will need to prioritize this market as never before.

The second group is China’s working-age consumers age 15–59. Their numbers are set to rise by 20% or 100 million people in just the next 15 years and their per capita consumption is expected to double. By 2030, they will be spending 12 cents of every $1 spent in cities worldwide. These individuals are more optimistic about their financial future and willing to spend a greater share of their disposable income than their counterparts in previous generations.

The 2016 McKinsey Global Sentiment Survey of more than 22,000 consumers finds that nearly 30% of these Chinese consumers are willing to pay more for new and innovative household products—double the share of their counterparts in North America and Western Europe. These consumers are the successors to Western baby boomers who were, in their time, the richest in history in their prime years.

77 Questions to avoid business failure by Diane Shawe with Exclusive Bonus

Get your exclusive copy today and save £3.00

Third is North America’s working-age consumers. They already constitute a major market, and will continue to grow modestly in number and per capita spending. But they also pose new challenges to companies, because inequality is rising, and most incomes are under increasing pressure. Today, the median net worth of the top 20% of young adult households is eight times that of the other 80%; as recently as 2000, that multiple was four times. That means companies need to work harder to offer goods and services at very different price points. Compared with older cohorts, young adults are 10 to 20 percentage points more likely to consider and use sharing economy services from accommodation to car rental to furnishing. The behavioral differences for this age group require new customized strategies from companies seeking their dollars.

The consumer markets that matter have arguably never been more varied and complex. Rising inequality is one challenge. Another is that, as population growth slows, city demographics — and therefore their growth prospects — are diverging. Companies need to be in the right places. Cities are where 91% of global consumption will take place over the next 15 years – the trick will be knowing which cities, and even which neighborhoods within cities will house the highest-spending consumers.

Richard Dobbs is a senior partner in McKinsey & Company’s London office.
Jaana Remes is a partner at the McKinsey Global Institute.
Jonathan Woetzel is a director at the McKinsey Global Institute.

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How answering 77 questions could help you avoid business failure

Posted on February 9, 2016 | Leave a comment

Out Now: 77 Ways to avoid Potential Business Failure

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.” –Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple

Like you I Never Thought I Could answer 77 questions that would help me avoid business failure – But I Finally Discovered The Secret! Here’s How…

article by Diane Shawe Author

Are you ready? Is Entrepreneurship For You?

Are you the right person for your business idea?

In business, there are no guarantees. There is simply no way to eliminate all the risks associated with starting a small business – but you can improve your chances of success with good planning, preparation, and insight. Start by evaluating your strengths and weaknesses as a potential owner and manager of a small business. Carefully consider each of the following questions.

Are you a self-starter? It will be entirely up to you to develop projects, organise your time, and follow through on details.
How well do you get along with different personalities? Business owners need to develop working relationships with a variety of people including customers, vendors, staff, bankers, and professionals such as lawyers, accountants or consultants. Can you deal with a demanding client, an unreliable vendor, or a cranky receptionist if your business interests demand it?
How good are you at making decisions? Small business owners are required to make decisions constantly – often quickly, independently, and under pressure.
Do you have the physical and emotional stamina to run a business? Business ownership can be exciting, but it’s also a lot of work. Can you face six or seven 12-hour work days every week?
How well do you plan and organise? Research indicates that poor planning is responsible for most business failures. Good organisation of financials, inventory, schedules, and production can help you avoid many pitfalls.
Is your drive strong enough? Running a business can wear you down emotionally. Some business owners burn out quickly from having to carry all the responsibility for the success of their business on their own shoulders. Strong motivation will help you survive slowdowns and periods of burnout.
How will the business affect your family? The first few years of business startup can be hard on family life. It’s important for family members to know what to expect and for you to be able to trust that they will support you during this time. There also may be financial difficulties until the business becomes profitable, which could take months or years. You may have to adjust to a lower standard of living or put family assets at risk in the short-term.

So Before you start – Do you know the answer to these 77 questions? Download your copy today it will be the best £3.99 you spend?

I recommend you get a little notebook and start working on each question. For those you cannot answer, find the answer and make a note. This is also an invaluabe excercise if you are already in business, it can help you clarify where you are today and help you plot where you need to get too and how to do it.

Get your exclusive copy today and save £3.00

If you want to find out if you are right for your business, we have a surprise link hidden inside this little ebook. All you have to do is Answer 10 questions and we will send you a full report which will also include your Personal Training Needs Analysis to develop your Entrepreneur skills.

Diane Shawe Author of 77 Question to avoid business failure Available from Amazon

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Are you focused, productive, transactional or inspirational? by Diane Shawe

Posted on September 6, 2015 | Leave a comment

Being busy isn’t the same as being productive, but how do you assess what you need to do to improve both your productivity and your staff?

Would an online Personal Training Need Analysis that takes about 10 minutes help?

Then CLICK HERE TO TRY ONE FREE Personal Training Needs Analysis and in as little as two hours you can judge for yourself if it would be of use in your business.

Would it help if you could find out how to get the best out of your employees?

Would it help to be able to speed up Pre-Interview selections, Staff Appraisals, Training Needs, Personal Development, Management Selection, Team building and any of those otherwise expensive long winded, time consuming and expensive process?

Well click on our complimentary link to see how it works, I promise you will not be disappointed.

What most people, employers, entrepreneurs and even some educational institutions do not have in today’s current environment is time, the necessary resources and the infrastructure they need to support and achieve learning objectives cost effectively.

Out with the Old in with the new but who is going to be ready at the ‘Start Line’ with all the right tools to assist with the new Continued Competences?

We can offer a person centric online Personal Training Needs analysis tools and reports to aid in the development of any individuals or organisations growth. The profiles and learning programmes are designed to help reduce risk and to create action and results. Goal setting is no good without implementation.

We invite you with our compliments to click and complete 10 simple questions and we will send you back a report so that you can see how it works and give us your feedback.

In order to better identify and appraise an individual to pinpoint specific training needs, the Speed of Implementation and adaption to change will confirm who gets ahead or sustain growth by using technology to help with self appraisal, self reflection and personal development.

However, the new skill set or competencies, aims to define the standards needed to enter, compete and remain in the profession which mainly comprise of the following:

Ethics, professionalism and judgment;
Financial Literacy and Technical ability;
Managing yourself and your work;
Working with other people.

That said, in order to meet these new core competencies, individuals and organisations will be required to undergo a process of self-reflection through a high-level Personal Training learning needs analysis to identify their own learning gaps; as well as identify gaps specific to those needed by the organisation they work with. Ideally, this process will be recorded and accompanied by an evaluation of the success of the learning completed and ultimately, organisations will be required to make an annual declaration that they have considered and taken action to address Point of Need training.

We look forward to your feedback once you get your free report back and then maybe we can discuss the speed of implementing this process throughout your business or consulting services.

Just click here now and in just 10 minutes you would have completed 10 questions and we will send you back the results.

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We specialise in resourcing short courses via a pre-populated LMS solution for Point of Need Training via mobile devices so that all different levels of staff can access training whilst on the move using their own device supported by one off our virtual tutors to help them complete their online 4 weeks course.

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Why strategies for modernising corporate learning should focus on outcomes

Posted on November 17, 2014 | Leave a comment

THE SPEED OF CHANGE IN MODERN BUSINESS DEMANDS A NEW APPROACH TO SUPPORTING LEARNING AND PERFORMANCE AT THE POINT OF NEED.

article by Diane Shawe M.Ed

“THE IMPORTANCE AND EVIDENCE -BASED APPROACH TO
LEARNING USING MOBILE TECHNOLOGY IS INFLUENCING HOW INVESTMENT IN CONTINUED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF A WORKFORCE IS ACHIEVED”

New market opportunities open and close at blinding speed, new competitors emerge overnight, product lifecycles are getting shorter, and customers are more knowledgeable and sophisticated. This fast-changing environment has led to requirement to change learning and training. However more often than not, the task of aligning the learning organisation to the business can be challenging and the perception of how the business views the learning organisation in terms of aligning to strategic initiatives is different to how the learning organisation perceives itself.

Downsizing has resulted in a mass drainage and outflow of skills as employees or contractors are let go. To ensure that an organisation can compete globally and remains at par with the technological changes in the global market committing to the investment of on-going skill training is often viewed as a potential unnecessary incision into the bottom line

Corporates, enterprises and charities all wish to run their operations at the minimum costs allowed. We all recognise that in today’s environment, business moves faster than ever. Most organisations now recognise the importance of developing a strategic approach to learning and harnessing the internal skills of their teams. Moving away from more tactical based activities associated with training such as measuring skills-based behaviours, to focusing on acquisition of knowledge and learning transfer that result in individual and organisational performance improvements.

With the explosion of mobile technology, organisations need to take advantage of the benefits, scalability, and viability of using mobile e-learning, using smart phones, tablets, and notepads that offer a blended solution.

E-learning has the potential to fully integrate the benefits of personal freedom with connectivity (belonging to a purposeful group of learners). From an educational perspective the “e” in e-learning stands for more than electronic; it can also stand for extending and enhancing the learning experience.

Fulfilling the buyers requirements

The four pillars that go to underpin the buyer’s requirements and therefore still define the industry offerings are centred on the following: • Compliance and accreditation

Scalable and flexible whilst achieving a real reduction in Cost
Improving, tracking and measuring Learners’ performance
Real time management, alignment and communication to support on-going changes.
The ability to track and report learner performance remains uppermost in many procurers’ minds.

Isaac Asimov’s quote is now more urgent and relevant if corporates are to gain a lean and competitive advantage with a progressive highly skilled workforce for the 21st century.

“No sensible decision can be made any longer without taking into account not only the world as it is, but the world as it will be.”

Why strategies for modernising corporate learning should focus on outcomes rather than input by Diane Shawe M.Ed

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Grants for further Education and Short courses

Posted on September 26, 2014 | Leave a comment

Call us to enquiry about our soft skills courses

Loads of grants and bursaries go unclaimed each year in the UK, so we’ve created this guide so you can bag the cash you’re entitled to.

Further education loans for mature students in England

If you’re 24 or over, you can apply for a 24+ Advanced Learning Loan to help with college or training tuition costs in England.

You’ll need to be studying a Level 3 or 4 course – these include A-levels, Access to Higher Education Diplomas and many apprenticeships You can take a loan for each A-level, but you can’t take them all at once. You must also have lived anywhere in the UK for the last three years.

There’s no credit check to get the loan, and it doesn’t depend on your household income. How much you get depends on what you’re studying and what your college charges in tuition fees. The minimum loan is £300. The loan will be paid directly to the college.

There’s also a 24+ Advanced Learning Loans Bursary Fund, which you can apply to if you need learning help, or to cover childcare or residential costs.

If you’re studying an Access to Higher Education diploma, then go on to complete a higher education course, your 24+ Advanced Learning Loan is written off.

You start paying the loan back when you earn £21,000 a year or more. Interest is charged at RPI+3% while you’re studying, then at RPI.

Who can apply? Anyone over the age of 24 studying a Level 3 or 4 course.
What’s the maximum award? £300 upwards. What does it cover? Tuition fees/training costs.

Top education grants

Free short courses

Fee-free tuition for Scottish students

If you live in Scotland and decide to study at a university in Scotland, you won’t have to pay anything towards tuition fees, you’ll be guaranteed to get a maintenance loan and may be eligible for a bursary. But if you live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, you’ll still have to pay up to £9,000 a year to study in Scotland.

The Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) offers the Young Students’ Bursary, which covers day-to-day living costs if your family’s household income is less than £34,000 a year. Those on an income of less than £17,000 will get the full bursary of £1,750.

Anyone who applies through SAAS will be eligible for a loan of at least £4,750 if their household income is £34,000 or above, while others will receive £5,750.

There’s also an Independent Students’ Bursary and student loan for those who are 25 or over, are married or living with a partner, or responsible for a child. Here, you’ll get a bursary of £750 if your household income is under £17,000.

Loans work in the same way for mature students – you’ll get at least £4,750 if your household income is over £34,000, while those with an income under £17,000 can borrow up to £6,750.

Who can apply? Loans: Everyone. Bursary: Households earning under £34,000 a year.
What’s the maximum award? £300 upwards. What does it cover? Living or studying costs.

Individual Learning Accounts for Scottish adults

If you live in Scotland and earn less than £22,000 a year, you could get some funding from ILA Scotland.

This provides a grant of £200 towards the cost of learning something new at any approved provider, including learning centres, colleges, universities and private training companies.

Who can apply? Adults in Scotland. What’s the maximum award? £200. What does it cover? Learning costs.

Discretionary Learner Support

You can apply for Discretionary Learner Support from your education provider if you’re 19 or over, studying for a further education course, and facing financial hardship. This money can go towards childcare, accommodation, travel or course materials & equipment.

Your school or college decides how much you’ll get, and which scheme you’ll be put on, ie it could be a direct payment (you don’t have to pay it back), a loan, or paid directly to your landlord.

Who can apply? Anyone over 19. How much can you get? Varies. What does it cover? Any costs associated with studying

Care to Learn

There is help for those who have to bear the cost of course fees and childcare through the Government’s Care to Learn scheme. You must be 20 years or over at the start of your course to be eligible for the scheme, and be the main carer for your child. This is not suitable for those studying a higher education course at university.

The sum covers childcare, deposit and registration fees, travel costs for taking your child to the provider, and keeping your childcare place over the holidays. Childcare providers must be registered with Ofsted.

Payments of £160 per child per week (£175 if you live in London) will stop if you stop studying, you finish the course, or your child stops attending childcare.

Who can apply? Aged 20 or over, studying publicly-funded course in England. How much can you get? £160 or £175 per child per week. What does it cover? Childcare costs.

Professional and Career Development Loans

If you think grants and loans are only for university students, think again. These loans are offered at a reduced interest rate, which the Government pays while you’re studying, and are there to help those who want to top up their training.

To be eligible, you need to be over 18 and must have been living in anywhere in the UK for at least three years before the start of your course. Your course must last two years, or up to three years with a year of work experience.

The snag is that the course must be provided by an organisation on the Professional Career and Development Loan Register, so you’ll need to check.

Be careful of imposters – only Barclays and Co-op currently offer these loans. For more information, take a look at our Career Development Loans guide.

Who can apply? Anyone over 18. How much can you get? Between £300 and £10,000. What does it cover? Any tuition costs associated with developing your career.

Mobile Learning, Mobile Earning

Local council grants

Your local council may offer grants to advance your education. As councils can assign funding to different areas, search for local training providers using the Gov.uk website.

Quick Stats: Who can apply? Varies. What’s the maximum award? Varies. What does it cover? Depends on the type of grant available.

Setting up your own business

Over 50 and interested in setting up your own business?

The Prince’s Initiative, a charity that supports people who are out of work or facing redundancy, offers a Preparing to Run Your Own Business Course for the over-50s. It’s free but requires an £80 deposit, reduced to £25 if you’re claiming an employment-related benefit, which is refunded when you’ve finished the course.

The course runs all over the UK and includes areas such as marketing and finance. For more information, or to book a place, see the Prime website or call 0845 862 2023.

Who can apply? Over-50s. What’s the maximum award? N/A. What does it cover? 6-7 week course with 3 training days and coursework.

Want to improve your maths and English skills?

A simple maths equation If you’ve ever wanted to improve your maths and English skills, virtually every college in the country offers free courses to help you from basic literacy and numeracy up to GCSE level. Check on the National Careers Service website or call 0800 100 900 for classes in your area.

Try this online quiz from Move On and the BBC SkillsWise site to see if you could improve your skills.

Who can apply? Anyone What’s the maximum award? n/a What does it cover? Free daytime and evening classes in maths and English (reading, writing)

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Innovation is alive and kicking as FSB 2014 London Business Awards announced

Posted on July 4, 2014 | Leave a comment

Express training courses diane shawe finalist

Innovation is alive and kicking in London, according to the organisers of this year’s FSB London Business Awards, who have just announced the finalists.

The shortlist includes Express training courses who provides soft skills courses to people looking to get a job, get a promotion or start a business by them training on their mobile devices. Rockflower Ltd, who sell fresh flowers from kiosks and vending machines, Mum2mum market Ltd where mums sell nearly new baby and children’s clothes to other mothers and Cyclehoop, award-winning designers and architects who are changing the face of indoor and outdoor cycle parking.

Steve Warwick, London regional chairman of the FSB (Federation of Small Businesses) said: “The four businesses we’ve picked out here are just the tip of the London innovation iceberg. We’ve been blown away by the ingenuity and innovation shown by this year’s finalists.

“Yet again London’s small businesses have shown that they are leading the way in finding new markets and providing services and products that customers didn’t even know they wanted! We’re all looking forward to the awards final, which is set to be a celebration of London business success.”

The overall winner as well as the category winners will be announced at the final at the plush Hotel Pullman London St Pancras, on Saturday, July 19, 2014.

The full shortlist is:

Busisess Innovation Award

Geeks Ltd

Express Training Courses (AVPT Ltd

Mum2mum market Ltd

Orange Money Ltd

MarketInvoice

Best New Business

Advantage Business Partnerships Ltd

GATE8 Luggage

IDEX Consulting (London) LLP

My TutorWeb

Rockflower Ltd

Service Excellence

Cafe Buzz

Edward James London Aveda Salon & Spa

FM Cosmetics UK Ltd

MSH Wellbeing

RIG Locums Limited

Training and Development

Myers & Co Accountants Limited

RIG Locums Limited

Edward James London Aveda Salon & Spa

Optimity Limited

Gina Conway Aveda Lifestyle Salons and Spas

Young Person of the Year

Daryl Woodhouse, Advantage Business Partnerships Ltd

Kerry Cannadine, Chic Dreams

Louise Clarke, Dot Net Solutions

Katie Newman, Havering Beauty Academy

Shubber Raja, Medilink Consulting Limited

Enterprising Business

GeoLytix

Cyclehoop Ltd

Promo2u

Wildwash

Medilink Consulting Limited

Merton Council

Geeks Ltd

Cannizaro House

Flying Fantastic

MaByLand

Mum2mum market Ltd

Enfield Business of the Year

Love Your DoorStep Ltd

Tessa Stevens health & Beauty Clinic

Employee of the Year

Tracey Reece, Balance Recruitment Ltd

Richard Walker-Taylor, Burns Carlton Ltd

Real Life Entrepreneur

Daryl Woodhouse, Advantage Business Partnerships Ltd

Anita Sieniuc, FM Cosmetics UK Ltd

Gina Conway, Gina Conway Aveda Lifestyle Salons and Spas

Lars Andersen, My Nametags Ltd

Cath Harrop, Mum2mum market Ltd

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Why employers and training organisations need to take heed of this global trend

Posted on May 23, 2014 | Leave a comment

Diane Shawe CEO

The Changing face of Skills and Training

article by Diane Shawe M.Ed CEO

In a report conducted by Kelly Global Workforce Index in 2013 over 120,000 respondents from 31 countries across the Americas, EMEA an APAC regions where asked several questions about Skills and Training.

When asked to identify the main motivation for earning new skills or undertaking training, the largest share of employees 57% cited the opportunity for promotion with their current employer. A further 47% cited the opportunity to work in another organisation, and 42% planned to enter a new field of work.

Globally, 60% of worker are either actively seeking further education or training (23%) or considering it (37%). The APAC region stands out as a skilling hotspot, with 69% of those surveyed either considered or seeking further training for a new field.

Across the globe, there are markedly different approaches to the notion of additional training and professional development. The highest rates of planned upskilling are predominantly in developing economies, while the lowest rates tend to be in some of the most prosperous nations.

Russia heads the list for training intensity, with an astonishing 92% planning some form of training. Also high on the list are Thailand, Mexico, Brazil, Indonesia, Puerto Rico and Malaysia.

Surprisingly the lowest rates of planned training are in France, Luxembourg, the US and Switzerland.

Among professional and technical employees, those most likely to be actively seeking to upgrade their skills are in Math, Engineering and IT, while the least likely are in Science, Health Care and Education.

Investing in Training that Works

For training to be meaningful it needs to be relevant and practical – not “training for training sake”.

When asked to identify the mot desirable means of furhering their skills, the overwhelming preference was for on-the-job experience and training, identified by 70% of respondents, significantly ahead of the next hightest ranked “continued education and training” cited by 58%

Building a durable Skills base

The last two decades have radically altered the way skill are acquired and developed. Skill are no longer “front-end loaded” onto a career. Rather they are increasingly embedded as part of lifelong learning and development.

The upgrading and renewal of skills plays a critical role in personal and professional development. It also has a vital role in broader workforce development, which is the cornerstone of organisational efficiency and productivity.

All skills have a finite life, and in industries subject to high rates of technological change and innovation, the lifespan of skills is becoming shorter. Increasingly, new skills will need to be learned and deployed throughout a working life.

It is clear that decisions about training and professional development are now an integral part of the employment equation, and have an important bearing on employee moral, performance and retention.

What Employers can do

Consider opportunities for training and personal development.
Help to build a culture of continuous learning so that employees are encouraged to develop and use new skills
Encourage employees to think about career plans and the type of skills and training they need to stay equipped.
Consider training as a key element in employee attraction and retention.
Champion individuals who have devoted time to upskilling so they can become ambassadors for an organisation.

The landscape has changed

The scale and duration of the downturn has forced may employees to look afresh at the whole area of training and professional development – one that was previously guided by employers. Employees now recognise that they cannot solely rely on an employer to direct in this important element of their lives.

A new generation of workers is taking on much greater responsibility for their training and professional development, including the way it is provided and funded.

The global economic shock-waves have unleashed a new orthodoxy and a unforeseen outcomes has a new generation of employees are more independent, globally focused and adaptive. The new challenges for global employers is to understand why the landscape has changed and prudently look beyond the present and where the best skilled workforce will be and what work will look like in 10 or 15 years.