Features
You+360 is our magazine that is full of inspiring features, hints and tips, as well as some of the latest developments in training.
At One with Nature
As publisher of the world's leading weekly scientific journal, Nature Publishing Group is committed to excellence - and that means proper investment in their employees' learning and development.
Here two members of staff share their experiences.
1) The Personal Perspective
NAME: Jon Giuliani. COURSE: Presentation Skills
My role is mainly to grow my portion of the established core markets and extend the reach of our products to new markets and territories. Of course, I can't do all that from my desk, and I often find myself having to present the benefits of our products to large numbers of decision-makers from key institutions in various countries, I really wanted to build confidence in my presentation skills and be sure I could present my company's products in a clear, effective, logical - and above all, memorable - way.
Finding a formula that helps me to convey my message quickly and interestingly is vital, considering the forum is usually a conference with many strong competitors. The two sessions really helped me to understand my message, and taught me to take time to think of ways to best outline, compile and deliver the presentation. Practical 'delivery clinics' helped me to avoid falling into bad patterns - and as a result I'm far more confident and, I hope exciting, public speaker.
Put to the test
My presentation skills were recently tested at a closed conference of representatives of the biggest institutions in Italy. These were clients that are considered key players, and trend-setters in the market.
My presentation was attended by a large percentage of the audience, and I'm delighted to say it generated real excitement. Best of all, it was followed by a long Q&A session, which made it clear my message had hit home and that they had a real interest in our products and policies, and that they genuinely wanted to work with us.
On a personal level, I now find it much easier to entertain and communicate generally, simply by focussing on the "audience" and the "message". Besides the obvious benefits of better communication, the strongest personal achievement from the training sessions was the self-confidence I've built up.
2) The Organisational Perspective
NAME: Imogen Tizzard. TRAINING: Sales and Account ManagementI'm responsible for the UK-based government and corporate sales team, sales team revenues and a handful of key corporate accounts, so hitting targets is obviously a very big part of my day-to-day. The advertising department, along with HR, suggested that we meet with 360 to hear how they could work with my team to help grow our business and meet targets. We were presented with a tailored training proposal which fitted really well with our expectations - both the courses offered and 360's experience really convinced us it was the best training for us and our team. We've certainly been proved right!
We've now been working with 360 for just over three years, and each course has been tailored exactly to our requirements. We provide 360 with real case scenarios to study - this makes sure the training is 100% relevant and is a valuable use away from email and the telephone!Positive feedback
We've employed a mixture of group sessions and individual Personal Development Modules for the senior sales executives for maximum impact. The team finds the group sessions a real chance to bond, understand each other and work together to tackle common hurdles and barriers. The shorter sessions are packed with useful information and are great at busy times of the year as quick, focused pick-me-ups.
PDMs are an ideal way to identify reps' weaknesses and strengthen their sales abilities. Reps usually come back brimming with enthusiasm and energy from these sessions and they have proven to make a real difference to accounts. 360's level of care, attention to detail and understanding of our business in terms of who we are, what we publish and what our goals are have been key. In short, feedback from the team has been great, and we've seen some hugely positive results.
I honestly think that our business unit has really benefited from having 360 work with our sales reps ¡V not just in terms of growing revenues, but from a personal perspective too. They've helped to bond and excite the team and they've really helped boost confidence. From a management perspective it's incredibly rewarding to see the team so enthused after a training day and to request more sessions!
