Start your own online business

If you have a business idea or have already started your own business this course includes many topics that will save you time and potentially many thousands of pounds from poor decisions. Almost every business requires an online presence to communicate with potential/existing clients and raise brand awareness. This course will show you how to achieve this with no further financial investment.
Whatever your business idea, this course will provide essential information that will help you avoid some of the pitfalls that too many start-ups experience. It’s all about keeping your costs to a minimum and working to a budget during the early stages of your business development.

There will be free follow up sessions to offer additional support and guidance. 

“Both of the instructors provided the class with the enormous benefit of their collective knowledge from years of running their own very successful businesses. They expertly shared this knowledge and experience to provide essential information and useful tips to prepare a complete novice for setting up their own business. The importance of having a strong digital presence was made very clear with recommended methods provided to achieve this. I got the impression that the course was tailored to meet the needs of everyone as an individual. An excellent and highly recommended course.”
- Course Attendee

This course is designed for Service leavers who have explored the self-employment option and are now ready to take the next steps in creating and developing their business.

There are many new skills you’ll require for your business. This course will explore some of the more important and useful skills.

You have a desire to start your own business or have already started. You should have attended the Self Employment Awareness workshop and have researched your business idea. This course requires no specific eligibility criteria.

The course will be delivered by current business Owner Directors with more than 40 year’s experience between them, working in the fields of business training and development, sales, website creation and optimisation, search engine optimisation, social media marketing and eCommerce.

*IMPORTANT*For courses taking place at RC Portsmouth, the first three days are classroom based followed by two days of online live training using Teams/Zoom. You will be sent an invitation for days 4 and 5 at the start of the course.

Course content:

Day 1: Understanding Business Basics

Introduction:
Your approach to risk and finance are critical elements of running a successful business. These topics will be discussed in relation to your specific business idea in order to stimulate further questions and provide answers.

Your attitude to Risk

• Identify and Manage risks

The basics of Finance

• Cash in the bank
• Invoicing
• Terms and Conditions
• Choosing an Accountant
• Accounts packages including XERO
• Payment services including STRIPE

Benefits: When starting a new business its important that you understand the risks involved not only for yourself but also for your partner and family. Understanding how to quickly get cash into your business is crucial; protecting your business with clear Terms and Conditions and using current finance technology to receive and manage payments is imperative.

            Day 2: The Art of Selling

Introduction:  This module has been modified from our professional schedule and will provide tried and tested sales techniques used by sales professionals. Assuming that you are new to sales and have no selling experience, this part of the course will provide a platform of fundamental but important techniques. It will include practical exercises that will enable you to deliver a professional sales pitch.

• The psychology behind selling to improve your levels of success.

• Implement a tried and tested sales process which will maximise your sales opportunity.

• Ask questions which will lead to a reduced level of objections and an increased level of sales.

• Identify your customer’s needs.

• Match a solution and close the sale.

• Employ a very simple process to anticipate and deal with objections.

• Key persuasion & closing tactics.
 
  Be effective, not pushy.

Benefits: This element of the course will provide you with an important selling skills framework to maximise your chances of success. Training has been adapted from our professional sales course and comes with a proven track record of success.

Day 3: Business Tools and Regulations

Introduction: We’ll highlight important topics relating to collecting data, communicating with clients, data regulations, the importance of Google and website performance tools.

• Collect prospect data via your website and email
• Email campaigns to raise awareness, sell and communicate with clients
• GDPR and ICO regulations
• The importance of Google and Google My Business
• Screaming Frog, GTMetrix website performance tools

Benefits: There are many tools at your disposal to perform basic business functions. We’ll focus on several important aspects of running your business including how to monitor the performance of your website.

Day 4: Your Website – Platform choice, Creating Content, Ecommerce options and Optimization (virtual classroom)

Introduction: This module is delivered by the owner of a website development company with 20+ years’ experience guiding and supporting existing businesses and start-ups. This element of the course will answer important questions relating to your online presence.

• Identify the best website platform for your business

• Choosing an eCommerce platform
• Choosing a Domain name, Hosting company and web development Software
• Explore Google Analytics and Search Console
• Identify Keywords and Keyword strategies
• Explore Google Trends

Having a Digital Marketing Strategy is key to your success with a plan to raise awareness of your product or services. Your choice of web development tool, domain name and hosting platform may have an impact on future growth. Producing engaging content is probably one of the most important skills you must learn. Researching keywords and conducting competitor analysis will help raise your website ranking. Understanding how to drive traffic to your website using Google AdWords, PPC and the costs involved will prepare you for this challenge.

Benefits: You could have the most up to date, competitive, Google friendly online presence that will work for you and your customers.

Day 5: Social Media Marketing including Google (virtual classroom)

Introduction: This module will explore “pay per click” using Google Adwords, content marketing and blogging techniques, plus the importance of Social Media platforms to your business.  

• Explore Google AdWords including its pay per click (ppc)and campaign functionality

• Explore Content Marketing and blogging

• Explore social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, LinkedIn and Amazon.

Benefits: It’s all about driving traffic to your website with the aid of a marketing strategy using ppc and social media relevant to your business.

You will learn using a blend of instruction, discussion, case studies and activities to help embed knowledge and practice skills. You will be encouraged to participate in discussions and explore questions relating to your business idea. By the end of the course, you will be in a far stronger position to confidently move forward with your business.

Important:
It is recommended that you bring a laptop or device for the classroom element of the course.

A Microsoft account would be beneficial that can be downloaded from your apps portal or go to https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/microsoft-365/try

Post Course Support
You are welcome to contact your Trainer after the course for advice. There will be free follow up sessions on completion of the course; dates to be confirmed with course delegates. 

This course is aimed at Service leavers planning to run their own business. With many new skills required to get your business off the ground including those relating to websites and social media, this course will provide information and support towards making that first step.