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11 Tips to Positioning Your Contract Training Unit for Post Recession

Indicators are showing the economy is slowly rebounding with projections for Q3 or Q4. What is your Contract Training Unit doing to get ready? Now is the time to position your area for success and sharpen your brand awareness. The economic landscape will never be the same again. We, as colleges, must also change to be competitive. Here are some creative ideas for positioning your contract training unit for post recession:

1. Ask customers what they want and need to be successful – The answers may include competitive pricing, blended delivery, a form of ROI, answers for their issues, someone to trust, great customer service and programs to help save time, money and waste.

2. Make internal changes – Evaluate your proposals, billing, registration, signature chain, fulfillment, working in silos and if all employees are producing. Refine processes to become more agile when the economy turns.

3. Expand delivery methods – Elevate your brand by offering consulting, stand-up training, coaching, e-learning, webinars, podcasts, blended learning and more.

4. Position your college – Add new programs or market existing Lean Six Sigma, Go Green and Leadership. Focus on hot industries now—energy and healthcare.

5. Differentiate from the competition – Use your unique selling proposition, give better customer service, offer discount pricing, create new programs, and show ROI.

6. Create packages for companies coming out of recession – Problem solving, sustainability, be more competitive, sell in a global market, team focused, leadership

7. Ramp up your sales staff – Upgrade skills with training and coaching, shadow on sales calls, make proactive sales calls to key companies who can buy now, understand solution selling, and sell how customers want to buy.

8. Nurture current customers – Uncover new issues or needs, offer creative solutions, be a resource, reward good customers and get referrals.

9. Stimulus Money – Connect with WIA Boards to create programs for high-demand jobs. WIA Boards are getting $3 Billion to train and retrain.

10. Rethink your marketing – The catalog doesn’t do it anymore! Ask your customers how they want to hear from you. Try something different using Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, e-marketing techniques and track your marketing efforts.

11. Build brand equity – Be proactive and offer solutions for customer’s needs. Be professional and give great customer service. Build relationships and trust for lasting and repeat business with customers.

The economy will rebound—are you ready?

Contract Training Edge is a resource for your sales and contract training needs. Choose from training and workshops, keynote presentations, consulting or one-on-one coaching. Visit our website at www.ctedge.net and then call 913-593-5347 for a preliminary telephone meeting.