Tip #282: Training is a Business

Training is a real business, but frequently trainers, particularly independent practitioners, forget that being in business DOES mean getting paid!

The video, The Vendor/Client Relationship In Real-World Situations' illustrates what trainers face with some clients who want to negotiate.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2a8TRSgzZY

I think it's wonderfully if painfully accurate! If this strikes a chord with you and you have a story to tell, please write in with it and we'll print it in the next Tip.

Next week, we will look at some pretty sad real-life training fee negotiations!

Before we get to this week's Tip, Beth Eberhardt, Interim Coordinator, Maricopa Community Colleges, needs your assistance. She trains employees how to be more effective when they communicate using email and voice mail- and would like to incorporate activities into her program:

I am currently revising a Communicating with Voicemail and Email workshop. This is the one that you gave me the suggestion to do the shared responsibility dominoes exercise. I did it previously and it went well but the evaluations state that they would have like more activities. "My dilemma is that I work for a community college system and we have 10 colleges, all with their own email systems (Zimbra, Outlook, SeaMonkey) therefore it is difficult to teach any technology in relation to the content. Some wanted to have recordings of voicemails that they all could critique which is a possibility. One additional activity that I have them do is write a personal voicemail greeting and share with a partner. "

Do you have any other advice for activities when teaching soft skills in relation to technology? Thanks in advance, Beth

This week, we look at a real-life training fee negotiation!