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Communicate & Serve

Communication for SME Owners

A practical Business Nous course in the Communicate & Serve track.

14 sessions91 lessons7 hours of study Written lessonsWorkbook includedCertificate

What you'll learn

  • The Building Blocks
  • Wrap-Up
  • Key Communication Components
  • Your Communications Plan
  • The Five C’s of a Successful Message
  • Communication Strategies
  • Maintaining Your Message in Crisis
  • Sharing Information Through Media Releases
  • Communicating Online
  • Using Stories to Communicate

Course content

14 sessions · 91 lessons · ~7 hours · first 2 lessons free

▶Session One: Course Overview7 lessons
  • ▶OverviewFree25 min
  • ▶Course OverviewFree2 min
  • ▶Develop, maintain, and evolve effective content for your communications2 min
  • ▶Pre-Course Assessment2 min
  • ▶The goal: To elevate your business to new heights2 min
  • ▶Someone who is friendly, confident, and well-spoken2 min
  • ▶None of the above2 min
▶Session Three: The Building Blocks8 lessons
  • ▶Your Mission, Vision, and Values2 min
  • ▶Mission, vision, and values2 min
  • ▶How do we currently differentiate ourselves from the competition?2 min
  • ▶Expenses2 min
  • ▶Hours needed for planning and preparation2 min
  • ▶Elevator Pitch and Executive Summary15 min
  • ▶Example2 min
  • ▶With your audience2 min
▶Day One Wrap-Up2 lessons
  • ▶Purpose2 min
  • ▶Activity2 min
▶Session Two: Key Communication Components2 lessons
  • ▶Maintenance is necessary, as is periodic redesign and expansion2 min
  • ▶Reflect on the exercise45 min
▶Session Four: Your Communications Plan9 lessons
  • ▶Choosing a Communications Route10 min
  • ▶It reaches your audience2 min
  • ▶What is the preferred route for reaching this audience?2 min
  • ▶Making Connections40 min
  • ▶Choosing the Vehicle2 min
  • ▶Your media guidelines could include things like2 min
  • ▶Developing an Approval Process10 min
  • ▶Defining Inbound and Outbound Marketing2 min
  • ▶The Reasons for Inbound Marketing2 min
▶Session Five: The Five C’s of a Successful Message5 lessons
  • ▶Be Clear15 min
  • ▶Consider this e-mail2 min
  • ▶Being Clear2 min
  • ▶Second reference is to Mike, when first reference is to Matthew2 min
  • ▶Now consider this2 min
▶Session Six: Communication Strategies5 lessons
  • ▶Communications Checklist2 min
  • ▶Increasing customer connection to the brand2 min
  • ▶What are your targets (if applicable)?2 min
  • ▶Building Core Strength2 min
  • ▶Announce2 min
▶Session Twelve: Maintaining Your Message in Crisis25 lessons
  • ▶Small Business Owners2 min
  • ▶Negative publicity costing sales2 min
  • ▶What communication tools do we use now?2 min
  • ▶Maintaining respect for audience and self2 min
  • ▶What are some messages you could share in your elevator pitch?2 min
  • ▶How important is this audience to your business? Why?2 min
  • ▶Special events2 min
  • ▶Does your company do outbound marketing, inbound marketing, or both?2 min
  • ▶Bill2 min
  • ▶Joan2 min
  • ▶Markus2 min
  • ▶Sandy Smith4 min
  • ▶Who is best to compile and update them?2 min
  • ▶Did you go to the second page?2 min
  • ▶What information the company hopes to gain2 min
  • ▶I have these resources to help me2 min
  • ▶Recommended Reading List2 min
  • ▶Course Length2 min
  • ▶Post-Course Assessment2 min
  • ▶Maintaining respect for your audience and yourself2 min
  • ▶Keep it to one or two minutes2 min
  • ▶All of the above2 min
  • ▶Workshops2 min
  • ▶Search Engine Optimization2 min
  • ▶Personal Action Plan2 min
▶Session Seven: Sharing Information Through Media Releases8 lessons
  • ▶Looking at the Options2 min
  • ▶Media Releases2 min
  • ▶Drafting Your Message15 min
  • ▶Consistent Design and Font2 min
  • ▶Photos2 min
  • ▶The Basics2 min
  • ▶Contact Person Information2 min
  • ▶Final Points2 min
▶Session Eight: Communicating Online7 lessons
  • ▶Blogging Tips and Tricks15 min
  • ▶Guidelines3 min
  • ▶Connecting Through Social Media15 min
  • ▶Social Media Plan Worksheet15 min
  • ▶Business Name2 min
  • ▶Campaign Objectives2 min
  • ▶Competitive Analysis2 min
▶Session Nine: Using Stories to Communicate1 lesson
  • ▶The Importance of Story30 min
▶Session Ten: Polishers and Time Savers8 lessons
  • ▶Preparing Fact Sheets2 min
  • ▶The company’s official title2 min
  • ▶Communication goals2 min
  • ▶Include2 min
  • ▶Reduce, Re-Use, and Recycle15 min
  • ▶Reduce2 min
  • ▶Reuse2 min
  • ▶Recycle2 min
▶Session Eleven: Enhancing Your Results3 lessons
  • ▶What is Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?2 min
  • ▶Here are five tips for getting a solid list of keywords2 min
  • ▶Taking Your Communication Pulse15 min
▶Exercises & tools1 lesson
  • ▶What Are You Doing About That?2 min

About this course

A practical Business Nous course in the Communicate & Serve track.

Every lesson is written out in full — this is the complete course, not a summary. You read it, watch the narrated video, and do the exercise against your own business. The workbook is yours to download, print and keep. Finish the lessons and you earn a Business Nous certificate.

Who it's for

Small business owners, managers and ambitious employees who want practical know-how rather than academic theory. No prior study is needed — start where you are and work at your own pace.

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