Finding spare time in the day or money in the budget can be a challenge for any business. Read below for 7 tips to help you develop your knowledge and skills to make the most of online tools, technology and techniques without having to invest a lot of time or money.
Pick one skill or area to focus attention on
It is easy to become overwhelmed or try to tackle too much with the endless amount of information that you can access on the web. Start by focusing on one key topic to make best use of your time and keep on track with a clear goal in mind.
Ask yourself what skills you want to develop and what your business could benefit from
Do you need to learn how to promote your business via Twitter? Do you want to set up your own regular email marketing? Are you interested in how your team could improve file sharing with the cloud?
Begin with the root of the skill you’d like to learn. For example, if you want to master Facebook advertising, it’s best to start with understanding how to build a profile that engages customers first.
Read and bookmark useful online resources
A quick online search is likely to bring up numerous blogs and articles on your chosen topic. Reading online content is great for when you’re just getting started as it’s free, easy to access and reusable. Start reading around the topic to develop your understanding before diving into any big changes. Read a number of reputable resources to compare insights and consider how they fit with your own goals.
Watch video tutorials and demonstrations
Reading online resources is a great way to develop your knowledge, but when you’re ready to dip your toe in you’ll need more practical, hands-on advice to improve your skills. For example, if you’re tackling email marketing then you may have read a few blogs on creating an interesting email template, the best content to include and the best send times for your market. When you’re ready to actually set up your email, video tutorials and demonstrations will provide a great way to see a real ‘how to’ in action and you could even follow along with it.
Share learning within your team
Once you’ve got to grips with developing one skill, you may want to try your hand at other online tools or platforms – or you may decide you want more in-depth understanding of existing skills. A great way to grow the skillset of your business is to involve the team. Take a collaborative approach to education and encourage staff to share what they have learned. This manageable approach to learning will take up less individual time but also bring new ideas and expertise to the table.
Attend a free, practical event to ask questions
Online learning is cost and time effective thanks to the availability of thousands of online resources, however you may hit roadblocks or have questions that you can’t find the answers to online. Free business events are a great way to get real-life advice, ask questions and share ideas and skills with other businesses to continue improving. Superfast Business Wales courses take place across Wales and cover topics such as social media, digital marketing and data protection. Find an event to suit you now.
Make skills development part of your growth plans
Whether you assign short weekly slots, or longer monthly training sessions, building a regular pattern of learning into schedule will help to refresh and consistently build your skillset and the wider capability of the business. Although you may need to invest some time to start with, the long-term benefits could save time, reduce costs and boost profits with improved processes.
Keep up to date with news and trends
Developing your skillset isn’t a one-time thing. Enrich your learning by following industry blogs, signing up to relevant email updates or tracking key topics or trends on social media. Keeping yourself in the loop will not only help to refresh your learning on a regular basis but could also highlight new developments that could benefit the business.