Thursday 29th June from 6.00pm til LATE at tic, Millennium Point

The tic’s 20th monthly meeting for creative industry professionals was as strong as ever with over 120 delegates attending our June event. Being right next to Birmingham’s World Cup Fan Park, there was a carnival atmosphere for networking and collaboration on this warm summer’s evening.

Beginning in the canteen with fine barbecue style hot food, the room was soon full and brimming with the best creative talent in the West Midlands. The anticipation was building to hear from our very special guest speaker, Martin Goodyer, the renowned life coach of contestants and winners of the hit BBC TV series, ‘The Apprentice’.

The wait was more than worthwhile, with Martin giving us one of the most charismatic and insightful performances we have ever seen at a Creative Networks event.

Abussi Ltd Contact: Craig Sharp phone 0870 701 9590 email craig@abussi.co.uk web www.abussi.co.uk

Abussi’s Director gave us a brief pitch highlighting the benefits of voice over IP (VOIP) for small creative businesses in the West Midlands. Most of the projects in our industry come from collaborative ventures, with phone costs often posing a barrier for freelancers and smaller companies to work together effectively. Craig introduced the possibility of having unlimited free calls for a small set-up cost, using IP based voice communication – a potential godsend for many creatives.

The benefit of Internet telephony is to cut your business telephony costs. All calls you make to other internal phones are free, regardless of their location, and calls to other lines are competitively priced.

You can also get a fully-featured PBX system for your business. Every system offers personal extensions on your virtual PBX, with all the facilities you would expect: voice menu, personal voicemail, hunt groups, call forwarding, etc.

You can configure your system to give whatever impression you want to customers. For example, if you have associates or employees in other areas of the Midlands, UK or even abroad, you can give them all extensions on the same number, or their own numbers with the same area code as your head office.

Cooper & Jackson - Cojac Photography Contact: Phill Cooper phone 0116 270 0945 email phillip_cpr@yahoo.co.uk email cojac_photography@yahoo.co.uk

Cojac Photography recognises that while many photographers can get the best out of still subjects, it is another skill entirely to get the best out of people on photo and portraiture shoots. With this in mind, Cojac Photography uses accomplished cinematographers to work with human subjects to gain images of a highly professional standard. We were shown a dazzling set of pictures which stunned the audience, many of whom were given a sample CD on the way out of the lecture theatre.

Phill and his business partner Billy Jackon also work with BAFTA award winning Martin Raddich to ensure the highest quality products for their clients. The company also provide a wide range of other services to the creative industry, so please do get in touch with Phill who will be happy to provide you with a demo CD of how Cojac Photography can help you.

i4 Skills tic offers West Midlands creative professionals a valuable range of training courses.

Co-financed by the Learning Skills Council and European Social Fund, these courses are FREE to those meeting the eligibility criteria.

The courses are designed to further develop the management and marketing skills of those working in interactive and screen-based media businesses. Each course comprises 3 full, tutor-led days of activity.

COURSE DETAILS

Start With Success
Theme – Business Essentials for Media Start-ups
This course is aimed at new and recently established creative professionals requiring business support, particularly in terms of marketing and financial strategies, to help ensure long-term sustainability. Formal delivery is through a series of seminars, workshops and activities on subjects such as:

	Business planning
	Marketing
	Pitching skills / sales tactics
	Managing and working within a team
	Health andsafety
	Financial planning
	Networking and partnership skills
	Managing clients and their expectations

The key here is to get you started in business and help you produce your own showreel using our facilities.

Forthcoming 'Start With Success' Short Courses:
These courses start at 9:30 and finish approximately 16:30
...HURRY AND BOOK YOUR PLACE TODAY

Take a look at what some of our attendees have said of the Start With Success course:
"Start With Success was one of the most beneficial courses I’ve been on in recent years. Its comprehensive guide to business planning and development was a crucial device in taking the future of my company forward. At the helm of a young independent production and design company the course has proved a vital tool in allowing me to identify clear pathways to drive forward a full media service offered through the company’s position at the centre of a wealth of West Midlands creative industry talent. Most beneficial were the skills and vision brought to the course by the tutor whose coaching in presentation and delivery have awarded me newfound confidence in dealing with potential clients and new contracts. Many thanks.”
Michael Ford - Producer/Director - Threshold Media

"Can I say first and foremost a heart felt 'thank you'.
The course was so beneficial to me personally. The tic has made me realise my own potential and promise. All of those who took part in managing the events, with whom I’ve come into contact, are a welcoming beacon, to myself and to others."
Joseph Burgundy - Scriptwriter

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Market Maker Skills
Theme – Market-led Diversification for Media Business
This course is aimed at helping well-established creative professionals diversify their market portfolio. Formal delivery is through a series of seminars, workshops and activities on subjects such as:

	Market knowledge
	Seeking commissions and finance
	Language and communication
	Media needs and intervention
	Sales tactics
	Diversification

“I had second thoughts about going on the Market Maker course because of my workload. However, I was glad I made both the effort and time to spend three days at tic. Generally I like dealing with people on a one-to-one, but do not feel as comfortable in networking groups. I am fine promoting other companies, but am a shrinking violet when it comes to my business!

Within two days of the course I attended a Creative Networks evening and picked up some work. The tutor's techniques of making us feel confident about speaking about our company really worked. The course also helped me to focus where I am heading and what I need to do to get there. I always find tic’s courses to be helpful and useful, and Market Maker Skills and the tutor more than met the high standards I have come to expect.”
Hazel Wood - Hazel Wood Associates

For further details and to book a place on the courses above, please see contact Dave Taylor, Paul Trigg or Stephen Houston on phone: +44 (0)121 331 5400 email: dave.taylor@tic.ac.uk
paul.trigg@tic.ac.uk or stephen.houston@tic.ac.uk
Or visit the i4 Skills website at www.i4skillsonline.com to reserve a place online.

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