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My Current and Previous Projects, Skills, Qualifications and Interests
1985-1986. Sales and Marketing Consultancy to a new in-house multi-media training department within Citibank, London which had been set up to improve the quality and range of training available to the Bank's staff. My role was to work with the newly appointed manager of the department to promote the ideals and the benefits of the new training method to departmental managers and staff, who were in effect the multi-media training department's public.
1985-1987. Marketing and Information Consultancy to the Blue Arrow Group's IT department who were converting all branch staff to a new computer-based management information system. My task was to conduct surveys and forums with groups of users to establish attitudes to the change, create briefing materials, run educational seminars, write guides and news for the company's in-house magazine, etc. All leading to the roll-out of the new system. After implementation my work involved providing training for users of the new systems and addressing not only the technical issues but also their personal concerns about the new technology.
1986-1987. Sales and Marketing Consultancy to Training International, a London based IT training services provider. My role was to work with the marketing, sales and tech support staff to improve the image and professionalism of the company in the eyes of its actual and potential customers, the press and the competition. The task also included a special focus on the company's sales methods with a view to improving staff confidence and attitude so that the sales team were able to gain access to the senior management decision makers.
1987-1989. With a business partner I launched and ran my own recruitment agency specializing in the placement of training personnel. The business was operated from offices in Central London and achieved a good measure of success. Growth was inhibited only by lack of capital investment and in 1990 I was head-hunted to manage the sales and marketing of a new computer software company, see below.
1900-1994. Sales and Marketing Manager for Savoy Computing, the software support arm of a firm of consulting engineers. My role was to launch the products and services that the company had developed for the commercial marketplace. For the first two years my work was almost entirely PR to make the media and the industry aware of the new company and its pedigree. Then as the name became known my activities shifted away from PR and more into marketing and finally sales.
1994 to 2008. Trading as Open Secret and creating Press, Publicity, Marketing and Technical Information, as below:
1994-1995. Editing and writing a Newsletter for Essex Dance.
1994. Creation of a presentation and presentation skills coaching for Romar Process Engineering.
1995-1998. Writing technical and instructional computer manuals and self-teach manuals for Seetec Business Systems.
1995-1996. Development of a departmental customer care programme for staff implementing an internal market programme. The client was the Royal London Hospital group.
1999. Writing instructional manuals for computer systems inventory and evaluation on behalf of Seetec Business Systems. 2000-2002. With a group of associates, I developed and launched a dot.com business www.thirdageexperts.com. This was a directory and source of independent consultants available as a business resource to small to medium enterprises. Our website provided the portal for organizations seeking an expert and for experts to register their skills on site's database.
2000. Design and creation of Internet based self-paced teaching materials covering Microsoft MCSE qualifications on behalf of Seetec Business Systems.
2000. Design and creation of website for Grafton Technology, a specialist recruitment consultancy. Creation of content and initial design of a website for Mark1Hire and Kentec Tool Hire, both specialist equipment hire contractors.
2001-2003. Regional Director for a sales recruitment company specializing in the search and selection of sales and marketing personnel.
2003. Direct mail marketing campaign for Oldham Associates.
2004. Marketing brochure for clients of Lee Doran Associates, Chelmsford.
2004. Marketing materials for Applause Entertainments, Stevenage.
2004. Sales and marketing materials for the launch of a new product by Glazequote Ltd.
2005 to 2007. Creating a virtual tutor study programme for graduates of Seetec Business Systems' IT training programmes.
2006 to 2007. Creating a virtual tutor study program for Seetec Business Systems Computer Programming students.
1999 to 2008. Creation and managing the Bradwell Chapel website on behalf of the Anglican Diocese of Chelmsford.
2002 to 2008. Writing technical and instructional manuals for specialist water screening equipment manufactured by Eimco Water Technologies Ltd of Colchester.
2006 to 2008. Sales, marketing and publicity materials for local arts societies.
2007 to 2008. Volunteer Sales and Marketing Trainer for the Prince's Trust business development team.PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE:
1990 - 1994 Savoy Computing Ltd - Sales and Marketing Manager
1986 - 1990 Freelance Technical Author
1982 - 1985 Thorn-EMI - IT systems Sales Team Leader
1979 - 1982 Harris Computer Systems - IT systems Sales Executive
1973 - 1979 BBA - Technical Publications ManagerIT AND OFFICE SKILLS:
Microsoft Office with Word, Excel, Access, Outlook & Publisher, Adobe PageMaker DTP, Adobe FrameMaker, Adobe PhotoShop & Adobe Acrobat Distiller, Paint Shop Pro, Serif DrawPlus, Hot Metal Pro & Dreamweaver (HTML editors) and Internet publishing tools.EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:
Higher National Certificate in Production Engineering
City & Guilds in Technical Authorship
Professional Development Sales and Marketing training in the UK and USA
Fellow of the Institute of Scientific and Technical Communicators (1986)
Diploma in Copywriting and Member of the Institute of Copywriters (1999)
Fellow of the Institute of Sales and Marketing Management (2001)
Diploma in Public Relations Consultancy (awarded by SAC and Reid Kerr College 2004)INTERESTS AND ACTIVITIES:
Artistic pursuits include: art, reading, amateur dramatics, photography, singing with local music groups.
Physical pursuits include: cycling, motorcycling, swimming and jogging.
General interests include: science, technology, current affairs, business and politics.
Peter Finch,
March 2008
