How much do you spend on your own education?

Im curious.

I must admit to getting annoyed, when I see people answering questions, when they clearly havent researched a subject:

They just echo what they do, because thats the way they have done it for years: whether or not it is right, and whether or not it flies in the face of everything that has ever been proven or tested!

So I am curious? What do others spend on their own education to keep up?

For me in the last 12 months buying /attending training seminars it has been around

£1K direct marketing
£2K on copywriting
£2K advertising
£1K adwords
£2K on specialist website conversion
£2K on other general and internet marketing stuff
(includes hotel fees, where appropriate)
& Im off to world internet summit next week
And Im also paying for ongoing mentoring

ie around £10K and 6-7 weeks keeping on top
I figure that is what I must do to keep on top in a market that is fast changing, and also to find others to network and V with

Am I unusual.... how much do others spend????

Id be particularly interested to know, how much web designers are spending on learning web marketing
( as well as the geeky stuff)

 

[ADW]

Not a penny! To busy working

I guess this all depends in which market sector you are working in as to how relevant it is.

I think when people answer questions much of the time it is opinion and there isn't always a definitive answer and lots of grey areas. You are possibly being specific in your post relating to what is of interest to you on here as I don't really see that many posts along the lines of what you state. Many answers come from experience and there is only one way to get that.

I am starting to worry about my post now in case I have answer wrong:|

 

My point was about people who are clearly pitching for work, but making mistakes - not the casual comment.

I was involved with an accountant recently -

I was presenting a financial model to a third party,and I had knocked the thing up on a spreadsheet - although it did contain a lot of complicated formulae -

Yet this guy, who was being paid by an associate not me, clearly BARELY knew how to turn excel on , and certainly his knowledge was VERY basic. Most kids would do better than he did.

And to me in this day an age is scandalous that an accountant does not have a reasonably deep knowledge of excel - considering the rates they charge to do such things.

. But I dare say that accountant was not unusual - so there is an example where continuing education is vital, and I would go further to say, that those who dont put in that graft are cheating their clients.

 

[Aspire]

I agree i probably does depend on industry i am in Commercial Insurance and because of regulation and my personal qualifications i have to obtain CPD points which are industry specific.

However i have employed other companies to look after some of the items you mention for example web design. Or printing and design even marketing to some extent. In my industry for example insurers provide brokers with free seminars on some of these subject with a view to building relationships and a hope we will promote their products.

 

[Cred-X]

I've seen many acocuntants get confused by spreadsheets generally.
Many of them were taught using ledgers, accountancy multi-column pads and calulators.
I guess it's what they are used to and comfortable with and for some they just don't get on with technology.

 

[Aspire]

My point was about people who are clearly pitching for work, but making mistakes - not the casual comment.

I was involved with an accountant recently -

I was presenting a financial model to a third party,and I had knocked the thing up on a spreadsheet - although it did contain a lot of complicated formulae -

Yet this guy, who was being paid by an associate not me, clearly BARELY knew how to turn excel on , and certainly his knowledge was VERY basic. Most kids would do better than he did.

And to me in this day an age is scandalous that an accountant does not have a reasonably deep knowledge of excel - considering the rates they charge to do such things.

. But I dare say that accountant was not unusual - so there is an example where continuing education is vital, and I would go further to say, that those who dont put in that graft are cheating their clients.

Now this on the other hand does happen a great deal in my industry. Many is the time i have heard a client say they have been advised that something is uninsurable simply because whoever they asked had not come accross that line of business before.

I know im still not helping but see where you are coming from.

 

[ADW]

Kimmrunner- I guessed you were being more specific. Another thing along the lines of what you are saying is that I notice people starting to get lazy and using mobile phone text expressions through email.

That is a fair bit you spend on keeping up with the times but must be required for what you do so probably money well spent.

 

[miketombs]

I don't personally know any accountants who aren't clued up on things like Excel, and the days of manual bookkeeping with dusty old ledgers are long gone in most practices.

Qualified accountants certainly have an obligation to do CPD. In my case I spend at least a couple of hours a month on formal tax update training, and at least one full day's workshop a quarter - normally more. That's on top of all the reading material that I have to go through.

The trouble lies with people with minor or no qualifications holding themselves out to be on top of everything when they don't have the required training and don't keep up to date with changing legislation.

Experience is great to a point, but it can result in people just getting more and more practiced at doing the wrong thing.

There was a thread on another forum about someone wanting to incorporate a sole trader business. Someone replied that forming a limited company is easy and can be done without professional help. That's true to an extent, but the poster was blisfully unaware that incorporating an existing business is massively nore complicated than just buying a ready-made company.

The trouble with people like that, posting misinformed 'guidance' about significant aspects of someones business, is that the poor guy who raised the question in the first place may well have gone down the DIY route blissfully unaware of what he was doing.

 

[Wiggy]

And to me in this day an age is scandalous that an accountant does not have a reasonably deep knowledge of excel - considering the rates they charge to do such things.

I suspect that I can do things with excel that my accountant can not dream of. This is hardly strange as Excel is not accounting software. . . I also imagine that I am a better mathematician than he is. But [done in the voice of the angry guy in the old Harry Enfield sketches] If I phoned him up and asked why directors' payslips don't show any NI in the early part of the year or how much my company is allowed to give to charity and he couldn't tell me, I would say, "Oy, Accountant, Nooooo!!!!!. . ." IMHO Accountants don't need to be able program macros or VB modules or even write complicated formulae in Excel. There is accounting software that pretty much covers any aspect of UK book-keeping/taxation. What they should be good at is knowing the rules and staying on top of any changes by HM's money grabbers. As for education. . .well if you need it and can afford the time and money it takes, the more the merrier.
Personally, not counting books bought, my spend on education this year has been £36 and I can not begin to tell you how good value it has been. In fact, I would like to take this opportunity to thank my tutors, you know who you are. . .

 

[Babylon]

I've seen many acocuntants get confused by spreadsheets generally.
Many of them were taught using ledgers, accountancy multi-column pads and calulators.
I guess it's what they are used to and comfortable with and for some they just don't get on with technology.

I think you have come across a poor sample of accountants who belong to the bygone age (BTW, are you sure they are qualified accountants?).

In general, accountants (proper ones) love spreadsheets/Excel . Believe me I know quite a lot of them.

 

[JamieM]

I have spent over £1k on online marketing incorporating many of the main formats.

However, I have committed the cardinal sin of having not implemented much of it yet. :redface:

I loved doing the course and would do more but I am concerned about repetition and wasting money.

 

I think you have come across a poor sample of accountants who belong to the bygone age (BTW, are you sure they are qualified accountants?).

In general, accountants (proper ones) love spreadsheets/Excel . Believe me I know quite a lot of them.

Yes one FCA indeed, and they are more widespread than you would think!

And sadly ,thats not the only horror story I have had in recent times with accountants even on accounting treatment issues, by people who did not appear to know rules

 

Accountants don't need to be able program macros or VB modules or even write complicated formulae in Excel.

Disagree

There is accounting software that pretty much covers any aspect of UK book-keeping/taxation.

Not so ...

I dont know any account software that extrapolates historic to cashflow prediction in the same software ..( except in the big league)

(except mine that is!!!!)

And then builds that on to a long range sensitivity

Which is why most accountants end up on spreadsheets.

And when it comes to complex modelling , YES! I would expect the accountant to know VB macro, since that is the way to do the best job in the least time.

Why?
And if your model involves extra people, the software should automatically cost in training, stationery, IT, effectiveness and so on from a profile of an employee

To do that by hand takes forever in complex businesses.

Thats the point. Guys selling business plans should take the time to learn to do it well.

 

[miketombs]

... which is why those of us who prepare business plans have business planning software and also use accounting systems that do indeed allow future performance to be estimated from past results, if only to use as a starting point.

 

[elite123]

£0.00. but i think it is something that i should do, but too busy to do so !

 

Interesting question.

In my particular industry there is no where for me to go for paid tuition,so in monetary terms the answer is zero.

In terms of time = money I expect it comes to several hundred thousand as a large porpotion of my time is spent in learning via mostly internet based information and analysis.

Earl

 

Interesting question.

In my particular industry there is no where for me to go for paid tuition,so in monetary terms the answer is zero.

In terms of time = money I expect it comes to several hundred thousand as a large porpotion of my time is spent in learning via mostly internet based information and analysis.

Earl

Yes, the time is the hardest wrench of all.....

But theres a brave statement! "nowhere to go for paid tuition!!!"

 

... which is why those of us who prepare business plans have business planning software and also use accounting systems that do indeed allow future performance to be estimated from past results, if only to use as a starting point.

Out of curiosity mike

(a) do you know of anything that extrapolates historic to short term cashflow, and produces a base line for long range

AND

(b)do you know of good planning software for project businesses, using sliding templates? - that also allows balance in from actual - to keep up dating
(these plans are an area I have specialised in the past)

Ive seen a lot of bad offerings in both areas, but cant help but feel that (b) must exist, but so far Ive always had to build my own...

 

[Wiggy]

Thats the point. Guys selling business plans should take the time to learn to do it well.

We do agree, we just agree differently. . .

I wouldn't let my [or anybody else's] accountant do my business modelling. . .

 

We do agree, we just agree differently. . .

I wouldn't let my [or anybody else's] accountant do my business modelling. . .

Neither would I....and I dont. ...so we agree the same.

But I have seen the results of how the profession can short change people who expect to get a professional plan and dont.

 

[miketombs]

Out of curiosity mike

(a) do you know of anything that extrapolates historic to short term cashflow, and produces a base line for long range

AND

(b)do you know of good planning software for project businesses, using sliding templates? - that also allows balance in from actual - to keep up dating
(these plans are an area I have specialised in the past)

Ive seen a lot of bad offerings in both areas, but cant help but feel that (b) must exist, but so far Ive always had to build my own...

Re (a), Pastel allows budgets to be based on actual results, with percentage changes up or down for individual accounts, ranges (eg overheads) or globally. That should only be a starting point though - it's purely mechanical and implies no thought has gone into the process.

Re (b), I have no idea what sliding templates are, so I can't help you there

 

But theres a brave statement! "nowhere to go for paid tuition!!!"

Well I had better qualify that statement.I have not seen any SEO courses or tuition that I would think worth my while spending money on,which does not mean they do not exist.

I think like most SEO all our training has been via the web,be it studying other SEO's methods,forums e.t.c.

I would maintain that all you need to know about SEO is on the web for free,Its mostly a process of sorting the wheat from the Chaff.

I would be interested to know if any other SEO's have paid for any courses.

Earl

 

[Wiggy]

Well I had better qualify that statement.I have not seen any SEO courses or tuition that I would think worth my while spending money on,which does not mean they do not exist.

I think like most SEO all our training has been via the web,be it studying other SEO's methods,forums e.t.c.

I would maintain that all you need to know about SEO is on the web for free,Its mostly a process of sorting the wheat from the Chaff.

I would be interested to know if any other SEO's have paid for any courses.

Earl

Like I said earlier, £36!! Best value tuition available

 

[RayB]

I was going to go on a time management course - but I cannot find the time

I know printing inside out and was provided excellent training in the late 80's through to the mid 90's for sales/print/marketing which has formed the bedrock of my career.

I suppose 20 years in print/business is my main source of training - "on the job" so to speak.

Rather then learn everything else I prefer to outsource non-core skills to an expert in the given field. (although I am good with numbers and purchasing)

The ony formal training I have taken this year is SEO from Tin. This has been a priceless investment for someone like me who runs an ecommerce site in a very competitive space.

 

Re (a), Pastel allows budgets to be based on actual results, with percentage changes up or down for individual accounts, ranges (eg overheads) or globally. That should only be a starting point though - it's purely mechanical and implies no thought has gone into the process.

Re (b), I have no idea what sliding templates are, so I can't help you there

Mike

I have both owned and run project based businesses, and also , have (as a kind of specialisation) produced financial models for that kind of business - I did the business plan and model for one of the largest public private technology startups in the NW in recent years

And the problems are specific:

First you define a project template, which in some sense defines an invoicing schedule, cost schedule, labour schedule and so on in time elapsed through the project ( with direct implicatoins for revenue recognition) And those templates clearly reflect the price policy too.

Then the plan comprises a set of such projects with start dates, distributed in time to produce the direct cost an income flow

From the total labour you then have to ensure that enough labour resource is available, so automatic recruitment in the plan is desirable.

Hence producing to cashflow/PL etc

It is what all project based businesses need, but I have not found anything to do - but am always on the look out.

OPERA gets close to this thinking in historic accounting, but like all the others, it is absolutely US as a management tool or for prediction.

 

Well I had better qualify that statement.I have not seen any SEO courses or tuition that I would think worth my while spending money on,which does not mean they do not exist.

I think like most SEO all our training has been via the web,be it studying other SEO's methods,forums e.t.c.

I would maintain that all you need to know about SEO is on the web for free,Its mostly a process of sorting the wheat from the Chaff.

I would be interested to know if any other SEO's have paid for any courses.

Earl

It wont surprise you that SEO is one of the topics I have spent money learning. And everyone brings something new to the party....and has a different take.

For example - one thing I paid for some while ago, gave me a sure fire way to get a white hat inbound link from a .edu . Simple when you see it , but I would never have known if I hadnt been on this guys course.

And whats hot and cold in web2 resources changes month to month.

I actually think at ONE level SEO is very very simple!!!
Just take a hard look at all your competitors. Do all that they do, then add a couple of extra links/articles too and hey presto!!! You win.

 

[RayB]

Ok, I was going to keep it a secret forever more.

But I'm feeling generous. This is the true secret of SEO success - a top secret Google formula (buried deep in their website - you had to know where to look - until now).

Please don't tell everybody

 

[Wiggy]

Ok, I was going to keep it a secret forever more.

But I'm feeling generous. This is the true secret of SEO success - a top secret Google formula (buried deep in their website - you had to know where to look - until now).

Please don't tell everybody

OK, I was mistaken. . .I didn't spend £36 on tuition, it was definitely entertainment lol.

 

I actually think at ONE level SEO is very very simple!!!
Just take a hard look at all your competitors. Do all that they do, then add a couple of extra links/articles too and hey presto!!! You win.

Well as a very simple person myself I have to agree with you.Having been involved in SEO for a number of years I am astounded that I have not been burried by the up and coming wiz kids :|

Although I agree with you that SEO is simple at a certain level,just copying someones techniqe and adding a few more links won't make you beat them,as there is far more going on behind the scenes to make a successfull attack on the top spots,and all your top level links will not fend off certain strategies.

Earl

 

[Dizzydiza]

Since starting my business I think I have spent about £500 plus in learning new stuff. I dont use an accountant but I do use excel to record my income and outgoings and to work out the info I need to put in my tax return.

 

[robwoollen]

In cash terms I spend around £3k per year. of course the cost to my personal training business is significantly higher. I suppose you spend what you need to acquire the skills that sell