‘Try before you buy’ - Open Mind’s ‘too good to be true’ offer

The UK’s professional corporate trainers are being given the chance to ‘try before they buy’ on a range of some 4,000 separate training materials from 130 producers, indexed against 160 topics. These materials are available via the Online Store on Open Mind’s recently re-launched website - www.openmind-learning.co.uk

"We understand how important it is for trainers to select the right resources, so we offer them three ways of previewing and evaluating products before they buy," explained Alun Harvey, managing director of Open Mind, the UK’s largest distributor of learning resources.

"First, many DVD and e-learning titles can now be previewed online.

"Second, clients are welcome to visit our free Preview Centre at our offices in Henley-on-Thames, where we have over 2,000 titles available for evaluation. Third, we can sometimes send DVDs and other materials to clients on seven-day preview."

Trainers can also discuss with Open Mind’s specialists – free and with no obligation – all aspects of competency mapping. Harvey explained: "If you have a Competency Framework in place, you want to ensure that your learning solutions reflect those competencies and enable your staff to achieve them.

"With our encyclopaedic knowledge of the content of thousands of learning resources in all media, we can analyse an organisation’s Competency Framework and map its current resources and training courses to ensure that they are relevant. For example, a time management programme for staff working on their own should show them how to prioritise, rather than how to delegate to others.

"We will also identify any gaps in their current provision, and then recommend and supply the most appropriate learning solutions to suit their training needs, learning styles and budget - from books
to DVDs and the latest e-learning programmes and online reference materials."

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Notes for Editors:

About Open Mind
Formed in 1991, Open Mind distributes and develops resources to help organisations to develop their people. As such, it provides customers with broad access to over 10,000 learning resources in all forms of delivery media and is frequently referred to by customers as the ‘Trainers’ Toyshop’.

These resources include:
• Videos
• CD-ROMs & DVDs
• Online learning
• Audio tapes & CDs
• Books
• Workbooks
• Games & activities

Topics covered include:
• Management
• Sales
• Finance
• Commerce
• Information technology
• Languages

Open Mind also offers:
• Free independent advice on
• Selecting from over 10,000 titles from 100 publishers - in all media – on any business topic
• Selecting appropriate resources to fit clients’ budgets
• A free Preview Centre facility
• Practical help with establishing – or re-launching - managing and marketing a Learning Resource Centre (LRC)
• The STAR intranet-based Learning Centre Management System to manage LRCs
• An online directory of resources, allowing users to search and view on-screen details of over 5,500 titles on 200 topics from more than 100 publishers – and purchase securely online

Further information from:
Alun Harvey, Open Mind, 01491 411061
Bob Little, Bob Little Press & PR, 01727 860405

www.openmind-learning.co.uk