Marketing for Small Businesses

Marketing is about getting your business known and building your position within the marketplace. Small businesses don`t always have a big budget for marketing, so they have to do things a little differently than big business in order to grow their presence, increase results, and meet business goals. This course will help small business owners and managers develop their marketing message, create a marketing plan, and apply the right strategies.

After you complete this course, you will be able to:

• Describe the essential elements of a marketing plan, no matter the size of the business.
• Apply tools and strategy to create a marketing plan that supports the growth of your small business.
• Use six steps to create, implement, and review a marketing plan.
• Leverage the best of Internet and social media marketing.

Course Topics:

Session One: Course Overview

Session Two: Marketing for Small Business

• Defining Marketing in the Small Business Context
• Pre-Assignment Review

Session Three: Elements of a Successful Marketing Message

• Your USP
• Making Connections
• Building the Relationship
• Influence and Persuasion
• Testing and Revising

Session Four: The Marketing Cycle in Small Business

• Marketing Essentials
• Stage One: Consumer and Market Analysis
• Stage Two: Analyzing the Competition and Yourself
• Stage Three: Analyzing Distribution Channels
• Stage Four: Creating a Marketing Plan
• Bringing it All Together
• Making Connections

Session Five: Identifying Marketing Strategies

• Key Marketing Strategies for Small Businesses
• Getting the Most Bang for Your Buck
• Making Connections
• Top Ten Strategies for Success
• Identifying Opportunities (Part One)
• Identifying Opportunities (Part Two)
• A Simple Marketing Plan for Small Budgets

Session Six: Implementing Your Plan

• What is a Marketing Budget?
• Four Rules for Establishing Your Budget
• Managing Your Budget
• Stage Five: Implementing and Evaluating
• Stage Six: Reviewing and Revising

Session Seven: Internet Marketing Basics

• What It Looks Like
• Popular Strategies
• Sharing Messages
• E-mail Marketing
• What is SEO?
• Leveraging Social Media
• Recommended Reading List
• Personal Action Plan