CONTACT US
(855) 520-6806
CONTACT US
(855) 520-6806
Course Code: bms
If you own a small business and need to stretch your marketing dollars, you've come to the right place! In this lesson, you'll discover that you can promote your business effectively for just pennies—or sometimes even for free. The secret: a systematic marketing plan that targets your audience at every stage of the purchasing cycle.
The first step in successful marketing is getting people to notice you—and in this lesson, you'll look at three ways to achieve that goal. You'll start by learning how to create a great first impression, both in person and through your brand. Next, you'll find out how to position yourself as an expert in your field. Finally, the lesson will talk about using the media to promote your business.
Want to stretch your marketing dollars to the max? Then put the power of partnerships to work for you. In this lesson, you'll discover how to combine forces with other individuals or businesses to create exciting and effective marketing opportunities. In addition, you'll learn about enlisting other people in your place-based marketing and word-of-mouth campaigns.
These days, a website is an essential marketing tool for any business. Here's the good news: You can create an attractive, professional-looking website quickly and easily, for only a few dollars. You'll find out how in this lesson—and you'll also learn the ins and outs of obtaining a domain name, getting a matching email address, laying out your website, and finding a hosting provider if you need one.
After you create your website, it's time for the next step: drawing traffic to it. In this lesson, you'll explore how to do this through on-page and off-page search engine optimization (SEO). In addition, you'll look at pay-per-click ads, banner ads, classified ads, videos, and a host of other low-cost or free ways to draw attention online.
Successful business owners master the art of finding and cultivating leads, and that's what this lesson will talk about. You'll investigate everything from old-fashioned fishbowls to Facebook Business pages and Twitter, and then learn about the pros and cons of email and direct mail marketing. Whether you're a traditionalist or a techie, you'll find an approach that's just right for you.
Congratulations: You've scored a sale! Now, how can you keep your new customer coming back for more? This lesson will talk about inexpensive or free ways to generate repeat sales. In addition, you'll look at a variety of techniques for encouraging referrals. Finally, the lesson will talk about capturing your customer information in a database.
Some marketing efforts bring crowds of customers to your door. Others are a complete flop, wasting your time and money. How can you choose wisely? By doing some upfront analysis—and that's what this lesson will talk about. Once you complete this lesson, you'll be equipped with all the tools you need to choose marketing tactics that have a high potential for success. In addition, you'll learn why integrated marketing gives you the best results and find out how to schedule a full year of marketing activities easily and efficiently.
Sure, you want everyone to buy your product—but when you're marketing, it pays to be exclusive. In this lesson, you'll find out why niche marketing can bring in more customers than mass marketing (and create a more loyal customer base as well). After that, you'll learn how to use geographics, demographics, firmographics, psychographics, and behavioral data to create a marketing message that resonates with your target market.
This lesson will talk about key selling messages—those alluring words that overcome potential buyers' objections and make them want to make a purchase immediately. You'll learn how to identify the unique features of your business, how to create a competitive positioning statement, and—most important of all—how to identify the emotional benefits that motivate your buyers. By the time you're done, you'll be able to distill your new knowledge into a short, powerful message that will turn skeptical people into eager customers.
In this lesson, it all comes together! First, you'll create the two final elements of your marketing plan: your business goals and your marketing goals. You'll discover how to create goals that are clear-cut, realistic, and measurable, so you'll be motivated to meet (or even exceed) the targets you set. After that, you'll roll all of your information into a single document that will be your blueprint for marketing success. With this marketing plan in hand, you'll be ready to take your prospective buyers by storm.
This final lesson talks about tracking—the secret to continually improving your marketing tactics and increasing your profits. You'll learn how to create a baseline and compile reports that can highlight your marketing successes and point to areas where you can improve. In addition, you'll discover different ways to track your campaigns—including the campaigns you might think are "untrackable."
Glynns Thomas has more than 20 years of advertising and marketing experience. She was a Vice President of Internet Marketing at Wells Fargo Bank and has worked for several well-known advertising agencies. Today, Thomas is an independent marketing consultant and a volunteer with SCORE: Counselors to America's Small Business, providing marketing advice to small businesses.
Prerequisites:
There are no prerequisites to take this course.
Requirements:
Hardware Requirements:
Software Requirements:
Other:
The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment and will be available online.
Instructor-Led: A new session of each course begins each month. Please refer to the session start dates for scheduling.
Self-Paced: You can start this course at any time your schedule permits.
Instructor-Led: Once a session starts, two lessons will be released each week, for the 6 week duration of your course. You will have access to all previously released lessons until the course ends.
Self-Paced: You have three-month access to the course. After enrolling, you can learn and complete the course at your own pace, within the allotted access period.
Instructor-Led: The interactive discussion area for each lesson automatically closes 2 weeks after each lesson is released, so you're encouraged to complete each lesson within two weeks of its release.
Self-Paced: There is no time limit to complete each lesson, other than completing all lessons before your three-month access expires.
Instructor-Led: The Final Exam will be released on the same day as the last lesson. Once the Final Exam has been released, you will have 2 weeks plus 10 days to complete the Final and finish any remaining lessons in your course. No further extensions can be provided beyond these 10 days.
Self-Paced: Because this course is self-paced, no extensions will be granted after the start of your enrollment.
As a business owner this course was immensely helpful. I'm currently operating my second business and I feel that I've always been lacking in my marketing efforts. Owning a business doesn't afford much time so this was the perfect opportunity to learn at my own pace. The course and instructor provided so many ideas that I have a year's worth of work to do! I'm happy about this as it opened my mind and hopefully opportunities to increase my sales. In fact, I have already implemented several marketing strategies based on this course. I can't thank the teacher enough for her detailed and prompt responses to my questions and those of others which I found helpful as well. I would highly recommend this course. Very up to date and well presented.
"This course exceeded my expectations! I learned so much valuable information. I cannot wait to utilize all my new knowledge. Glynns taught in an easy-to-follow format. The informative was fresh and extremely useful. My interest in marketing has grown to a whole new level. Thank you Glynns!
"This course was very thorough and informative. The information was presented clearly and logically with alot of extra resources added through the supplementary materials and discussion area answers. Our instructor, Glynns, proved to be exceptionally knowledgeable in all areas of our study. In addition, she spent alot of time supplying very complete, personalized answers and suggestions in our discussion areas. Her guidance will surely help our marketing efforts! Thanks for a great course!
"This class has been extremely helpful in moving towards a postive and successful future. I have learned things that have made the bigger picture much clearer and given me skills that I feel will definitely help me in my endeavor. Thank you.
"This instructor, she is fabulous. Jam-packed the course with detailed insightful information (including examples) for the perfectly identified audience. The instructor's marketing experience, teaching expertise, and excellent communication skills are apparent on every page. Highly recommend.
"I absolutely loved the class! I walked away more educated than I was when I started and I had a great time completing the class.
"This was the first class, in a long time, where I felt like I really got my money's worth...and then some. Glynns Thomas is a true teacher, her class was effective, efficient and applicable. I really appreciated the step-by-step approach, and her way of explaining and teaching. It made you stretch, but it wasn't out of reach. I feel like I have a road map, directions and "how to" for my new business. Thank you!
"The quality of this course was outstanding -- the material, exercises, examples, and instructor feedback. It is as professional as anything I would have paid over a thousand dollars for. I am impressed and delighted. A very valuable use of my time!
"Glynns is an awesome instructor. She is extremely knowledgeable, helpful and kind...I would've honestly paid four times the rate for this information...This course is extremely valuable and affordable...I am definitely speaking loud and proud about this course...Thanks again for this awesome opportunity to become a marketing powerhouse.
"This is the overall best small business class ed2go has offered. I strongly believe it's an essential course for anyone considering or is already an established entrepreneur. Thank you so much! It's a rarity to find a course that had kept my interest fairly high from start to finish. This particular instructor is a wealth of valuable information!
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