Anybody who is currently in business or has ever launched a new business learns pretty fast that there is not a whole lot of truth to the theory of “if you build it, they will come.” True enough, some folks are fortunate to get a rapid-fire burst of energy from people eager to sample the new kids on the block, but simply opening your doors and waiting for the surge is hardly a marketing strategy.
For those who would like to learn what it does take to craft a marketing strategy, there’s help. On Saturday, February 3, 2018, the Women’s Business Center (WBC) at Cornerstone Alliance will kick off the first session of one of its most popular workshops, Blueprint for Success: The Fundamentals of Marketing. Led by experienced professionals from local agencies, this four-series workshop is designed to help area small business owners craft a winning marketing strategy to stand out in today’s competitive marketplace.
This series combines the knowledge of marketing fundamentals with hands-on workshops to develop marketing collateral including a logo, website and promotional pieces. Blueprint for Success provides participants with tangible pieces they can utilize right away to leverage their businesses’ competitive advantages.
Margaret Adams, Manager of the Women’s Business Center says, “We are excited to offer the Blueprint for Success series again in 2018.” She adds, “This workshop is not only a great opportunity for small business owners to have access to local marketing experts who can help build their brand but an incredible value at $250 for the entire series. These classes fill up quickly so we encourage participants to register as soon as they can.”
You can register by clicking the link below, but please note, the deadline for registration is January 29, 2018. All classes are at Lake Michigan College at 2755 E. Napier Avenue in Benton Harbor in Room B-307. Here’s the link to register: https://www.cornerstonewbc.com/classes/info/131
Blueprint for Success: The Fundamentals of Marketing costs $250 for the entire series of four courses; or $65 per class. Ideally, participants are encouraged to sign up for all four courses to receive the maximum value of the series.
- Saturday, February 3, 2018: The Fundamentals of Marketing This course kicks off the Blueprint for Success series. Participants will create a marketing plan and a creative brief to use when developing marketing assets for their businesses. This class is mandatory for the subsequent workshops. There are 30 available seats for this course.
- Saturday, February 17, 2018: Logo Design Workshop With the guidance and assistance of professional graphic designers, participants will create a company logo for use on their website, social media, signage, communications and other marketing collateral. There are ten available seats for this course.
- Saturday, February 24, 2018: Website Design Workshop Participants in this workshop will use a content management website platform of their choice to create a home page and a landing page with assistance from web designers. During this workshop, participants will receive the skills needed to finish their site independently. There are ten available seats for this course.
- Saturday, March 3, 2018: Promotional Marketing Workshop Participants will discover techniques to drive new and repeat business. With support from graphic designers, they will also create branded marketing assets for use in raising awareness of their products and growing their businesses. There are ten available seats for this course.
For more information on this workshop series, you can contact Margaret Adams at (269) 925-6100 or email her at madams@cstonealliance.org. Registration for this course is required no later than January 29, 2018.
Cornerstone Alliance Small Business Services (CASBS) provides technical, business, and financial assistance to small businesses with emphasis on income disadvantaged and women owned businesses. The Women’s Business Center at Cornerstone Alliance and Microloan Program are funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.
