Guerrilla Marketing Seminar helps small businesses combat tough times

April 30, 2009 -- The ASU Small Business and Technology Development Center (SBTDC) will be offering a special marketing workshop for small businesses in Jonesboro, Monday, May 11, to help small business owners develop effective low-cost and no-cost marketing tools to grow their businesses.

The father of Guerrilla Marketing, Jay Conrad Levinson, believes any business can increase profits by investing time, energy, information, and imagination – rather than money – in its marketing efforts. The ASU Small Business and Technology Development Center believes the concept is perfect for small businesses, especially in a tight economy. The seminar will be offered  in two sessions Monday, May 11 at the ASU Technical Center, 5504 Krueger Drive, Jonesboro. Sessions will be offered from 1-4 p.m. and again from 6- 9 p.m.

“Guerrilla Marketing demonstrates that you don't have to have thousands of dollars in your advertising budget to get the word out about your business,” said Herb Lawrence, director ASU ASBTDC. At the seminar, start-up and existing business owners can learn effective Guerrilla Marketing techniques that are low-cost or no-cost to market their products or services.  “Your relationship with your customers after they make a purchase is important,” explained Lawrence. “Guerrilla Marketing recommends following up in one week with a thank-you, then in one month with a letter or call checking if they’re satisfied, and sending questionnaires or special offers after that.” Guerrilla Marketing also explores how to successfully target customers through e-mail, via the Web and through other less conventional methods.

Six Arkansas Small Business Technology and Development Center (ASBTDC)statewide network staff members attended Guerrilla Marketing Business University in August to become certified trainers. The group included Herb Lawrence, ASU SBTDC center director at Arkansas State University, along with consultants from the SBTDC offices at the University of Arkansas-Little Rock, the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville, Southern Arkansas University, the University of Arkansas-Monticello, and Henderson State University.

To pre-register either of the sessions, go to http://asu.asbtdc.org and click on Training, call the ASU SBTDC at (870) 972-3517, or send e-mail registration to asusbtdc@astate.edu. The seminar fee is $35 per person or $20 for Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce members. The seminar is co-sponsored by the Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce and East Arkansas Planning and Development District. For more information, contact Herb Lawrence, ASU SBTDC director, at (870) 972-3517, or e-mail hlawrenc@astate.edu.

A partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Arkansas Small Business Technology and Development Center serves new, existing and innovation-based small businesses.  Through a statewide network of seven offices, ASBTDC provides free consulting and market research services plus affordable training to the business community. For more information, visit the ASBTDC Web site at http://asbdc.ualr.edu/.

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