High Impact, Low Cost Marketing Free Online Class

This free online course provides small and medium sized business owners an easy-to-use guide to cost-effective techniques to promote your business's presence, reputation and services so customers will be ready and eager to purchase your goods or services.

This online course is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and goes from Oct 13 2005 - Nov 25 2005. You can enroll at any time. An instructor leads the class and will assist you in the lessons as you learn how to implement effective marketing. HP Learning Center provides free online classes and courses in many areas.


High Impact, Low Cost Marketing Free Online Class:
http://h30187.www3.hp.com/courses/overview.jsp?courseId=2850

What you'll learn:

...* Understand how to establish and maintain a marketing budget
...* Design a good strategic marketing plan
...* Know the basics of guerilla marketing
...* Know how to do effective research on the cheap
...* Understand how to build networks and employ them for maximum benefit
...* Understand the importance of building a strong identity
...* Know how to get the maximum bang out of media, PR and advertising bucks

Prerequisites:

...* None


Lessons:

Lesson 1: Why marketing matters
Course introduction, marketing fundamentals, and a look at the importance of understanding your customers.

Lesson 2: Preliminary research and budgeting
An introduction to the SWOT analysis, some basic research resources, and budgeting strategies.

Lesson 3: Fine-tuning your business identity
Crafting an elevator pitch, understanding benefits (vs. features), and identifying niche audiences.

Lesson 4: Building word of mouth (the power of networking)
Understanding -- and using -- the power of networking to build your business.

Lesson 5: The media: making it work for you (without spending money)
Strategies for raising your profile and getting media coverage on the cheap.

Lesson 6: Paid ads and other tools
The pros and cons of paid advertising, strategies for approaching it wisely, and look at a few words about the Internet.