UHV SBDC brings back online media advertising workshop series
When it comes to effectively marketing a company, many small business owners have trouble knowing where to start, much less choosing tools from traditional and online media.
That’s why the University of Houston-Victoria is bringing back its Digital Media Marketing Series. The series first was presented last year, and the SBDC received a positive response from attendees, UHV SBDC Director Joe Humphreys said.
“Digital media has become such a large part of our society, but many small business owners do not have a clear understanding of how to take advantage of any marketing resources,” Humphreys said. “The attendee response that we received from last year’s series was so positive that we wanted to make the opportunity available again for small business owners and managers to attend.”
Outburst Advertising owner Cheryl Johnson along with the UHV SBDC organized last year’s series and will do the same this year.
Because there are so many marketing options for small businesses, series workshops will have a broad range of topics from how to create an overall marketing plan for a business to how to choose the right platform to reach the audience that best serves a business, Johnson said.
The weekly luncheon workshops will focus on a different topic each session. Each workshop will begin at 11 a.m. at the SBDC’s new location on the fourth floor of Victoria Tower, 1908 N. Laurent St. The dates, topics and presenters are:
- July 25 – Developing a Marketing Plan, Johnson
- Aug. 1 – Choosing the Correct Media, Johnson
- Aug. 8 – Developing a Marketing Campaign, Johnson
- Aug. 15 – Internet Marketing; David Arnolds, CEO of DE Web Works
- Aug. 22 – Using YouTube; John Paul Hull, Razor IT Solutions owner
- Aug. 29 – Social Media Marketing; Hull
“Marketing is an essential part of success for any business,” said Farhang Niroomand, dean of the UHV School of Business Administration. “I hope area entrepreneurs take advantage of the opportunity to see what different marketing resources can do for their companies.”
After last year’s series, attendees expressed an interest in learning more about social media marketing options, Johnson said. Because social media constantly is adding new platforms and expanding, series speakers will show attendees how social media can impact their businesses in different ways.
“We decided to add another session to focus specifically on social media,” Johnson said. “Because there are so many kinds of platforms, each one requires a different approach. What works on Facebook might not have much of an impact on Twitter or Instagram.”
Attendees can register online at www.uhvsbdc.org or contact the UHV SBDC at 361-485-4485 or sbdc@uhv.edu. The cost for each workshop is $20 for early registration or $30 at the door. Attendees also can pay $100 to register for the entire series.
The UHV SBDC offers assistance on starting, growing and financing a business; contracting opportunities; and recovering from disaster. Most of its services are free to area small business owners in Aransas, Bee, Calhoun, DeWitt, Gonzales, Goliad, Jackson, Karnes, Lavaca, Refugio and Victoria counties. It is part of a nationwide small business assistance program serving the small business community and federal, state and local governments.
The University of Houston-Victoria, located in the heart of the Coastal Bend region since 1973 in Victoria, Texas, offers courses leading to more than 80 academic programs in the schools of Arts & Sciences; Business Administration; and Education, Health Professions & Human Development. UHV provides face-to-face classes at its Victoria campus, as well as an instructional site in Katy, Texas, and online classes that students can take from anywhere. UHV supports the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Opportunities for All initiative to increase awareness about state colleges and universities and the important role they have in providing a high-quality and accessible education to an increasingly diverse student population, as well as contributing to regional and state economic development.
