UHV SBDC to host luncheon series about digital marketing
In the midst of all the needs and organization involved in running a business, many small business owners end up neglecting marketing.
That’s something Cheryl Johnson, owner of Outburst Advertising, has noticed in her 20 years in marketing, and she wants to help change that. Johnson is partnering with the University of Houston-Victoria Small Business Development Center to present the weekly Digital Media Series beginning July 12 in the UHV University North Welder Conference Room, 3007 N. Ben Wilson St. A fee will be charged to cover the cost of lunch.
“The core of my marketing business is made up of small business owners,” Johnson said. “I enjoy working with these businesses because there’s clear, observable evidence that a marketing plan makes a difference.”
The series will be a weekly luncheon workshop focusing on a different topic each week. Each workshop will begin at 11 a.m. The dates, topics and presenters are:
- July 12 – Developing a Marketing Plan, Johnson
- July 19 – Choosing the Correct Media, Johnson
- July 26 – How to Develop an Effective Marketing Campaign, Johnson
- Aug. 2 – Moving to a Dot-Com; David Arnolds, CEO of DE Web Works
- Aug. 9 – Conquering Social Media; Ashlee Rogers, marketing manager at Razor IT Solutions
“Advertising and marketing are constantly changing in today’s digital world,” UHV SBDC Director Joe Humphreys said. “We want to keep the information and assistance we offer local business owners up to date and relevant. This series will offer information from experts to help small business owners and entrepreneurs develop an effective marketing strategy.”
In her first presentation, Johnson intends to look at how entrepreneurs can put together a plan to market their products or services. She will present the information in a boiled down format that’s easy to process, she said.
“I often see a lot of confusion about how to approach marketing for small businesses,” Johnson said. “Often, business owners are already so busy running the actual business that marketing either falls by the wayside, or they spread their budget too thin trying to do it all. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed.”
The series is set up so business owners can attend one, a few or all of the sessions and always have something useful to take away, Johnson said.
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 $15 for early registration or $20 at the door. Attendees also can pay $50 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.
