Marketing, Customer Service subjects of business seminars at VGCC Warren Campus
The Vance-Granville Community College Small Business Center has scheduled a pair of free seminars for Thursday, Feb. 19, at the college’s Warren County Campus in Warrenton. Both are presented by Emily Ballance, a professional speaker and entrepreneur who has owned, operated and marketed two small businesses for over 25 years.
The first seminar, “Inexpensive and Creative Ways to Market Your Small Business,” will be held from 9 a.m. until noon, while “Secrets of Great Customer Service for Small Businesses” will follow from 1 until 4 p.m. in the same location.
“Lots of people think they have to spend a ton of money on marketing, but that’s not true,” Ballance says. “There are so many ways to market that don’t cost a dime, and there are lots of low-cost, creative ideas, too. The same approaches don’t work for everyone, so we will take time to discuss which ones work best for different kinds of businesses.” Ballance encourages participants to bring their business cards if they already have them, but she also invites entrepreneurs who are just starting out.
“This is a fun, informative, and interactive presentation,” Ballance said. “You’ll learn and leave with lots of ideas, plus it’s a great chance to meet people and — yes — market! Just come with an open attitude and willingness to look at different ideas. You never know where those ideas will lead.”
As for the customer service seminar, Ballance had this to say: “Today’s business owners and their employees have to constantly be on their toes. They must always be thinking about how to attract new customers, keep them happy and keep them coming back. Customer service and customer loyalty are more important than ever in this economy because customers know they can go somewhere else or online for products and services if they want to.”
Ballance will discuss the need to keep in close touch with customers is essential, soliciting their feedback and quickly making changes as needed. “In this seminar, we’ll discuss some of the typical reasons why customers leave and what you can do,” Ballance said. “We’ll look at customer service from different perspectives and share stories – the good, the bad and the ugly. Participants will leave with skills to improve customer relationships, build customer loyalty and increase sales.”
For more information and to reserve a seat in one or both of these free seminars, contact Small Business Center director Tanya Weary at smallbusiness@vgcc.edu or (252) 738-3240. Registration can be completed online at https://www.ncsbc.net/center.aspx?center=75530 .
