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Small Business Marketing: 201
March 6, 2017 @ 3:30 pm - 6:00 pm
Free
Virginia Western Community College may be out for spring break on Monday, March 6, but our tuition-free classes are in session. Join our afternoon marketing education expo to help your small business or non-profit become head of the class. Registration is free.
Your registration covers digital take-home materials for all classes, so if the sessions are full, you’ll have access to all of the content.
Registration begins at 3:30 – 4pm, with the first round of sessions beginning at 4 and the second at 5.
Choose two of the following classes.
Why Event Marketing?
with Beckie Spaid, Event Sales & Marketing Coordinator for iHeartMedia
Learn how event marketing can boost your business success. In this session, you’ll learn how to manage any size budget, generate ideas and work with limited resources to create great events.
Rebecca “Beckie” Spaid has a long history of marketing success in the Roanoke Valley. Beckie has created several signature events for organizations, including the Square Society’s annual Black & White Masquerade Ball, so she knows a thing or two about creating amazing events. A graduate of James Madison University, Beckie has held positions with area businesses and nonprofits that allowed her marketing expertise to shine, especially in branding and events. She was recruited back to iHeartMedia three years ago to serve as their first Event Sales & Marketing Coordinator for the Roanoke-Lynchburg market, where their event lineup includes Pairapalooza, Hill City Jam, Brew-HaHa!, and several others. She has served on numerous local nonprofit boards, helping to maximize their marketing goals. She is currently serving in leadership roles for both the American Cancer Society and the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America. Beckie lives in Roanoke with her husband, Chad Amrhein, and their almost-famous miniature Pomeranian, Julep.
Social Media Success
with Timothy Martin, Communications and Media Coordinator for the City of Roanoke Communications
In this session, you’ll learn how to best utilize social media to increase your business’ visibility, and how social media can create lasting connections with your customers.
Timothy Martin is the Communications and Media Coordinator for the City of Roanoke, Virginia. Timothy oversees the day-to-day management of the city’s social media pages.
Since joining the city 2013, Roanoke’s social media following has reached unprecedented heights. With a population of 98,000, Roanoke has amassed more than 180,000 followers on its 50 social media pages combined. The main “City of Roanoke, Virginia – Communications” Facebook page has more than 78,000 followers. Over the last two years, the city has won eight social media awards, including three Savvy awards from 3CMA. In April of 2016, Timothy was named the Top Social Media Advocate in Government by Government Social Media.
Timothy holds a bachelor’s degree in media studies from Radford University. Prior to joining the city, Timothy spent seven years as an anchor and reporter for WFIR Talk Radio, in Roanoke. Timothy also serves as an advisor for the Government Social Media Organization (GSMO) and an ambassador for GovTech Social.
Getting Media Coverage for your Stories
Thomas Becher, APR, Senior Vice President – Strategic Communications for ndp
For many small businesses, getting the media to cover your stories is like winning the lottery. This session will help you determine how to work with the media to benefit your business objectives.
Thomas leads ndp’s strategic communications practice with extensive experience in corporate communications, media relations, speech writing, special events and more. He has broad experience in developing and implementing marketing communications for non-profit organizations. This former journalist loves deadlines and understands what it takes to stand out in today’s wide variety of communication channels.
Thomas is a graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master’s degree in newspaper administration. He has earned a Certificate of Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) from the Public Relations Society of America, a distinction demonstrating competency in knowledge, skills and abilities in public relations.
He is a former reporter and editor for the Associated Press, where he learned to love deadlines and understand how the media work. He began his PR career at the University of Connecticut before embarking on an adventure in aviation corporate communications.
Video Basics for Small Business
with Dave Perry, Cinematographer, with Dave Perry, LLC
Video is the big thing online today. In this session, you’ll learn the basics so that you can capture the moment and share it with your audience. You’ll learn that you don’t need an expensive setup to get started, and some tips to help your work look professional.
Dave Perry is an award-winning Director of Photography, digital film producer, and editor. A photographer all of his adult life and a professional video editor since 2003, his experience ranges from editing corporate and broadcast video, to on-location set up and maintenance of camera, grip and lighting gear. Dave enjoys getting to know his clients and what they like – not just for their project but in everyday life…what are their passions, and what gives them joy? He looks forward to collaborating with people because he never knows what they might inspire him to do.