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Survive And Thrive In A Recession -
Marketing And Sales

As the sagging economy impacts small businesses, a panel discussion on surviving and thriving answers questions and suggests strategies in three business areas:  business strategies; marketing and sales; and finance. The movies are in Windows Media format; click the Play icon to start playback.

The panelist are: Sarah French, owner Blu Moon Café; Dale Nelson, owner of Nelson Land and Livestock; Dana Maness, banker, Anson Bank and Trust Co.; Tom Neal, Small Business Administration; Stu Bantit, NCC-C Small Business Technology Development Center; Herb Joyner, SCORE; Dennis Harlow, professor of Business, Wingate University; Vince Holloman, Small Business Center, South Piedmont Community College.  The panel moderator is Lois Crumpler, outreach coordinator, New Ventures Business Development, Inc.

If additional information is needed, contact Crumpler at 704-272-5457.

Questions addressed during this segment are:

Marketing and Sales

  • What are sales and marketing strategies and what are their characteristics?
  • Is it a good idea to cut a marketing budget?  Why or why not?
  • Some businesses may reconsider their pricing.  What is the best way to do this?
  • Over the next year if many companies re-evaluate the way they sell and market their products and services, do you anticipate any new trends emerging?
  • Many companies are using the Internet for sales and marketing.  Can you give us some suggestions on how to best use the Internet for this prupose?
  • As the Internet becomes more prominent in commerce, what should companies not do in marketing and selling their products and services?
  • What are some creative marketing ideas?
  • Is now the time to reduce advertising? Why or why not?