College of Natural Resources to offer Forest Products Marketing Workshop

18 Aug 2008

Marketing has been called the backbone of successful forest products companies, yet many small businesses struggle with the marketing concept. Virginia Tech's College of Natural Resources continues its service to the forest products industry by presenting the fourteenth annual workshop on Forest Products Marketing, Oct. 23 through Oct. 24, at The Inn at Virginia Tech and Skelton Conference Center.

The workshop is designed to teach participants how to effectively market a small forest products business in order to gain a competitive advantage in the industry.

Workshop instructors will cover an array of topics, including an overview of the forest products industry, marketing basics and strategy, marketing research methods to locate new customers, successful sales presentations, improving the effectiveness of personal selling, goal setting, and trends in the industry.

Small forest products business owners or managers, new sales and marketing personnel, employees unfamiliar with the forest products industry, economic development personnel, and those interested in the basics of marketing and personal selling are encouraged to attend.

Interested persons may register online no later than Oct. 9; registrations are limited to the first 30 applicants. A workshop fee of $450 ($375 for employees of companies that are members of the Center for Forest Products Marketing and Management) covers the cost of registration, instructional materials, continental breakfasts, lunches, and coffee breaks. The workshop is sponsored by Virginia Tech's Center for Forest Products Marketing and Management, Virginia Forest Products Association, Hardwood Manufacturers Association, and Virginia Tech's Continuing and Professional Education.