Marketing on a Shoestring

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$389

AUD

35% off

$599 AUD

Quick Facts

Delivery Method Online
Professional Certificate
24hrs Suggested Study Time
3 Months Access
Tutor Support
Study On Any Device
1580 Students

Discover small business marketing strategies that can help you attract attention, woo your target audience, grow your customer base, and expand your profit's all for little or no money.

When it comes to marketing for small businesses, money isn't everything! In this course, you'll learn how to use the same marketing tricks the big companies employ—without making a big dent in your wallet.

As you build your own customised marketing plan step-by-step, you'll discover how to attract your target audiences, entice customers to buy your product or service, and keep buyers coming back for more. In addition, you'll find out how to generate the referrals that are crucial to your company's success. You'll get tips on evaluating your tactics, tracking your results, and fine-tuning your approach so it gets better every year. Best of all, the small business marketing strategies you'll learn will fit into any budget—and some are even free!

With the help of videos, spreadsheets, and hands-on activities, you'll build your skills in each lesson. You'll master cost-effective strategies including strategic partnerships, local marketing, search engine optimisation, social networking, e-mail marketing, lead generation, and niche marketing. Along the way, you'll see many real-world examples from other small businesses much like yours.

Whether you're new to advertising or looking for a refresher, this course will make you a marketing pro. And by the time you're done, you'll have a personalised plan of action for increasing your sales—all on a shoestring budget.

Courses are delivered to you through expertly executed lessons, online instruction and interaction with like-minded students. Our courses are designed to deliver all of the benefits of studying in a classroom whilst giving you the flexibility to study at a time and place to suit your needs. You can access your classroom 24/7 from any device with an internet connection.

This course has a 3 month duration. You'll complete comprehensive lessons, quizzes and assignments before submitting your final exam at the end of the course to achieve your certificate. Courses must be completed within the 3 month access period.

If you own a small business and need to stretch your marketing dollars, you’ve come to the right place! In today’s lesson, you’ll discover that you can promote your business effectively for just pennies—or sometimes even for free. The secret: a systematic marketing plan that targets your audience at every stage of the purchasing cycle.

The first step in successful marketing is getting people to notice you—and today, we’ll look at three ways to achieve that goal. We’ll start by talking about how to create a great first impression, both in person and through your brand. Next, you’ll find out how to position yourself as an expert in your field. And finally, we’ll talk about using the media to promote your business.

Want to stretch your marketing dollars to the max? Then put the power of partnerships to work for you. In this lesson, you’ll discover how to combine forces with other individuals or businesses to create exciting and effective marketing opportunities. In addition, we’ll talk about enlisting other people in your place-based marketing and word-of-mouth campaigns.

These days, a Web site is an essential marketing tool for any business. And here’s the good news: You can create an attractive, professional-looking Web site quickly and easily, for only a few dollars. You’ll find out how in this lesson—and you’ll also learn the ins and outs of obtaining a domain name, getting a matching e-mail address, laying out your Web site, and finding a hosting provider if you need one.

When you’re done creating your Web site, it’s time for the next step: drawing traffic to it. In today’s lesson, we’ll explore how to do this through on-page and off-page search engine optimization (SEO). In addition, we’ll look at pay-per-click ads, banner ads, classified ads, videos, and a host of other low-cost or free ways to draw attention online.

Successful business owners master the art of finding and cultivating leads, and that’s what we’re going to talk about today. We’ll investigate everything from old-fashioned fishbowls to Facebook Business pages and Twitter, and we’ll talk about the pros and cons of e-mail and direct mail marketing. Whether you’re a traditionalist or a techie, you’ll find an approach that’s just right for you.

Congratulations: You’ve scored a sale! Now, how can you keep your new customer coming back for more? In this lesson, we’ll talk about inexpensive or free ways to generate repeat sales. In addition, we’ll look at a variety of techniques for encouraging referrals—and finally, we’ll talk about capturing your customer information in a database.

Some marketing efforts bring crowds of customers to your door. Others are a complete flop, wasting your time and money. How can you choose wisely? By doing some up-front analysis—and that’s what we’ll talk about today. When you complete today’s lesson, you’ll be equipped with all the tools you need to choose marketing tactics that have a high potential for success. In addition, you’ll learn why integrated marketing gives you the best results, and you’ll find out how to schedule a full year of marketing activities easily and efficiently.

Sure, you want everyone to buy your product—but when you’re marketing, it pays to be exclusive. Today, you’ll find out why niche marketing can bring in more customers than mass marketing (and create a more loyal customer base as well). After that, you’ll learn how to use geographics, demographics, firmographics, psychographics, and behavioral data to create a marketing message that resonates with your target market.

In this lesson, we’ll talk about key selling messages—those alluring words that overcome potential buyers’ objections and make them want to make a purchase immediately. You’ll learn how to identify the unique features of your business, how to create a competitive positioning statement, and—most important of all—how to identify the emotional benefits that motivate your buyers. By the time you’re done, you’ll be able to distill your new knowledge into a short, powerful message that will turn skeptical people into eager customers.

Today, it all comes together! First, you’ll create the two final elements of your marketing plan: your business goals and your marketing goals. You’ll discover how to create goals that are clear-cut, realistic, and measurable, so you’ll be motivated to meet (or even exceed) the targets you set.  After that, you’ll roll all of your information into a single document that will be your blueprint for marketing success. With this marketing plan in hand, you’ll be ready to take your prospective buyers by storm.

In our final lesson, we’ll talk about tracking—the secret to continually improving your marketing tactics and increasing your profits. You’ll learn how to create a baseline and compile reports that can highlight your marketing successes and point to areas where you can improve. In addition, you’ll discover different ways to track your campaigns—including the campaigns you might think are “untrackable.”

Glynns Thomas

Glynns Thomas has 20 years of advertising and marketing experience. She has worked for several of the world’s best-known advertising agencies and was a Vice President of Internet Marketing at Wells Fargo Bank. Today, she’s an independent small bus... Read more

Read Glynns Thomas's Profile

Frequently Asked Questions

Once you've made the payment, we'll send you a confirmation email with a link to start your course. Feel free to get started whenever you're ready!

You'll have 3 months access to your course. In that time you are free to study at your own pace. The course duration is 24 hours.

Online learning is a flexible way to study that fits around your schedule, giving you the freedom to learn at your own pace from anywhere in the world. You'll have 3 months to complete the course and can take the multiple-choice questions and final exam whenever it suits you.

If you need help, you can contact us anytime. You can also join the discussion area where you can interact with other students. The discussion area for each lesson is open for the entire duration of the course.

Of course! We offer a 7-day money back guarantee. As long as you haven't completed the course, you can get a full refund within 7 days of enrolling.

We do not offer extensions or transfers for this self-paced course. However, you will have 3 months to complete the course, and if you need to cancel within the first 10 days of enrolment, we offer a money back guarantee.

What people are saying about our courses

This course was much more than I expected. It answered all my questions, and much much more. Thank you for giving me all the helpful advice I needed, and so fast.... Thank you, thank you.

Verified Student

As a business owner this course was immensely helpful. I'm currently operating my second business and I feel that I've always been lacking in my marketing efforts. Owning a business doesn't afford much time so this was the perfect opportunity to learn at my own pace. The course and instructor provided so many ideas that I have a year's worth of work to do! I'm happy about this as it opened my mind and hopefully opportunities to increase my sales. In fact, I have already implemented several marketing strategies based on this course. I can't thank the teacher enough for her detailed and prompt responses to my questions and those of others which I found helpful as well. I would highly recommend this course. Very up to date and well presented.

Verified Student

Excellent course. I am in the process of starting a business and this course could not have come at a better time. I feel that I am now well equipped to start my marketing campaign and I am much more confident about marketing my business.

Verified Student

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The Learning Environment

From the moment that you enrol in the Marketing on a Shoestring you will become an integral part of our learning community. You'll find yourself with the freedom to learn at a speed that suits you, on any device, from anywhere in the world. Achieving your career goals no longer has to mean compromising family and work commitments.

Ready to get started?

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Our Values

Learn At Your Own Pace

We believe in personalised learning. That's why we provide all the tools and support you need to succeed at your own pace. With flexible learning, you'll stay motivated and retain more information. Plus, you can balance your studies with work and family commitments to make your dreams a reality.

We Won't Break The Bank

Education should be accessible to anyone who wants to learn. That's why we offer some of the most competitive prices in the industry with payments plans for just $25 per week. Investing in your future is a smart choice and doesn’t have to break the bank.

Industry-Led Courses

There's no better way to learn than from experts with years of experience in your field. That's why each of our 200+ industry-led courses are designed to give you a real-life perspective on your industry. With our expert mentors, you'll learn from people who have a wealth of knowledge and experience, and who are passionate about sharing it with you.

Get The Personal Support You Deserve

At Vibe Learning, we're real people who are dedicated to providing you with personal support every step of the way. Our industry experts are not only professional and knowledgeable but also incredibly passionate about sharing their expertise with you. With their guidance, you'll gain invaluable insights and practical knowledge to help you succeed.

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Marketing on a Shoestring

$599

$389AUD

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Photoshop CS6 Fundamentals

Quick Facts

Delivery Method Online
Professional Certificate
24hrs Suggested Study Time
3 Months Access
Tutor Support
Study On Any Device
3152 Students

Learn how to use Photoshop CS6, the world's best graphics program for photographers, to edit photos and create original images.

Photoshop is the world's best-known photo-editing program. Artists, photographers, designers, and hobbyists all rely on Adobe Photoshop for image creation and editing. Discover the fastest and most effective ways to use Photoshop from an expert and former columnist for Photoshop User magazine.

You'll learn how to use Photoshop with detailed, step-by-step instructions that you'll have no trouble followingâ€”even if you've never used a computer graphics program before! And you'll have a lot of fun doing it.

Photoshop CS6 has a host of impressive new features for photographers, and you'll encounter a number of them. We'll begin with an introduction to the Photoshop environment. Next, you'll learn techniques for creating simple digital paintings (including some brushes that let you create the look of an oil painting from a photo).

Then you'll be editing your own photographs to get rid of dust and scratches, fix the color, and correct image exposure. You'll master techniques for switching the backgrounds on images and removing wrinkles and blemishes from photos, just like they do in magazines. You'll also learn about the new content-aware Move tool in CS6 that, like magic, lets you move something on an image while intelligently replacing the ""hole"" left behind.

By the time you finish this fun, hands-on, project-oriented course, you'll be well on your way to expressing yourself with the most exciting graphics program ever developed.

Your journey begins. Whether you're an aspiring graphic artist or a weekend photographer, Photoshop can take you places you've never dreamed of. Even if you've never touched Photoshop before, you'll be able to open, edit, and save files before this lesson ends. You'll also find out how to download images, and you'll learn simple commands that make an image "pop."

Did you like playing with paints as a child? In this lesson, you'll discover how enjoyable it can be to paint in Photoshop—where you don't need to clean up after yourself, and there's no odor of turpentine. You'll find out how Photoshop "thinks" about color and how you can use the brushes inside Photoshop to make a simple landscape. You'll even blend colors on your image as if they were made of oil paints or watercolors. This is a fun lesson!

Zoom, Scrubby Zoom, Airbrush, Eraser, Smudge: Do you know what these tools and commands mean in Photoshop? You will! In this lesson, you'll find out how to navigate your image so that you can edit and paint more effectively—and give your eyes a rest too. You'll also learn how to erase, blur, smudge, and finger paint. These techniques are fun, easy ways to make dramatic changes in your images, whether you're altering photos or creating a work of art from scratch.

Have you seen ads or greeting cards where most of the image is in black and white but one part's in color? Today you'll find out how to create that effect. You'll be amazed at how easy it is to transform images from color into black and white or even old-fashioned sepia. We'll also cover some tricks with the History Brush tool and history snapshots, so you can experiment while you're creating a hand-tinted image . . . and quickly undo whatever steps you don't like.

If you wanted a friend to hand you an orange from a fruit bowl, you'd probably just point to the one you want or describe its location. Photoshop also needs directions if you want to lift something out of an image or point it out in some way. The Photoshop name for "pointing" is selections. In this lesson, you'll learn the critical skill of making selections. You'll see how easy it is to isolate portions of your image so that you can add a filter or change the colors. You'll also create vignettes, which are photos with an opaque center that falls off to a very soft edge. And if you don't like the selection you just made, you'll get help from the Refine Edge command.

Photoshop has some great selection tools, but until now, all of them have had trouble selecting exactly what you had in mind. You can see the flower, so why can't Photoshop? Today you'll learn to use the Lasso, Magic Wand, and Quick Selection tools to make the selections you want as you practice putting two images together.

You can paint in Photoshop—even if the only thing you can do with paint in "real life" is spill it! Photoshop lets you create fabulous brushes from images and customize them in many ways. You can modify the new bristle-tip brushes to help you turn photos into art . . . or to create your own work of art just by using brushstrokes.

Gradients are fountains of color. One of the current trends in photography is to colorize areas of a photo with a gradient. You can spend hundreds of dollars buying gradient-colored stock photos—or just use what you learn in this lesson to create them yourself! Even portraits can be much more exciting with a gradient added to them.

Whether you want to add type to a scrapbooking layout, make large type for display, or learn a little bit about Photoshop's Layer Styles, you'll enjoy this lesson. You'll try your hand at making type that warps, wiggles, and follows a path. Then you'll see what you can do to text on your own.

Today you'll learn how to size your images for printing or for the Web. You'll find out how to scan an image so that it's large enough for your needs, but not too large, and how to crop images that have more than you really want to see.

In this lesson, we'll focus on the three R's of photo manipulation: restoring, retouching, and rearranging. You'll be amazed by what you can do—and you'll understand why the phrase "pictures can't lie" is no longer true! You'll also discover how to use the amazing Clone Stamp panel and the "preview" feature on the Clone Stamp brush cursor. Plus you'll learn about the content-aware tools that help Photoshop make more intelligent guesses as to the fixes you want.

Are some of your images overexposed, underexposed, or tinged an ugly yellow? In this lesson, learn how to correct exposures and colors to make them more attractive and truer to life. Photoshop can't work miracles all the time, but if you have an image that's a bit too dark or a bit too light, you can fix it up so that it looks perfect.

Sherry London

Sherry London is a noted Photoshop and Illustrator expert, an artist, a writer, and a teacher. Her fiber art has been featured in magazines and exhibitions. Her published works include Photoshop CS2 Gone Wild, Photoshop Magic, Photoshop Effects Ma... Read more

Read Sherry London's Profile

Frequently Asked Questions

Once you've made the payment, we'll send you a confirmation email with a link to start your course. Feel free to get started whenever you're ready!

You'll have 3 months access to your course. In that time you are free to study at your own pace. The course duration is 24 hours.

Of course! We offer a 7-day money back guarantee. As long as you haven't completed the course, you can get a full refund within 7 days of enrolling.

What people are saying about our courses

I have learned a great deal from your beginner course and I am really looking forward to the intermediate one! Thanks for turning on some of the lights for me with this complex software interface. Thank you also for being MAC friendly in this instructional process.

Verified Student

I rated this course, as well as my instructor, Ms, London with A++ rating. The process, lesson plans, meaningful materials, challenging exams, and resources...was outstanding. Thank you! I think that you did a good job in designing a lesson plan the worked for someone like me who had never used Photoshop. I started your course with ZERO experience.

Verified Student

The instruction have truly made this a different and less daunting experience. The drawings are easier and the anxiety about tackling this extremely diverse program has been allayed. I am looking forward to the lessons and taking a ton of notes.

Verified Student

See More Reviews

The Learning Environment

From the moment that you enrol in the Photoshop CS6 Fundamentals you will become an integral part of our learning community. You'll find yourself with the freedom to learn at a speed that suits you, on any device, from anywhere in the world. Achieving your career goals no longer has to mean compromising family and work commitments.