Virginia Tech' College of Natural Resources hosts 11th annual workshop on Forest Products Marketing

Virginia Tech’s Center for Forest Products Marketing and Management will offer its 11th annual workshop on “Forest Products Marketing” from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thursday, May 6, and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, May 7.

The workshop, held at the Donaldson Brown Hotel and Conference Center in Blacksburg, Va., will teach individuals about wood based industry products, small forest products business marketing concepts, and how small forest products business owners or managers can gain leverage in their industry.

Topics to be covered during the workshop include: forest products, marketing, marketing basics, marketing strategy, easy market research methods for forest products companies, making a successful sales presentation, successful personal selling for the small forest products company, goal setting, and trends in the industry.

The workshop is open to new salespeople or marketers, employees with little experience in the forest products industry, anyone interested in basic marketing and personal selling skills, individuals involved with economic development, and anyone interested in the forest products industry.

Along with Virginia Tech’s forest products marketing center, sponsors for the workshop include the Virginia Forest Products Association, Hardwood Manufacturers Association, and Virginia Tech’s Continuing and Professional Education Department.

Instructors for the workshop are Bob Smith, associate professor and Extension specialist in forest products marketing, and Robert Bush and Tom Hammett, associate professors in forest products marketing.

Persons interested may register online at www.conted.vt.edu/forestpm/ or print information from the website: www.cfpmm.vt.edu.

For more information, contact Bob Smith at rsmith4@vt.edu, Joanne Buckner at ctrfpmjo@vt.edu, or visit the website.

The College of Natural Resources at Virginia Tech consistently ranks among the top five programs of its kind in the nation. Faculty members stress both the technical and human elements of natural resources and instill in students a sense of stewardship and land-use ethics. Areas of studies include environmental resource management, fisheries and wildlife sciences, forestry, geospatial and environmental analysis, natural resource recreation, urban forestry, wood science and forest products, geography, and international development.

Written by Jasmin Dizon, Public Affairs Intern