Small Business Entrepreneurship: Marketing a Business

Upcoming Start Date

Spring 2026 Enrollment Coming Soon

Length

5 weeks

Effort

3-5 hours of self-paced learning per week

Tuition

$950.00

Overview

Marketing for small businesses and start-ups is essential. Do you have the know-how and tools to position your venture for growth? Rice University’s online business courses for entrepreneurs provide a convenient, yet interactive and hands-on, way to learn or brush up on practical entrepreneurship skills.

Taught by industry professionals from Rice Business, the #1-ranked Entrepreneurship Graduate Program in the U.S. (Princeton Review, Entrepreneur Magazine), learners will focus on core competencies like strategic thinking, audience analysis, engagement techniques, and practical marketing planning. Although 100% online, the course is hands-on and will enable you to develop marketing plans, customer journey maps, and even more tools to immediately implement as a busy entrepreneur or small business owner. Through a combination of engaging lectures, practical case studies, group discussions, interviews, and hands-on exercises, students will gain invaluable insights into the principles and best practices that define successful small business ventures.

Recommendation: To gain the foundations of your business venture, we recommend completing the first course in this series, Small Business Entrepreneurship: Starting a Business, before starting Marketing a Business.

Who Should Attend

• Aspiring entrepreneurs, start-up founders, or small business owners
• MBA students or college students majoring in business or a related subject
• Current small business owners, entrepreneurs, or leaders who need help crafting a business model canvas, pitch deck, or business plan draft

Program Takeaways

• Develop a comprehensive business positioning statement that accurately reflects the brand identity and unique value proposition of their entrepreneurial venture.
• Identify and analyze target market segments, utilizing demographic and psychographic data to effectively engage potential customers.
• Create detailed customer journey maps that outline the touchpoints and experiences customers have with the business, optimizing these for greater satisfaction and retention.
• Familiarize yourself with the legal and regulatory aspects of launching and operating a small business, including business structures, permits, licenses, and intellectual property protection.
• Master the art of selling, customer acquisition, and retention strategies to ensure long-term business success.
• Scaling and Growth: Explore techniques to scale and expand your business while maintaining its core values and objectives.
• Utilize various marketing tools and techniques to design and implement engagement strategies that build strong, lasting relationships with customers.
• Construct a robust marketing plan that includes goals, strategies, and metrics for success, ensuring alignment with overall business objectives and facilitating sustainable growth.

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