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Staff reports Published 11:46 a.m. ET Feb. 17, 2017 | Updated 12:02 p.m. ET Feb. 17, 2017

Sarah Benoit teaches free business seminars for SCORE in Asheville.(Photo: Courtesy of SCORE)

CANDLER - SCORE,the nonprofit mentoring group that providesbusiness consulting services to entrepreneurs, business owners and professionals, is sponsoring several free seminars in March.

All will be at the A-B Tech Small Business Center,1465 Sand Hill Road. The seminars are free but require advance registration online atashevillescore.org.

The seminars are as follows, with descriptions provided by SCORE:

Basic Internet Marketing, 6-9 p.m. March 1. Creating a strong Internet presence can help a small business get started and grow.This seminar is perfect for any beginner that wants to learn the basics of how to promote a website. Students will gain a better understanding of website usability and all the different tools available online. This is a hands-on seminar and students will see these tools in action.Students are encouraged to bring their laptop andlogins for their social mediaaccounts so they can follow along and ask questions in class.Instructor: Sarah Benoit is an online marketing, SEO, keyword research, and social media strategist who has worked in the internet marketing field since 2003.

Refining Your Business Model and Financial Planning, 9 a.m.-noon March 4.Small business owners and entrepreneurs are often advised of the need to create a business plan, but before creating a business plan, you need a business model. This seminar helps new businesses structure their finances by outlining the fundamentals of business operational and financial planning. It also discusses the process of applying for funding from commercial lenders.Instructors: Ron Ashe worked 25 years with Union Camp Corp. (now International Paper), holding positions in human resources management and organizational development.Richard Smith is a Certified Management Accountant who has had part ownership of four small consumer packaged goods and service firms and has worked for Nabisco, Kraft Foodsand BASF.

Social Media for Business, 6-9 p.m. March 8.Social media is a great way for small businesses to get themselves noticed and to drive business. This seminar delves into the basic principles of effective Social Media marketing and explores a wide variety of the sites being utilized today. This seminar is interactive and you will explore various websites sites while the instructor guides you through market.Students are encouraged to bring their laptops and logins for their social media accounts so they can follow along and ask questions in class.Instructor:Sarah Benoit.

How to Build Your Customer Base, 9 a.m.-noon March 11.Small business owners are always looking for ways to add customers. This fast-paced workshop gives you current best practices on how to build your customer base. You will work through team exercises to get a fresh perspective on how to better position your products/services, target the right customers, and frame your communications to sell more.Instructor:Grace Major,an expert in managing customer relationships,is an author and the leader of a series of training programs to improve customer relationships and service quality.

Advanced Internet Marketing, 6-9 p.m. March 15.Making sure your customers can find you on the Internet is one of the key challenges for small business. This seminar delves into SEO optimization (the art of getting higher rankings on Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc.), building links with online public relations, increasing exposure through social media, options for advertising on the Internet, bloggingstrategies, and e-newsletter best practices.Students are encouraged to bring their laptop and logins for their social media accounts so they can follow along and ask questions in class.Instructor:Sarah Benoit.

How to Find Your Customers, 9 a.m.-noon March 25.Finding customers is about understanding your markets. Market research isnt just for startups; its an important ongoing process for every small business. Developing a focused and effective marketing plan requires up-to-date market analysis. Discover the variety of market research tools that will give you critical information about your industry and customers. Get the data you need.Instructor: Tom Mock is a retired marketing and communications executive from the telecommunications industry. His experience includes corporate marketing, market research, product marketing, PR, investor relationsand product management.

SCORE, previously known as theService Corps of Retired Executives, serves as "Counselors to America's Small Business." It is anonprofit that provides free business mentoring services to entrepreneurs in the United States.

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SCORE hosts free marketing, other seminars in Asheville - Asheville Citizen-Times