Marketing workshop to help small farms, businesses

Branding and marketing can seem daunting for small farms and businesses. Western Nevada College presents “The Bareknuckle Approach” to help farms and ranches learn the basics in an informal and entertaining ambience.

WNC Specialty Crop Institute will offer Branding & Marketing Your Farm, The Bareknuckle Approach workshop on March 31, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Liberty Food & Wine Exchange, 100 N. Sierra St. in Reno.

The cost is $20 if registered by March 24 and $25 after March 24. Lunch is included. Online registration is available at www.wnc.edu/specialty-crop-institute.

Featured speaker Bill West of Bareknuckle Brand Marketing will present his approach to branding that brings big business tactics to small business owners. Through real-world examples, useful quick and dirties, and a slew of mediocre jokes, West will show attendees how to brand their farm using the Bareknuckle process. He will then show how to market their brand through websites, social media and the real world of ink, paper and people. Plus, he’ll give away free stuff.

West, owner and lead eyebrow-raiser of Bareknuckle Brand Marketing, pulls from his background as a speech writer, ghostwriter and university writing instructor to help small business owners get a grip on branding and marketing. His work has been featured in media sources such as the New York Times, CNBC and Fox News; across financial websites such as E*TRADE; and on the back of vodka bottles. A transplant from Tulsa, Oklahoma, West dug his roots in Reno 12 years ago, finishing his masters program, starting his first business, supporting local craft breweries and singing for a rock ’n’ roll band you’ve never heard of.

For information and registration, contact Ann Louhela at 775-423-7565, ext. 2228, or ann.louhela@wnc.edu.