The local Sandhills Chapter of SCORE (Counselors to America's Small Business) continues its free "Business Basics" series Tuesday, Sept. 28, with its popular marketing seminar.

The seminar will begin at 6 p.m. in room 103 of Van Dusen Hall on the Sandhills Community College campus. Registration begins at 5:30. Participants can preregister by calling (910) 695-3938.

SCORE and the Small Business Center of Sandhills Community College jointly sponsor the "Business Basics" series of six consecutive seminars that are valuable for every entrepreneur.

"This seminar, straight from the trenches of real American business experience, brings you marketing savvy that you can apply to your business starting immediately," a SCORE news release said. "Best of all, many of the tips cost very little or even nothing to implement, yet they have been proven to be very effective. Marketing is an 'attitude' and it involves the management of many disciplines."

The seminar will define and describe the various forms of marketing for profit, how to evaluate relevant demographics and other consumer buying habits, low-cost research and other inexpensive marketing techniques, how to think creatively to get more value out of your marketing dollars, how to develop a successful marketing plan, and much more.

"Sales is clearly the lifeblood of any business, and we at SCORE want to show you a better way to increase your sales through our creative marketing techniques," the release said.

SCORE is a nationwide nonprofit association of experienced business people who provide free confidential counseling to small business owners. The Sandhills chapter is active in counseling, mentoring and presenting free business seminars.

Business people wishing to speak to SCORE about their business must first register as a client www.edmisscore.org/0364. A counselor will contact you.

In addition to counseling by appointment, the Sandhills chapter has drop-in service, for those who have registered, from 10 a.m. to noon Tuesdays and Fridays at the Moore County Chamber of Commerce building on U.S. 15-501 in Southern Pines. The phone number in Southern Pines is (910) 692-3926.

More information on SCORE's counseling activity and a complete description of each seminar can be found at the Sandhills SCORE website, www.sandhillsscore.org.