It's old, but it's hot. There's even a Word of Mouth Marketing Association.

The industry was in turmoil a couple years ago, involved in marketing and trading energy. About a year ago, that process was finished. Companies just don't sit around and do nothing.

It's important for local businesses to have technology-enabled marketing solutions like this available to them. With the Internet becoming an increasingly popular medium to find products and services, local businesses need to harness that power in order to grow.

The marketing point is that it lets kids do something that's forbidden. Kids are all about limits and what they can and can't do.

Affinity marketing is where DM crosses over into field marketing, giving us a broader understanding of how to use samples with consumers. It's not just a DM approach, but about devising creative ideas for sales and using DM skills to drive this.

Each month, a different speaker will present pertinent business information and answer questions. Business owners will also be able to network amongst themselves and talk about what works for them and what doesn't. It's information that new business owners can really use.