A few weeks ago I was greeted by a full-page ad in the Merced Sun-Star announcing that Jay Conrad Levinson would be speaking at Merced College. I have his book, Guerilla Marketing, so I knew that the $25 being charged for the seminar was a huge bargain. I checked my calendar and called the college to reserve my spot.

Levinson is known and respected internationally as the guru of small business marketing. His ideas are inexpensive, easy to do, and very effective in gaining the attention of prospective customers. They are also quite applicable to non-profits and to churches.

I told people about the all-day seminar. I said that it would normally cost them $150 to attend such a conference. I told them who was hosting it and where to call. But on the day of the conference, only about a third of what the College and sponsors were expecting showed up.

I know it had to disappoint the sponsors and the College. Only one third of the expected crowd to hear a world-class speaker. You could tell by the calibre of the people at the conference that these were determined and committed folks. And their lives would be enhanced by what they learned that day.