Sokcho, Gangwon Province Marketing Training Review (2025 G-STARTUP)
Last week, I had the opportunity to give a lecture at the 2025 G-STARTUP Marketing Training held in Sokcho, Gangwon Province.
This training session was prepared in collaboration with the Gangwon Center for Creative Economy Innovation,
and I had an in-depth discussion with startup and business representatives from Sokcho and the Gangwon region, focusing on marketing strategies in the AI era and search exposure optimization (AEO).
The Vibrant Energy of the Lecture Hall…
Even before the training began, I could feel the anticipation from the representatives who had arrived early to fill the lecture hall.
This lecture, conducted under the theme of ‘AI Search Exposure Optimization You Must Know in 2025,’ was not merely a presentation of theories,
but rather a session structured to share practical, hands-on marketing know-how that can be immediately applied in real business settings.
On-site, participants showed great interest, especially in areas such as market research, competitor analysis, content automation, and buyer discovery strategies. As there were many requests to “show us methods actually used in the field,” I demonstrated tool usage on the spot with specific examples.
– How to collect competitor ad creatives in just a few minutes
– B2B buyer discovery process using Google Maps and LinkedIn
– Content creation and distribution strategies combining GPT and CRM automation
When participants nodded their heads and said, “We can immediately apply these in the field,”
I felt the greatest reward as an instructor.
Learning and Exchange in Sokcho
It was also impressive that unique startups and manufacturing-based companies from Gangwon Province gathered in one place.
They had different concerns compared to those in the Seoul metropolitan area, for example, the following topics:
How can we acquire new leads, moving beyond a sales structure centered on exhibitions?
What digital strategies should local businesses implement to target the global market?
These topics were actively discussed during the lecture.
Based on my CRM business and consulting experience,
I emphasized data-driven, efficient marketing rather than simple ad execution.
In particular, I shared examples demonstrating that AI Search Optimization (AEO) is a trend that must be prepared for, regardless of whether it’s in the B2B or B2C sector.
My Takeaways from this Lecture?
Whenever I give a lecture, I prioritize the question, “Can this be immediately applied in practice?”
In this Sokcho lecture, I minimized the use of PPTs and instead increased on-site engagement through live demonstrations and customized QA sessions.
After the training, several representatives told me, “The methods you demonstrated live on-site were much more memorable than the lecture materials,”
and I was delighted that this resonated with my practical, hands-on teaching philosophy.
The charm of Sokcho as a location was also significant.
The experience of encountering the passion of entrepreneurs in an environment where the sea and mountains blend together also gave me new inspiration.
It was not merely a place to impart knowledge, but also a meaningful time for me to learn about the concerns and perspectives of local businesspeople.
