HIGH POINT — High Point University is sponsoring an Internet marketing symposium on April 7 for students and home furnishings industry officials.

The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Francis Auditorium in the Phillips School of Business. The seminar is offered at no charge, as a service of HPU's Knabusch Shoemaker International School of Home Furnishings and Design.

Brian Thornfelt, general merchandise manager for e-commerce giant CSN.com, will be the keynote speaker.

Lisa Foote, president of Minneapolis-based MixMobi.com will present an overview of mobile marketing, along with typical costs and benefits. She'll share mobile marketing techniques that manufacturers and retailers can start trying immediately.

Leslie Carothers, president of the Kaleidoscope Partnership, will tell how manufacturers and retailers can work cost-efficiently with national and local interior designers and design bloggers to drive traffic to websites and into stores.

A four-member panel of industry professionals including two retailers and two manufacturers will present their real world case studies of how they are using social media marketing to build their businesses.

The symposium is designed to help companies engage their customers, create brand loyalty and drive sales, said Richard Bennington, the Paul Broyhill Professor of Home Furnishings at HPU.

"Our hope is that this seminar will help attendees gain a competitive edge by discovering ideas, best practices and emerging trends in online advertising, optimization and social media," said Bennington. "Bringing these experts from around the country will allow HPU students to get a behind-the-scenes look at techniques being used by businesses today. A great benefit it is for them to learn how some of the tools they are already using, like Facebook and blogging, can be used to drive customers to websites and into stores."

Seating is limited and based on a first come, first serve basis. Register online at www.furnishings-hpu.com.