It is argued that the delivery of learning and the development of skills and competences are central to SME success; and there appears to be a requirement for higher-order education and training that can deliver a certain level of skills through the social aspects of learning. The author uses discourse analysis to examine data generated from a small sample of participants from UK SMEs and business support agencies. The findings suggest that social interaction, developing critical thinking, using critical incidents as effective active learning episodes, and the management of internally and externally derived knowledge are critically important factors in training dealing with SME marketing. The implications for SME managers and learning providers are discussed. (Contains 3 notes.)