Prepared by the Arkansas State University Small Business and Technology Development Center staff as a basic guide for new businesses in Northeast Arkansas

1. Helping
Real People
and Real Businesses
SUCCEED
STEPS TO HELP YOU GET STARTED
Information inside
includes:
Advertising to utilize
before the ground
breaking
Contacts to help reach
the local market
Marketing research
services provided by
the SBTDC

2. Page 2
Getting Ready for the Grand
Opening
Local Advertising
Informing potential customers and the
community of an upcoming Grand
Opening is essential in making a new
business a success. The best way to do
this is to advertise locally. Prime outlets
include the city newspaper, local televi-
sion stations, the local radio stations, and
billboards, ect.
When executed correctly these powerful Social Media can also be utilized to
marketing tools can help to inform introduce your brand to the masses.
customers about a new business. Online social networks such as
Facebook and Twitter are just a few of
the online venues that can be employed
Marketing Decisions to help you reach potential customers.
One of the most important factors in
marketing is determining the audience The SBTDC
you wish to reach. The market that you
intend to target should be anyone who The Small Business and Technology
might bene it from the products or Development Center located at
services being offered. Arkansas State University offers
After choosing the medium you wish to counseling, business plan reviews,
market through, schedule the training, and market research to the
advertisement during times when your small business community.
target market will be the majority of the
audience.
SBTDC

3.
Page 3
Create Yourself
3 Months before your opening…
 Create an email address with your
business domain
 Develop a Company Signature or
Logo
 Design a Business Card
These few initial steps enable you to begin
communicating with potential customers.
Social Media
This allows potential customers to find your page through search
engines as well as allow the community to become familiar with your
business or brand .
 Create an account for your business on
Facebook and Twitter
 Start Inviting Friends
 Make sure to review, send messages, and
upload information, videos, and photos daily
SBTDC

4. Page 4
Contact Jonesboro Websites
As consumers get smarter and more speci ic about how they search, they are
stepping away from the global market place and reaching out to a local one.
Created by Occasions Publishing Group, Jonesboro.com is an important
resource for local businesses who wish to reach consumers in the
community and promote their brand for free.
Company Info:
Contact: Audrey Hanes, Associate Editor
Jonesboro Occasions
Email: ahanes@jonesborooccasions.com
274 Southwest Dr.
Jonesboro, AR 72403
Phone: 870.931.0012
Kait8 is a highly trusted local brand that allows Region 8 businesses to
reach a distinct and targeted audience in order to promote and inform
viewers of their brand. Kait8-Tv Online has become a wonderful source
for news and information that offers unique opportunities to advertisers
such as:
 Integrated Content Sponsorships
Company Info:
 Targeted Opt-In Email Campaigns
KAIT-TV
 Streaming Video Sponsorship P.O. Box 790
472 County Rd. 766
Contact: Howell Westbrook, Senior Account Executive Jonesboro, AR 72401
Phone: 870.933.8888
Email: hwestbrook@kait8.com
SBTDC

5.
Page 5
Internet Resources
Search Engine Optimization
Search engines have recently been recognized as the most effective form of
marketing compared to house email, viral video, house blogs, social site
pro iles, and Twitter feeds.
The majority of first time visitors will happen
across your page via a search engine result.
Getting Listed
Once you have a website be sure and “Get Listed” at www.getlisted.org, a
resource for small business owners to learn more about the way their
businesses are listed online.
Social Media Resources
When you launch into a social media, take a look at which mediums your target
audience uses the most.
Keeping an eye on social media statistics- Twitter trends, digital marketing
trends, and search engine rankings- is important to keep in mind as the average
internet user’s activity shifts. Keep yourself updated by checking some of the
following sites for search engine and social media statistics:
 eMarketer.com
 Hitwise.com
 comScore.com
 SearchEngineLand.com
SBTDC

6. Page 6
Local Advertising
Learn what is available in your area...
 Covert Advertising
 Print Advertising
 Broadcast Advertising
 Outdoor Advertising
Exploring the local advertising options can help you to collect the information
needed to narrow down which media outlets you will eventually use.
Covert Advertising
Covert advertising is a unique kind of advertising in which a
product or a particular brand is incorporated in entertainment.
The Malco Hollywood movie theatre reaches a large number of consumers
especially during new movie releases.
Advertising options available include:
 Cinema Spots
Contact Info:
 Cinema Slides
Malco Hollywood
2407 East Parker Rd.  Digital Preshow
Jonesboro, AR 72401
 Lobby Promotions
Phone: 870.802.3456
SBTDC

7.
Page 7
Print Advertising
The Jonesboro Sun is Northeast Arkansas’ regional newspaper serving over
80,000 readers with a market coverage in seven counties of Arkansas each
day.
Company Info:
The Jonesboro Sun
Contact: Lisa A. Lynn, Advertising Director 518 Carson St
Email: llynn@jonesborosun.com
Jonesboro, AR 72401
Phone: 870.935.5525
Jonesboro Occasions is a publication of locally-owned
and operated Occasions Publishing Group.
This publication is dedicated to the culture and lifestyle
enjoyed by readers in Northeast Arkansas and we exist
to make a signi icant contribution to the greater good of
the community.
Company Info:
Jonesboro Occasions
Contact: William Black, Account Executive
274 Southwest Drive
Email: william@jonesborooccasions.com P.O. Box 1681
Jonesboro, AR 72403-1681
Phone: 870.931.0012
SBTDC

8. Page 8
Broadcast Advertising
Television is the only media that can reach large audiences
watching the same thing at the same time.
The Region 8 market is comprised of approximately 25 counties in Arkansas and
Missouri. KAIT 8 captures the majority of the viewing households located in Region
8 and is the #1 station in 9 of these counties and the #1 ABC af iliate in another 8
counties.
Sponsorship Opportunities include:
 KAIT 8 Drive for Life
 Community Weather Cams
 Scholarship Salute
 Teacher of the Year
 Football Friday Night
Contact: Company Info:
Howell Westbrook, Senior Account Executive KAIT-TV
P.O. Box 790
Email: hwestbrook@kait8.com
472 County Rd. 766
Jonesboro, AR 72401
Phone: 870.933.8888
SBTDC

9.
Page 9
Suddenlink Media can help you effectively, ef iciently and affordably target your
audience with cable television advertising and a suite of other advanced digital
advertising solutions.
 Local Commercials
 Commercial Production
 Mobile Text Services
Company Info:
Suddenlink Communications
 Network Promotions
1707 Stone St.
Contact: Jim Watkins, Account Executive Jonesboro, AR 72401
Email: Phones: 870.933.9300
The advantage radio advertising offers your business stems from
its unique combination of high reach, high targetability, and
low cost
Jonesboro Radio Group advertisers enjoy, by far, the largest radio listening
audience in the Jonesboro market.
Company Info:
Jonesboro Radio Group
314 Union Street
Jonesboro, AR 72401
Phone: 870.933.8800
SBTDC

10. Page 10
East Arkansas Broadcasters of Jonesboro owns radio stations across the
entire state. They have a contemporary country station, KFIN, a popular
music station, KIYS, a class country, KWHF, along with two AM talk
stations, KBTM & KNEA.
Company Info:
Contact: Employee, Job Title East Arkansas Broadcasters
Email: Address
Phone:
Mor Media Inc in Paragould, AR is a private company Broadcasting Companies
offering radio advertising as well as radio advertising services.
Company Info:
MOR Media
400 Tower Drive
Contact: Employee, Job Title
Paragould, AR 72450
Email: Phone: 870-236-7627
SBTDC

11.
Page 11
Outdoor Advertising
American consumers spend more time out-of-home than watching television, reading
the paper, or listening to the radio which allows outdoor advertising to reach
consumers while they are traveling.
Contact Info:
Lamar Outdoor
401 West Parker Rd.
Contact: Angela Taylor Jonesboro, AR 72404
Email: Phone: 870.935.4603
Other Resources
Request information from the Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce about
sending a newsletter email blast to all members with information about your new
business
Contact Info:
Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce
P.O. Box 789
Jonesboro, AR 72403
Phone: 870.932.6691
SBTDC

12. Page 12
The ASU SBTDC
New Opportunities for Small
Businesses
The Arkansas Small Business and
Technology Development Center is a
statewide network that serves and
supports the small business
community offering one-to-one
professional consulting for business
owners and entrepreneurs.
 Conducted 69 small business training
Located on Arkansas State University’s
workshops with over 900 attendees on
Jonesboro campus in the Delta Center,
topics from Starting a Business to
the ASU Small Business and
Business Financing Options, and a
Technology Development Center is a
wide variety of cutting edge marketing
part of the statewide small business
workshops especially in social media
assistance centers.
and on-line marketing.
The ASU SBTDC:
The ASU SBTDC assists entrepreneurs at
 In 2010 our consultants worked on every stage of business development and
30 capital projects helping our cli- growth. Our knowledgeable consulting
ents access over $7,900,000 in staff and provided one-to-one
inancing con idential guidance and feedback, plus
 Using our resources 120 clients information, recommendations, and re-
received assistance for their startup sources speci ically tailored to any small
or existing businesses business venture.
 Small Businesses that worked with Primary areas of assistance include,
our consultants created 100 new planning, technology, inancing, market-
jobs and our work resulted in 140 ing, growth, management, technology,
saved jobs that might have other- Web site optimization, and business
wise been lost pro itability.
SBTDC

13.
Page 13
Services Offered
Starting a new business requires extensive planning and preparation which
is quite time consuming. To assist in this process, Small Business and Tech-
nology Development Center offers a variety of services to assist new busi-
ness owners.
Help available to you includes:
 Advice on operating challenges in your existing business
 Review of your business plan and strategies
 Guidance in starting your new business
 Advice on purchasing of existing businesses
 Preparation of your loan request
 Financial Analysis and budget development
 Web Site Optimization
 Market Research
SBTDC

14. Page 14
Seminars Offered
The ASU SBTDC offers seminars and training programs that focus on providing
current, practical information on a wide variety of business topics. SBTDC staff
and professionals from the business community teach basic business skills as
well as provide training on more advanced topics.
How to Register
Online: asbtdc.ualr.edu/training/jonesboro.asp
Phone: 870.972.3517
Fax: 870.972.3678
Email: asusbtdc@astate.edu
Mail: ASU SBTDC
P.O. Box 2650
State University, AR 72467
Additional Information
Consulting
The SBTDC can assist you by providing free one-on-one professional consulting on
preparation of loan requests, inancial analysis, and budget development. Consultants
can provide general business advice; however, they cannot provide speci ic tax,
accounting, or legal advice
Market Research
Our Center has access to research materials that can be ordered and customized
based on the clients business.
Training
The SBTDC offers a wide variety of live and online classes to those who are interested
in starting a business. The irst course recommended to those who are considering
starting a business is "Starting a Business in Arkansas."
SBTDC

15.
Page 15
Our Consultants
Herb Lawrence
Center Director and Training Director
Email: hlawrenc@astate.edu
Laura Miller
Lead Business Consultant
Email: lmiller@astate.edu
Robert Bahn
Business Consultant
Email: rbahn@astate.edu
Lois Travis
Administrative Assistant
Email: lois@astate.edu
SBTDC

16. ASU SBTDC
Phone: (870) 972-3517
Fax: (870) 972-3678
E-mail: asusbtdc@astate.edu
Arkansas State University
Small Business and Technology
Development Center
P.O. Box 2650
State University, AR 7246