STEP 1 Think of awesome idea
STEP 2 identify resources STEP 3 write a business plan STEP 4 get support & funding
Social Media
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The importance of networking cannot be overstated; it is crucial to growing and sustaining your business. Surrounding yourself with other entrepreneurs, you take on their attitudes, savvy business practices and learn about opportunities for funding and collaboration. Few avenues offer such immediate returns on investment as social media outlets like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. These network marketing tools are cost efficient (each are free to join) and can be accessed through any mobile device with an internet connection. This is good for both you and your future patrons. The ability to provide real time updates to your customers and continuously expand your sphere of influence is invaluable. With organizations like these, market access and promotion are literally at your finger-tips, without any added cost to your bottom line. At this point, most grandmothers have a facebook page. If you own a business, but aren’t maximizing on this free marketing tool, you are missing out on lots of potential revenue. Marketing dollars are precious. This is an easy way to engage patrons, target your market, and grow your business - for free.
Linkedin is geared toward working professionals. Essentially, your resume is pulicized for all your “connections” to see. List employment history, education, groups & organizations, awards, interests, and of course your picture.
Elance showcases freelance professionals in every type of discipline. Promote your own skills, or hire someone else without the fulltime employee committment and accompanying overhead. Want to keep your outsourcing local? You decide your hiring criteria & can search according to what matters to you.
Ultimately, starting and running a successful business comes down to planning and hard work. Resources for Arkansas’ entrepreneurial hopefuls can only take a proprietor so far. Individuals must be committed to their concept, but flexible and tenacious enough to roll with punches and make adjustments along the way. By Ashley Spurr
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Alt.Consulting
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Little Rock Score
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Conway CoWork
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NWAEA
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AMS
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Arkansas ASSET Initiative | www.arepscor.org | 7