| Call on Us | | | We want to help your borrowers better understand their market, industry, and financials. ASBTDC offers one-on-one consulting services for current and prospective small business owners at no charge. Training and market research are also available. Our goal is to equip business owners with the information, guidance, and tools they need to make better business decisions.
800.862.2040 501.683.7700 |
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From Our Website
| Do you often find yourself explaining to current or prospective small business owners what they need to do to qualify for a loan?
We do, too. Many people come to the ASBTDC wanting assistance with obtaining financing. The ASBTDC created a page on our website in response to the frequent question, "Can I qualify for a business loan?"
As a lender, you know many factors have to be considered to answer that question. That's why on our website, the ASBTDC poses 10 questions back to the person pursuing a loan. For every question, we offer reasons the information is important to lenders.
To read our response to "Can I qualify for a loan?" click here.
ASBTDC values your feedback. We want to give our small business clients the best and most up-to-date information. To suggest additions to our web content on qualifying for financing, please contact Heather Robinette at hbrobinette@ualr.edu.
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The Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration through a partnership with the University of Arkansas at Little Rock College of Business and other institutions of higher education. UALR is committed to the policy of providing equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate in employment, admissions, programs, or any other educational functions and services on the basis of sex, age, disability, race, and national origin, color, or religion. |
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Fact: Across the nation, 2.5% of all U.S. farms earn income from agritourism. More than half of them are in the South.
Last year travel expenditures in Arkansas totaled $5,453,192,978 - an increase of 1.4% over 2009 - and accounted for 58,336 jobs statewide. One growing segment within the travel industry is agritourism, which enterprising property owners market to visitors by offering recreational or educational experiences that capitalize on the attractions of rural living.
Think beyond Billy Crystal's escapades in the film City Slickers. Agricultural businesses around Arkansas continue to diversify their revenue streams through agritourism. They include
- U-pick operations
- garden, winery, and farm tours
- pumpkin patches, corn mazes, and haunted barns
- farmers' markets
- birdwatching experiences
- Christmas tree farms and
- guided hunts and hunting lodges.
Which of your customers are "ripe" for growth through agritourism? The ASBTDC can help you help them expand and grow their businesses. We offer specialized business counseling, financial projections, market research, and online marketing assistance.
ASBTDC welcomes your referrals. With seven offices across the state, we can help your customers diversify their service and product offerings.
Sources: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Arkansas Agritourism Initiative, Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism
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Promoting Rural Tourism Workshops
 Rural tourism expert Joanne Steele wants to help Arkansas' rural communities and businesses capture the immense potential of the Internet for attracting tourists. This month, she will present the workshop "Promoting Rural Tourism: Making the Internet Work for Your Business and Your Town" in seven locations around the state.
ASBTDC is sponsoring the training, which is funded through a grant award from the U.S. Small Business Administration.
As owner and operator of Rural Tourism Marketing Group, Steele has worked for more than 15 years to help rural communities become tourist destinations. She writes the acclaimed blog, RuralTourismMarketing.com.
Steele's 6-hour presentation will show participants how regular small-town business practices such as knowing your customers and serving their needs are exactly the principles that are used to create an effective online marketing strategy. Participants will learn how all the pieces of this strategy - including a business website, social media, e-mail marketing, review sites and directories - work together.
The workshop schedule:
- April 16, Van Buren
- April 18-19, Eureka Springs
- April 20-21, Mountain Home
- April 23, Little Rock
- April 25-26, Hot Springs
- April 27-28, Magnolia
- April 30, Dumas
Registration fee for the workshop is $30 per person. Advance registration is required and available by phone or email. Contact the ASBTDC's Shannon Roberts at (501) 683-7700 or toll-free (800) 862-2040, or e-mail her at sxroberts@ualr.edu.
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SBA Launches Online Lender Toolkit
As part of its recently redesigned website, the U.S. Small Business Administration has launched a new interactive Lender Toolkit with more in-depth information and resources.
In announcing the toolkit, SBA Administrator Karen G. Mills noted that it "puts more information on SBA loan programs at lenders' fingertips and makes it easier for them to use these programs to meet the capital needs of their small business customers." Features include:
- Online submission of loan packages
- Interactive "Find a Loan Package" tool
- Interactive "Find a Service Center" tool
- Lender FAQs
- Relevant Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) Notices
- Weekly Lending Report
Lenders are encouraged to visit the site and explore the interactive tools at www.sba.gov/for-lenders.
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