ALTON - The Small Business Revolution has been opened to all Alton businesses to apply - as long as they do so by tonight at 11:59 p.m.
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Tuesday is the last day for businesses across Alton to be featured on the show, which airs online and through Hulu. Of all the applicants, six will be chosen to be featured on the program sponsored by the Deluxe Corporation, which works with small businesses across the country to assist with marketing, advertising and general overall business. Through the show, Deluxe Corporation is intending to invest as much as $500,000 into the six businesses and the city.
Previously, the radius for businesses to be included was 1.5 miles from the Alton Visitors Center on Piasa Street downtown. Show host Amanda Brinkman said businesses and non-profits outside that radius should submit applications anyway, and a release from the Alton Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) sent Monday announced the application process is now open to all businesses and non-profits within the city limits.
That application process comes to an end today, so any businesses wishing to apply to be featured must do so by midnight.
“We are always looking for new types of businesses to apply for the Small Business Revolution – Main Street opportunities,” said Cameron Potts, Vice President of Public Relations for Deluxe Corporation in the release from the Alton CVB. “We want to encourage all small businesses to apply including contractors, landscapers, plumbers, small local doctors, dentists and veterinarians. Sometimes people see the show and think we only feature restaurants and retail. We want to encourage all to apply.”
Business owner Tim Meeks, who operates The Olive Oil Marketplace at 108 W Third St., said he applied to be featured on the show. He said he was hoping Deluxe Corporation could assist his small business with one of its main specialties – marketing and advertising.
“One of our biggest challenges as a small business is advertising and marketing,” Meeks said. “That is our largest challenge. It would be great to get insights and help, and to be able to have a solid marketing plan. As a small business, it is hard to have a marketing and advertising plan, let alone have a budget for it. We have to spend our money on product for our customers, but what if we don't have the customers for the product? It's a very chicken-or-the-egg issue.”
Some of the issues spoken about by Meeks was the perpetual question of where to direct advertising. He said his business has taken more of a “shotgun approach” as opposed to a “rifle approach” in terms of marketing and advertising. He said many Altonians do not even realize the shop exists.
He said the Deluxe Company's involvement in his business or whichever businesses they choose in Alton will be great for the entire city. He said being chosen for season three of the show is a “solid structure for Alton.”
“Regardless of who gets it, it will be great for all the businesses,” he said.
That sentiment of The Small Business Revolution being great for the city was echoed by Riverbender.com owner John Hentrich who was working on applying on behalf of the community center within the building. He described himself as feeling “absolutely confident” in Deluxe Corporation's abilities to assist the Riverbender Community Center as well as Alton as a whole.
“I'm working on the last minute details now,” Hentrich said late Tuesday morning. “On our wishlist, we have a face lift for both the outside of the building and the inside. We are also looking for help with marketing efforts to pump some new energy into our teen center.”
Hentrich said the non-profit community center gives children the opportunity to hang with their friends and make new friends in a safe, controlled drugs-and-alcohol-free environment. He said the center's location in a historic building with an indoor rock-climbing wall with video games on big screens and a movie theater would be a great feature on the show.
The community center has been in operation for eight years, and Hentrich said thousands of kids have been served by the events, dances and after-school activities hosted there.
Also finishing last minute details on an application Tuesday morning was Vickie Hopkins of Party on Broadway – a business hosting parties involving canvases, team-building, birthdays and girls' nights located on Broadway for nearly four years.
Like Meeks and Hentrich, Hopkins said she was hoping being featured on season three of The Small Business Revolution would help her with marketing and growing her business.
“I'm hoping they can help me in a few areas in the shop; maybe with some marketing and providing guidance for ways I can maybe grow out,” she said.
Hopkins said she is hopeful for not only her business, but all of Alton.
“I feel like if they really look for the businesses needing more structure and guidance to grow, that's a good thing,” she said. “It doesn't seem to me like anyone is being selfish with what they're asking for. Everyone is just asking to help grow Alton.”
Applications for businesses can be found here: https://dresearch.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6hhLvs4qAYJckCN
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