The Benefits of Shopping Local in Boulder This Holiday Season
As the holiday season approaches, small businesses everywhere are gearing up for what is hopefully a busy few months. While it can be tempting to do all of your holiday shopping at big box stores or online retailers, there are many benefits to shopping locally. Not only does spending your money at locally owned businesses support the local economy, but it can also have a positive impact on the entire community. From the Boulder Chamber, here are a few ways that you can make a difference by shopping local this holiday season.
Kick-Starting a Holiday Shop Local Campaign
Small businesses play a big role in driving the local economy, so it's important to do everything you can to encourage customers to shop local. One way to do this is by starting your own holiday shop local campaign. A shop local campaign is simply an organized effort to promote spending at locally owned businesses.
There are many ways to go about kick-starting a shop local campaign. One option is to partner with other local businesses and chambers of commerce to get the word out. You could also distribute flyers and postcards in the community, or even take out ads in local newspapers or on radio stations. If you really want to make an impact, you could even host your own events or promotional days specifically for locally-owned businesses.
Promoting a Holiday Shop Local Campaign
Once you've decided how you're going to get the word out about your shop local campaign, it's time to start promoting it! There are endless possibilities when it comes to promoting a campaign like this, so get creative and think outside the box. In addition to traditional methods like print and broadcast advertising, you could also promote your campaign through social media, email marketing, or even by partnering with other local groups or organizations.
Rewarding Loyal Customers Who Shop Local During the Holidays
To really drive home the importance of shopping local, consider offering special rewards or discounts to customers who choose to do their holiday shopping at locally-owned businesses. This could be anything from a percentage off their purchase to a free gift with purchase. You could also host a giveaway in your store for a larger item, as well as launching a loyalty program for your customers. Whatever you decide, make sure it's something that will entice customers to shop locally instead of at big box stores or online retailers.
Collaborating With Other Local Businesses Through Joint Marketing and Hosting Events
One of the best ways to support locally owned businesses is by collaborating with other such businesses in your area. Brainstorm ways that you can join forces with other locals to bring more attention (and foot traffic) to all of your businesses. For example, you could participate in joint marketing initiatives or host special events specifically for locally owned businesses. By working together, you can make a bigger impact and attract even more customers than you would on your own.
For instance, you could work with other local businesses to create a gift guide that promotes local shopping. If you aren’t sure where to begin, start by creating a Word document filled with product images and local sales info, then use this free tool to convert Word to PDF. From there, each business can send out the gift guide to their email lists and also make it downloadable through their websites. This will get customers the deals they want while also promoting all the businesses involved, so it’s a win-win for everyone!
Using Your Holiday Shop Local Campaign To Support A Charity
What better way to show your commitment to helping others this holiday season than by using your shop local campaign as an opportunity to support a charity? There are countless ways to go about doing this, but one option is to donate a portion of the proceeds from sales made during the holidays to a chosen charity. You could also collect donations for food pantries or clothes drives at your place of business, or partner with a charity for mutually beneficial joint marketing initiatives.
This holiday season, make an impact on your community by shopping local! By supporting locally-owned businesses, you can help to boost the local economy and make a positive impact in your community. Whether you're running a shop local campaign of your own or simply choosing to support local businesses, you can help make a difference this holiday season. So get out there and advocate Shop Local!?
If you’re ready to grow your business with the help of great local resources and partnerships, join the Boulder Chamber.
