Shop Local this Holiday Season
- Wednesday, November 30, 2011
There’s good news for the small business industry. The buzz among some consumers this season is to shop locally. For the second year in a row, a national campaign sponsored by American Express and labeled Small Business Saturday, urged consumers through social media to keep their holiday spending local, at least for one day. This year’s kick-off date was Saturday, November 26.
Using Facebook and Twitter, consumers shared tips on mom and pop restaurants in their neighborhoods, community art center gift shops, and not-yet-trendy areas of town hoping to bring their economies back to life.
I noticed this marketing phenomenon on my own list of Facebook friends. I recently spoke with a couple of them who shared their reasons for keeping the dollars close to home. Maureen, who has spent years working in sales and marketing, has a special place in her heart for small businesses. She decided to explore her own city this year in search of hidden treasures with a handful of friends. Dubbing themselves “The Retro Shoppers,” they found ordinary neighborhoods with extraordinary diners, cafes, shops and farmers markets. The owners and staff welcomed new faces and The Retro Shoppers came away with one-of-a-kind gifts.
“Communities were once centered around their own business districts,” says Robin, one of Maureen’s Retro Shoppers. “Reinventing community life as I remember it as a child seemed like a fun thing to do. Now, shopping locally has become a habit instead of driving to a big shopping mall."
Deb Davidson Associate, E. Sue Huff & AssociatesLabels: FL, Human Resources Coaching, Marketing consulting Naples, Motivational speaking nationwide, Public Relations Naples FL, Small Business management consulting Naples FL, Training nationwide
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