By: Chuck Nau
As the economy continues to struggle and as regional retail chains continue to expand and move into or near many smaller non-metro markets, our local retailers and service providers now find themselves in a battle to keep their customers, both old and new, at home, in town rather than going down the road or down the interstate!
Just as we know that LOCAL news and advertising will continue to grow and enrich our newspaper franchise, both in print and online, our local retailer knows and understands that a LOCAL awareness to ‘who she is’ and ‘what she does’ will likewise grow and enrich her retail franchise. That local awareness, the information and guidance about her business and about herself, happens through local advertising in her LOCAL newspaper, your newspaper and LOCAL web site, your newspaper web site.
We know the importance of LOCAL news and advertising. Many, if not all, of our community’s retailers and service providers know the importance of providing LOCAL information about ‘who they are’ and ‘what they do or sell’ through LOCAL advertising.
What about our readers? What about our community’s retailers, service providers’ small businesses, shoppers, buyers and customers?
Why should we, our friends, our neighbors, and our fellow employees shop locally?
Good question!
Here are five responses and five community benefits to share with your friends, neighbors, fellow employees and your local retailers and advertisers about the importance and value of shopping at home … shopping in your local community … shopping with your local retailers and service providers.
- It’s an Investment in Your Community! Shopping and buying in your community is an investment. Your dollars spent locally for goods and services STAY IN YOUR COMMUNITY, helping to build schools, hospitals and fund essential services like police, fire, parks and recreation.
- It Fosters Economic Growth Today and Tomorrow! Shopping dollars spent locally help small businesses, owned and operated by your neighbors and friends, GROW. New businesses, both retail and service providers, start up when encouraged by the local economic and vitality.Business growth and new business start ups increase variety offering a broad assortment of goods and services … All COMPETITIVELY PRICE.
- It’s Giveback! When you shop and buy locally you’re helping local business men and women support a wide range of needed community services and charitable projects … senior centers, local food banks, day care facilities … with time, talent and money.
- It’s FUN, Saves Time and Energy, and It’s Personal! Errands to run … things to pick up are FUN, easy and convenient to do inasmuch as local merchants and service providers KNOW your community, KNOW you and are AVAILABLE to meet your day to day needs helping to solve life’s little problems.The best advice and the best value … always come from someone you KNOW!
- What Goes Around … Comes Around! Investing in local businesses with your shopping dollars fosters growth in your community … adding additional employment opportunities for your family, friends, neighbors and maybe even YOU! Shopping dollars invested locally stay in your community, funding essential services, while REDUCING your tax dollars.|Helping the retailers in your community create a public awareness of ‘who they are’ and ‘what they do or sell’ helps your community, your retailer, your newspaper and you GROW. Newspapers, your newspaper, both in print and online, best represent your community. Through a Local Environment of news and advertising, your newspaper creates the marketplace for your community.
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© Murray & Nau, Inc.
Chuck Nau of Murray & Nau, Inc. is a Seattle area based publishing consultant and sales and management trainer. He has been a speaker for and conducted advertising, marketing, management and sales training workshops with newspapers, niche publishers, publishing groups and press associations, throughout North America.
Comments and questions are welcome and may be directed to Chuck via email:
murnau@nwlink.com. or at (425) 603 – 0984.