Think Local, Buy Chamber

This Spring the Chamber formed a special task force and charged them with:

• developing a shop local chamber branding initiative that creates awareness and consumer loyalty for our member businesses.

The challenge to the task force was to develop something that would:

• not exclude any sector of our chamber membership (eg: could not be so focused on retail sector that it offered little for our service sector members; could not exclude members outside Clarkston zip codes) and


• oh, by the way . . . we have no funding for a big broad marketing campaign. So be creative and think of ways to get the message out utilizing social media, guerilla marketing and grassroots communications.

Along the way we tested the slogan "My Clarkston Buy Clarkston." It resonated well to begin with but quickly demonstrated that it is a best fit for the downtown businesses inside the City of the Village of Clarkston. It did not meet all of the charges that the committee had been tasked with.

So the committee went back to the drawing board. While reviewing logo selection an intense discussion revisited all of the work and research that the task force had undertaken.

With each logo concept (and we had over a dozen to choose from), the task force discussed, debated and challenged what the program is and how it would help our businesses.

We knew what it would NOT be. Our surveys and research showed us that we did not want it to be a coupon program or incentive program. There are many programs like that out there and we were concerned that repeatedly discounting our value offerings as "the only way" to get consumers to think local, was not the primary message we wanted to send.

We thought of the program from the consumer's side. What would inspire them to take an extra moment before making a decision to purchase goods and services?

We thought of it from a business's side. Do we want commerce to stop at a zip code? Is "local" to be defined by artificial boundaries of a zip code or muncipality boundary, or by the natural existing patterns of commercial enterprise?

Do we want to promote all businesses in our community--or are we focused (as our mission says) on our members? What is the value of membership if we give our brand away to non-members?

We are not a DDA.

So where does this take us?

The task force agreed that the goal of our shop local initiative was to get consumers and businesses to THINK LOCAL.

Think about what's available right here in our area.

• Think about the independent business owner, franchise owner, office manager, service provider that is vested in seeing our local economy thrive.


• Think about the friends and neighbors who ARE these business owners.


• Think about the feel of our hometown community. What would be lost if a local business closes it's doors?


• Think about what local businesses give back to the community. Through taxes, community involvement, civic leadership--our business community is a big portion of what makes the "Clarkston" brand, whether they are located in a Clarkston zip code or not. (eg: Palace Sports & Entertainment; Costco; Changing Places Moving & Storage; Waterfall Jewlers to name a few.)

From the business side, the task force felt we were right on target with the business pledge to consumers. What is the value our businesses will provide to consumers when they DO "Think Local?"

Think Local, Buy Chamber Business Owners’ Pledge
• We will smile and treat you with respect and courtesy.
• We will offer quality products and services at a fair price.
• We will serve you promptly and be committed to your satisfaction.
• We will respect your privacy and never sell your confidential contact information.
• We will thank you for your business.
• We, too, will shop and hire local.

The task force then quickly decided upon Buy Chamber. Ideally we would like consumers to THINK about their purchases and contract services and then take action by BUYing from a Chamber member.

The Chamber Board of Directors concurred that that is the cornerstone of what this shop local imitative really was intended to do.

As a Chamber of Commerce our first duty is to our members. To promote them. To help them grow their business. To help them connect with other businesses, consumers, clients and referral partners.

Recognizing that My Clarkston, Buy Clarkston's best fit is with the downtown businesses, the Chamber has offered the slogan, logo designs and website domain to the downtown businesses for their use.

Think Local, Buy Chamber and My Clarkston Buy Clarkston are complimentary campaigns. Our campaign is a Chamber message. My Clarkston Buy Clarkston is a downtown business message.

Will there be a My Davisburg, Buy Davisburg campaign in the future? There could be if the local businesses in the hamlet decide to implement one.