Chambers of Commerce are the original "Shop Local" campaigns. Many Chambers were formed with a root purpose of uniting local businesses together to commit to patronizing each other and promoting each other's businesses.
The network of the Chamber's membership is an instant peer to peer strategic referral partner group which can be very effective at getting the "word of mouth" out about your business.
So why is shopping local important? It seems obvious . . . but let's look at some numbers.
First of all local businesses support the community, and we're not just talking charitable donations. Your local storefronts and offices pay taxes which support police, fire, roads, water and sewer services in our area. This helps share the burden covered by home owners.
Did you realize that when $100 is spent locally at an independently owned business (restaurant, retail or service provider) $68 of that immediately stays in the community through payroll, taxes, rent, supplies and other operating expenses.
Spent that $100 at a local franchise and $43 stays locally.
When you spend $100 online with a business that is not located locally . . .none of that money stays in our local economy.
Statistics from http://www.the350project.net/
Keeping money in the community is important. http://www.buymichigan.com/ reports that $1 spent locally can cycle 7x through the community before leaving for another community. SEVEN TIMES. That's powerful.
For the curious, check out http://www.wheresgeorge.com/ which is a website that tracks US and Canadian dollar bills. Yes, some enterprising group decided to stamp currency with the "Where's George" website and invite you to log in when you have the bill in your possession. You'll be able to see how far the bill travels, how long it takes to enter other communities, how quickly it moves across the country. And that's the physical dollar bill.
Online transactions and credit cards move money quicker than that.
The 3/50 Project also reports that if HALF the employed American public spent $50 a month locally, that it would generate $42.6 billion in revenue.
There's power in spending locally.
Shop Local campaigns aren't about completely changing how you shop. Nor does it prohibit patronizing businesses outside your home zip codes. It IS about thinking local.
It's about recognizing that eating out once a month at a local restaurant has an important role to play in the fluidity of our local economy.
It's about choosing to get your car washed, buy a birthday card or pick up a flowering plant or bouquet because your patronage means more than just support for the local shops & stores. It means support for your community.
When you travel this holiday season, we encourage you to Think Local with the communities you visit. Explore what's unique. Ask your friends and family members to share what they love about where they live.
And when you have visitors to our community--roll out the red carpet. Show off what makes the Clarkston Area unique. What do you love about our area? Share with friends and family the businesses, stores and entreprenurial spirit that makes Clarkston a unique home town we can all be proud of.
All of us working together keep the economy going. Keep businesses open . . . and drive the economic recovery.
I shop local--and you can too.
The network of the Chamber's membership is an instant peer to peer strategic referral partner group which can be very effective at getting the "word of mouth" out about your business.
So why is shopping local important? It seems obvious . . . but let's look at some numbers.
First of all local businesses support the community, and we're not just talking charitable donations. Your local storefronts and offices pay taxes which support police, fire, roads, water and sewer services in our area. This helps share the burden covered by home owners.
Did you realize that when $100 is spent locally at an independently owned business (restaurant, retail or service provider) $68 of that immediately stays in the community through payroll, taxes, rent, supplies and other operating expenses.
Spent that $100 at a local franchise and $43 stays locally.
When you spend $100 online with a business that is not located locally . . .none of that money stays in our local economy.
Statistics from http://www.the350project.net/
Keeping money in the community is important. http://www.buymichigan.com/ reports that $1 spent locally can cycle 7x through the community before leaving for another community. SEVEN TIMES. That's powerful.
For the curious, check out http://www.wheresgeorge.com/ which is a website that tracks US and Canadian dollar bills. Yes, some enterprising group decided to stamp currency with the "Where's George" website and invite you to log in when you have the bill in your possession. You'll be able to see how far the bill travels, how long it takes to enter other communities, how quickly it moves across the country. And that's the physical dollar bill.
Online transactions and credit cards move money quicker than that.
The 3/50 Project also reports that if HALF the employed American public spent $50 a month locally, that it would generate $42.6 billion in revenue.
There's power in spending locally.
Shop Local campaigns aren't about completely changing how you shop. Nor does it prohibit patronizing businesses outside your home zip codes. It IS about thinking local.
It's about recognizing that eating out once a month at a local restaurant has an important role to play in the fluidity of our local economy.
It's about choosing to get your car washed, buy a birthday card or pick up a flowering plant or bouquet because your patronage means more than just support for the local shops & stores. It means support for your community.
When you travel this holiday season, we encourage you to Think Local with the communities you visit. Explore what's unique. Ask your friends and family members to share what they love about where they live.
And when you have visitors to our community--roll out the red carpet. Show off what makes the Clarkston Area unique. What do you love about our area? Share with friends and family the businesses, stores and entreprenurial spirit that makes Clarkston a unique home town we can all be proud of.
All of us working together keep the economy going. Keep businesses open . . . and drive the economic recovery.
I shop local--and you can too.
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