"Buy Local" Initiatives. What’s In It For Your Chamber or Association!
What’s In It For You! PURPOSE OF THIS DOCUMENT. While there is clear evidence that “Buy Local” initiatives have huge bene ts for communities, we have been asked to prepare a synopsis of our “Be Loyal – Buy Local” program by a number Chambers and Local Business Associations we have approached, to present to their board members, decision makers and other stakeholders the benefits of the initiative we are proposing. WHO ARE THE STAKEHOLDERS? For the purpose of this document, the stakeholders are: Independent or Franchise Owners of Local Businesses Chamber of Commerce and/or Business Associations (and their respective board members). Residents of a particular area or community. Local government of a community.
What’s In It For You!
What’s In It For You! THE PURPOSE OF THIS INITIATIVE Assist small & medium local businesses to: Increase revenue. (57% of businesses in areas with "Buy Local" initiatives saw an increase in revenue 2 times higher than businesses in areas without a Buy Local Initiative. 47% said it brought new customers into their business). Market to their “target” audience. (Only 14% of Small Businesses use technology to market, however, businesses using our technology system generally see an increase in spending annually of between 30 and 40% per loyal customer, even without a "Buy Local" component). Incentivize their customers to patronize their business. (Customers incentivized to shop at a business are 14 times more likely to refer others to that business.) Increase customer loyalty. (86% of Business Owners say customer loyalty is key to business growth. A loyal customer is worth 45% more to a business.) Assist Chambers of Commerce & Local Business Associations to: Increase membership. (Membership is both Chambers & Associations has been on the decline for several years, according to the American Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives.) Provide increased funding for Chamber/Association general fund to assist to support initiative, i.e. use of community room for seminar. Become more relevant to the community as a whole. Create business based Chamber partnership/program that is sustainable and funded, with no tax or chamber dollars. Provide Young Entrepreneurial Development & Mentorship Programs Increase awareness of community to chamber functions and benefits.
What’s In It For You!
What’s In It For You! Assist local residents by: Creating awareness the impact of their spending at local business on their community (Most residents aren’t aware that, for every $100 spent in a local business, $45 stays in their local community versus $15 when spent in a Big Box Retailer). Incentivize residents to support local businesses. Educate residents to the direct impact their local purchase has on the essential services they receive, especially police and fire services. (Buying locally increases sales tax revenue directly to the city's general fund, which pays for police, fire and other essential services). Enhance neighborhoods. (Areas with strong retail locations saw home values increase.) Educate residents on the impact local businesses have on their community. 64% of business owners reported “Buy Local” initiatives made customers more aware of the importance of supporting local businesses. (Local restaurants return 3 times as much to their local community. Local small business give to local nonprofits 2 times as much as Big Box Retailers) Assist local government by: Increasing local tax revenue, thus feeding unrestricted money to the general fund. Increasing local officials participation in local business. (51% of business owners in areas with Buy Local Initiatives found an increase in awareness and participation by local government officials.)
What’s In It For You!
What’s In It For You! A BRIEF OUTLINE OF OUR “BE LOYAL – BUY LOCAL” PROGRAM. Tony Wilson & Associates has developed a community, technology based “Be Loyal – Buy Local” initiative to be implemented in your current business areas as a partnership with Chambers of Commerce &/or Local Business Associations. Businesses participating will receive easy to use, patented technology (including free training) to market to their customers, provide customer loyalty incentives, as well as handle their social media and direct marketing.
What’s In It For You!
What’s In It For You! It is cost e ective for (and wholly funded by) local business owners (annual cost, with software, $899), as well as educates residents to the bene ts of buying local, enhances neighborhoods, allows residents to be rewarded for directly investing in their community. It also provides an on-going community awareness “Buy Local” marketing campaign throughout the year. Further, it bene ts local government by increasing general funds for police, re and other essential services. Finally, it assist Chambers & and Local Business Associations to increase membership and have on-going programs that benefit the entire community. Portions of the cost for business owners to enroll and fund the “Buy Local” initiative will be used for the following: General Funds money to participating Chambers & Associations for occasional support of initiative, including use community rooms for free business seminars, etc. For every 10 members/non-member businesses the Chamber or Business Association enrolls in the program, they will receive $1,000 in general fund sponsorship (100 enrollments = $10,000). This money has no restrictions, but we encourage Chambers to utilize it for membership scholarships. Each Chamber or Association also receives graphic "Buy Local" window clings with a "Buy Local" message & your logo and contact information for businesses to display in their window or doors. Area Field Representatives to assist business owners with new software usage as well as marketing to their neighborhood residents. (Statistically most small business receives a majority of their business from within 5 to 8 miles of their front door.) Monthly Community "Buy Local" Awareness Marketing.
What’s In It For You!
What’s In It For You! Participating businesses will also be o ered no cost or low cost assistance to market to their “target market”, increase revenue, and improve their customer experience. Further, business owners will receive free monthly seminars highlighting best practices for customer experience, marketing, operations, merchandising, profitability, etc. Tony Wilson & Associates sta will work directly with Chambers, Business Associations, Business Owners (as desired) to create events to promote “Buy Local” & partner with other city/community initiatives such as: “Sunday Stroll” where we encourage (and o er incentives) for residents to go out to a local small business or restaurant for a Sunday afternoon. “Co ee with a Cop” (co eewithacop.com) where at local co ee shops, police o cers talk with residents over a cup of co ee and discuss issues. This allows people to see police o cers as human and build personal relationships, in a relaxed setting. For a list of studies on the bene ts of “Buy Local” programs, please click HERE For more information about the program, please click HERE
What’s In It For You!
What’s In It For You!
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What’s In It For You!
About Tony Wilson & Associates “You will have everything you want in life, if you help enough other people get what they want.” Zig Ziglar Tony Wilson & Associates is a service driven Business & Marketing Consulting Firm specializing in Small Business Marketing, Customer Experience, Printing, Promotional Products, Direct Mail, & Large Format as well as Neighborhood Marketing & 4 Walls Marketing, helping local businesses reach more customers and improve their customer's experience, with over 25 years’ experience providing services to a wide range of large, medium and small businesses, educational institutions and non-profits. Our company philosophy: (Zig Ziglar), is inspired by our sense of service to community and that business should always benefit everyone involved. What we like to call the "Win - Win - Win!" Our team is made up of marketing, print & large format and design professionals, as well as experts in Retail Management & Merchandising, Social Media Marketing, Food & Restaurant Operations & Management and Business Process, and Strategy & Development. Our experts have years of experience, both as business owners and in corporate America. We work together to serve our clients and help them thrive, while keeping their cost low. Our revolutionary, “Be Loyal Buy Local” technology based initiative was developed as a way to help whole communities and business areas thrive! It is cost effective for business owners, as well as educates residents to the benefits of buying local, enhances neighborhoods, allowing residents to be rewarded for directly investing in their community and benefits local government by increasing general funds for police, fire and other essential services. We also assist business participants to increase revenue, market & offer free seminars to inform businesses as to the best practices for customer experience, marketing, operations, merchandising, profitability, etc. Through this program we are also able to help develop future entrepreneurs through scholarships, mentoring and development. We help businesses increase revenue & customer acquisition, improve customer loyalty and enhanced employee performance and morale. We absolutely believe, through building strong businesses we help communities and residents as well. Thank you for the opportunity to serve you!
What’s In It For You!
What’s In It For You!
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What’s In It For You!