Being local matters to shoppers today. There is a big difference, however, in saying you are local and being authentically local.
From our work in the trenches with more than 3,000 small business retailers here is our top five advice on successfully pitching local in your business.
- Be seen. Engage in local activities, alongside locals.
- Buy locally. Have a sign in your shop welcoming pitches from local suppliers of goods you can sell in your business.
- Talk local. On your business social media pages talk about local matters. Sow you care too.
- Support local. When deciding on your charity engagement, preference local organisations and be clear about this.
- Educate local. Make sure customers purchasing locally made product understand it is local.
Local, of course, can be different things to different people. It may mead a geographic proximity to your business. It could also mean products made by a family in another state. Nuanced appropriately and personally, this is a local pitch you could make.
We urge all small business retailers to engage with local and to do so with care and authenticity.
