How Shop Local Campaigns Benefit Communities

The holidays are a magical time of year. Families come together, friends exchange gifts, and communities come alive with holiday cheer. For small businesses, the holiday season is also a crucial time of year. Many businesses rely on the holiday shopping rush to make up a significant portion of their annual revenue. That's why so many small businesses participate in holiday shopping local campaigns.

Holiday shopping local campaigns are initiatives launched by business associations or chambers of commerce to encourage people to shop at locally-owned businesses during the holiday season. These campaigns typically involve marketing and advertising efforts, as well as special events and promotions.

There are many benefits of participating in a holiday shopping local campaign. First and foremost, it helps boost sales for local businesses. This in turn strengthens the local economy and creates jobs. Additionally, these campaigns help promote community engagement and pride. When people shop at locally owned businesses, they're supporting their neighbors and their community. So how can you make the most out of holiday shopping local campaigns? Here are a few tips from the Kankakee County Chamber of Commerce.

How to Kick Off a Holiday Shop Local Campaign

There are many ways to get a holiday shop local campaign started in your community. One way is to partner with other local businesses, chambers of commerce, or economic development organizations. You can also use social media to help spread the word about the campaign. Use hashtags, post flyers or images, and run social media ads. You can also reach out to local media outlets and see if they’re interested in doing a story on the campaign.

Another great way to get people involved is by offering incentives for shopping locally. This could be something as simple as offering discounts or giving away free items with purchase. You could also partner with other businesses to offer a holiday “passport” where customers who visit a certain number of participating businesses receive a prize. Be creative and have fun with it!

Promoting Your Business During the Holiday Shop Local Campaign

Once you’ve got the campaign up and running, it’s time to start promoting your business. Make sure your website and social media platforms are updated with information about the campaign and any special offers or deals you’re running, including any contests or giveaways. You can also create holiday-themed window displays, put up banners or posters, or hand out flyers or postcards. And don’t forget to use those hashtags!

Here’s another great idea: type up a gift guide in Word, make sure you mention any sales or promotions and make sure you include plenty of eye-catching product images. Then, use this free tool to convert doc to a PDF. From there, you can make the PDF gift guide downloadable through your business website and send it out to your email lists as well, which will do wonders for helping to spread the word about your campaign.

Supporting Other Local Businesses Through Joint Marketing & Co-Hosting Events

One of the best things about participating in a holiday shop local campaign is that it allows you to form partnerships with other businesses in the community. You can work together on joint marketing efforts like co-branded advertising or social media posts. You can also co-host events like holiday open houses, trunk shows, or pop-up shops. These partnerships benefit everyone involved by helping to increase foot traffic and boosting brand awareness. 

Giving Back During the Holidays

Finally, don’t forget that the holidays are also a time for giving back. As a business owner, you have the opportunity to give back to those who may be less fortunate during this time of year. You can do this by hosting a food or toy drive at your business, partnering with a local charity, or making a financial donation. Whatever you decide to do, make sure you let your customers know that you care about giving back to the community. 

Holiday shopping local campaigns are a great way for small businesses to boost sales, strengthen the local economy, and engage with their community. If you're thinking about participating in a campaign this year, be sure to start promoting early, use multiple channels, incentivize shoppers, and support other locally-owned businesses. By following these tips, you can make your campaign more successful and have a positive impact on your community this holiday season!