Buying local is a growing trend and a significant opportunity for small town small businesses.
Local Food
Food-borne illnesses have made headlines from huge commercial production and from imported foods. Local food producers of all kinds should capitalize on this opportunity. Jack Schultz, Boomtown USA, gave local food two spots on his Agurban top ten trends for 2007. And he continues to talk about this opportunity for local foods.
Other local products
Lead tainted paint, safety problems, and environmental issues have created another local opportunity for all types of products. Chris Penn, Financial Aid Podcast, has been meditating on local products, and he’s not alone. Steven E. Streight, Vaspers, has been ranting against China imports and in favor of local sourcing. They are just two people, but they are from completely different parts of the country. They represent a way of thinking that exists right now in your market.
Actions
Evaluate your marketing. Are you promoting the heck out of your “localness”? It’s time to start.
Be more local. Don’t hide your local flavor, your accent, all the things that make you, your company and your product feel local. Flaunt it!
Promote the environmental benefit. Buying local products reduces the transportation costs to the environment.
Promote your local advantages: high quality local workforce, safety procedures, and strict standards. For once, be glad of the regulations you must comply with.
Part of surviving in a small town small business is competing with the world. This is one trend that gives you an advantage. Use it!
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Becky started Small Biz Survival in 2006 to share rural business and community building stories and ideas with other small town business people. She and her husband have a small cattle ranch and are lifelong entrepreneurs. Becky is an international speaker on small business and rural topics.
The personal relationship is indeed what will help a local business compete against the conglomerate. The tools for local awareness are greater than ever. Local business listings, for example, are free on Google Local Search.
Chris, thanks for coming by to comment. I appreciate your inspiration for this post. Local search is a great addition to this list, also. Thanks!
Excellent post, Becky! Great ideas for local companies, and taking a negative (the problems with imports) and turning them into positives (more opportunities for local businesses) You’re the best!
Thanks, Marti! You are the best at encouraging!
Hey lady, thanks for linking to me. I am quite outspoken about the lack of quality controls in Red China.
I also dislike doing any business with a totalitarian regime that is anti-Christian, anti-democracy, and anti-criticism.
We boycott Cuba, Iran, N. Korea, Syria, etc. as ideological enemies and sponsors of terrorism. So why trade with Commie China?
Thanks Chris for that info on free local listings on Google Local Search. Will look into that.
Check out the Eat Local Challenge blog.
Eat Local Challenge
Thanks, Steven, not just for coming by to comment, but also for finding the Eat Local Challenge. An excellent link to this topic!
It never ceases to amaze me that people don’t take the time to really market themselves locally even when their business is national or virtual.
I can’t tell you how many out of town/state clients I have that when I contacted them said you know, I prefer to do business locally, but no one has ever offered me website services or worse, they won’t call me back!
Amen, Dana! Glad you stopped by!