Small Biz Survival

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Two new shop local ideas

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City utility bill with a "shop local" message.

The City of Alva is on board with Shop Local. How about your city? Photo by Becky McCray.

Two new shop local ideas hit me this week.

1. Can you get your city utility on board? The City of Alva added this shop local message to their utility bills:

Support your local merchants – Shop Alva for the Holidays

Some cities and towns mail out larger bills in envelopes. They might even let you add a little message or flyer in the same envelope.

2. Ponca City, Oklahoma, has Santa Bucks. Meredith Willis told me about it on Twitter:

PCY has a Santa Bucks program where local stores give out tickets based on your purchases & a drawing is held with $ prizes. @meredithwillis 

I know it’s working, because that same day I ran into a Ponca City resident, and she had a billfold stuffed with Santa Bucks tickets. She was eagerly awaiting that $5000 prize drawing!

What innovative Shop Local ideas have you seen?

Version 2.0 of our shop local guide is ready! See it at Shop Local Campaigns for Small Towns. 

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About Becky McCray

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.

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Comments

  1. Small towns always have the dual problem of a.) attracting revenue from outside, and b.) keeping revenue in town.

    I love the idea of piggybacking a message on a utility bill. Interesting how small municipalities find it much easier to work together!

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Buy local buttonReady to set up a shop local campaign in your small town? You'll need a guide who understands how we're different and what really works: Shop Local Campaigns for Small Towns.

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