7 Biggest Strengths of Local Shops
And how you can build on them.
Remember the 7 Weaknesses of Local Shops? They were crazy popular because they touched a nerve. I acknowledged that some of our local businesses really need to step up to earn business today. This series is the flip side of that idea. Small town stores have strengths, too. Our best local shops know a lot about customer service and community, and every business would be wise to learn from our strengths.
- Get to know you
- Make customers feel loved
- Fewer layers
- More flexible
- More knowledgeable
- Innovative
- Benefiting the local community
Strength 4: More flexible.
Maybe this was a secret, but small town businesses have the luxury of presuming people are basically good. That means we can treat customers like real people.
We can give you a handful of screws from the bin without charging you and say, “I’ll catch you next time.”
We can loan you one of our specialty tools and be confident you’ll bring it back.
We can offer advice and information, knowing you’ll try to reward us with business.
We can promote your business, even if there is no apparent connection between our businesses.
What makes this work is our small town community. We know you. We know your family. You’ll be back, and you’ll have to live in town with us. Very few people in small towns are willing to actively hurt a local business just to save a buck, then face the owner in line at the cafe the next day.
People are basically good. That’s what we think. And that’s how we treat you.
Next up: Strength 5: More knowledgeable
New to SmallBizSurvival.com? Take the Guided Tour. Like what you see? Get our updates.
- In an economic crisis, spend your brainpower before your dollars - November 25, 2020
- Video: How to fill empty car dealership buildings for the holidays - November 6, 2020
- How has 2020 changed the challenges rural small towns face? Tell us here - October 20, 2020
- The Idea Friendly Method to surviving a business crisis - October 6, 2020
- Join me for the Rural Renewal Symposium online Oct 13 - September 26, 2020
- Cheap placemaking idea: instant murals - September 11, 2020
- Refilling the rural business pipeline - July 7, 2020
- Huge vacant buildings: grants to renovate? - June 9, 2020
- Economic self defense for small towns - June 7, 2020
- The best things you can do for local businesses in light of coronavirus - March 27, 2020
Hi, Can you please post one that has a link to all of these on it. As it is now, seems like I would have to share 7 different URLs. Maybe you can add a link to each of the previous 6 on the 7th one? Thank you!
Hi, April. Thanks for the reminder! I’ve added links to all 7 on each post now.
Thanks for reading!