Need ammo for your shop local campaign? Use this fact: local merchants are worth three times as much to your local economy as the chain stores. From Civic Economics: The analysis demonstrated that locally owned merchants generate more than three times the local economic activity of their competitor chain stores on equal revenue. Found in…
Our Friend Shawn Kirsch is starting a conversation on living in small towns. His goal is to revitalize his hometown. I understand completely why people move away, and leave North Dakota completely for that matter. But as much as it may benefit me to move away, and be around more people with the same mindset…
On Thursday May 1, Barbara K. Baker proposes we revive some real world connecting. Get out and chat with a neighbor. Maybe even deliver a little May Day basket. Do you remember those little baskets of flowers you would leave on a neighbor’s door? Just exactly the kind of thing that used to be a…
Chris Brogan declared a Read and Comment Day, to get out and comment on others’ blogs. Here are the interesting finds I thought I’d share with you. I left my first comment today with @rickmahn, because I love his happiness series, and we’re going to meet at SOBCon! http://rickmahn.com/ Interested in travel and tourism industry?…
Our long time Friend Zane Safrit is writing about small business in a new location. His insights on health care, failure, success, word of mouth marketing, and more are now at Zane Safrit. Update your feed reader! New friend G.L. Hoffman has a terrific article on small towns and the loss of design, in Design…
Karen Payne, yet another Okie, sent me this list. Though I couldn’t find an author or attribution, I want to share it with you. You can share it with your local community. Top Ten Reasons to Shop Local 10. Local stores are more likely to carry locally produced foods which supports local agriculture. 9. Local…
What is social media, and why does any small business person care? Social media is a way to connect with other people. Fight small town isolation! Connect to the wider world. Connect with others in your industry for insight, networking and support. Connect with potential customers or suppliers for new business opportunities. Connect with inspirational…
Every small town has a chamber of commerce, but how do you use your chamber of commerce? How do you get the most from it? Find out what services your chamber of commerce offers. These are things to ask about when you visit the local chamber of commerce office. Almost every chamber of commerce does…
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