Most small businesses will tell you it’s not the big box stores they are afraid of. Those big chains are held to the same regulations and costs that they are with local sales tax and while many of them offer online options, shopping in one of them is not the same experience as provided by a small merchant.
Small business is afraid of online megaliths like Amazon. A couple of quick keystrokes and a world of buying options is at your finger tips. How does a local store compete with that?
The answer: as completely as it can.
Like the last scene in the Wizard of Oz, where the Wizard gives everyone what they already have, small businesses need to play up what they already have to be more competitive.
Convenience = Gift certificates. Internet gift certificates are popular for two reasons — they let the receiver pick out exactly what he or she wants, and they let the buyer make the purchase online. If your chamber or buy local campaign is planning on offering gift certificates, they must be available online and not just during your business hours. Convenience is key to the success of the program.
Marketing. Even a company as large as Amazon never gets to a point where it stops advertising its new and existing offerings. If you have a shop local campaign remind people over and over. Add it to your email signature, slip it into every press opportunity you have, post pictures of treasures you’ve found shopping locally, and let it be a constant topic of conversation.
You’ll never get to the point where you won’t need to talk about it but hopefully your community will soon join you in your efforts.
Be helpful. Whenever possible, recommend your members or other merchants. We know you don’t have the same fancy search mechanisms Amazon has for making suggestions but as you speak with people, be a brand ambassador for your members. Talk them up.
If you’re worried about stepping on someone’s toes and another business getting upset with you mentioning their competition, frame it in a way that can’t be argued. With a gift certificate program like ours, you can track where your certs are being spent. Then when asked (or offering) a top business you can say X is one of our most popular retailers in our program.
It’s difficult for small businesses to compete with behemoths like Amazon but sometimes all it takes is a little mirrored behavior to create some additional revenue.
Image via Pixabay by cocoparisienne
