If your chamber is looking for another exciting event to add to your shop local menu, a cash mob may be just the thing. Cash mobs bring a group of people to a merchant on a specific, planned day. Each member of the cash mob agrees to purchase an item Read more…
For many of us this winter has been a trying one. Some areas had record snowfall while others broke the record for coldest or most consecutive days below 0 degrees. Local stores are facing the worst of it because while some of us were snuggled next to the fire, they Read more…
Enticing people to buy local is a big part of what chambers do but if you’re trying to decide whether to institute a Shop Local card campaign and a chamber currency program, you’re asking the wrong question. It’s not an either/or. A Shop Local card program allows member businesses Read more…
© Can Stock Photo Inc. / magann If you have a local gift certificate program designed around chamber businesses, you should be seeing a significant amount of non-dues revenue. If you aren’t, or if your system is more headache than happiness, it’s time to switch programs. Technology capabilities surrounding local Read more…
© Can Stock Photo Inc. / Nevenova Communities are comprised of stories, stories of businesses and the people behind them, stories of how their product or service came to be. The stories are inspiring, educational and need to be shared. Sharing your business community’s stories is a way to add Read more…
© Can Stock Photo Inc. / Artisticco Shop local campaigns are a great push for your local economy but so often they get relegated to one day a year. Creating challenges throughout the year can breathe life into your shop local efforts. Here are some suggestions: Suggestions for Shop Local Read more…
© Can Stock Photo Inc. / dbvirago Chambers often lead the shop local brigade in communities and many feel that while they have the right message, they don’t have enough tools to mount an effective campaign. Telling people to shop local just doesn’t seem to be enough to compete with Read more…
© Can Stock Photo Inc. / PixelsAway Gift certificates are major business for stores and there’s no reason why your chamber can’t offer the same conveniences with your shop local campaign. But before you sign with a community currency program, there are a few things you should know: Who Holds Read more…
© Can Stock Photo Inc. / iqoncept Shop Local Saturday is a great program for one out of 365 days but that push alone is not a permanent solution for jump starting your local campaign. If your chamber’s entire strategy is tied to one day, it’s time to see what Read more…
The Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce is embarking upon an image campaign, leveraging both its pristine Great Lakes lakeshore and its gritty, industrial underbelly. Called “Make an Impression,” the 14-point plan embraces a tourism trend that celebrates the working parts of a community as much as its recreational and cultural Read more…
