The holidays are a great time to promote shopping local campaigns in your community! Not only do these campaigns benefit the local economy, but they also help to strengthen the sense of community. Here are some tips from the Crockett Area Chamber of Commerce on how to make the most out of holiday shopping local campaigns in your community.

How to Kick Off a Holiday Shopping Local Campaign:

1. Get organized early. The sooner you start planning, the better! This will give you plenty of time to promote your campaign and get businesses on board.

2. Reach out to local businesses. Invite them to participate in your campaign and offer promotional materials such as window decals or flyers.

3. Plan fun events. To get people excited about shopping locally, plan some festive events such as holiday markets or tree lighting ceremonies.

4. Promote, promote, promote! Make sure everyone in your community knows about your campaign by promoting it through social media, local news outlets, and word-of-mouth.

How Businesses Can Promote a Holiday Shopping Local Campaign:

1. Offer discounts and coupons. One way to get people shopping at your business is by offering special discounts and coupons exclusively for locally-owned businesses.

2. Extend store hours. Longer store hours make it more convenient for people to shop locally during the busy holiday season.

3. Get involved in events. Participating in community events is a great way to show your support for shopping locally and meet new potential customers.

4. Spread the word on social media. Use social media to reach out to your customers and let them know about any special deals or promotions you’re offering for shopping local during the holidays.

Businesses Can Incentivize Shopping Local During the Holidays:

PDF gift guides are a great way to attract local customers by featuring your store’s goods. You can start by creating several guides in one main file. Here's how to split them into separate docs. Once in their own file, use each guide in social media posts, marketing emails, and on your website. Here are some other ideas to try:

1) Give back with every purchase: For every purchase made at a locally owned business, donate a percentage of the proceeds to a charity of choice

2) Shop local, save big: Offer customers a percentage off their total purchase when they shop at multiple locally-owned businesses

3) One-stop shop and save: Have a central location where customers can go to get a map of all participating businesses and see what deals they’re offering

4) Bring a friend and save: Offer customers a discount when they bring a friend with them to shop at locally-owned businesses

Businesses Can Support Each Other Through Joint Marketing and Co-Hosting Events:

1) Collaborate on marketing materials: Create joint marketing materials such as flyers or social media posts that promote both businesses

2) Co-host an event: Host an event together such as a holiday market or workshop series that showcases both businesses

3) Offer joint discounts: Give customers a discount when they visit both businesses within a certain period

4) Feature each other on social media: Share each other’s content on social media platforms such as Facebook or Instagram to reach new audiences

Businesses Can Give Back During the Holidays:

1) Donate products or services: Donate products or services to those in need during the holidays

2) Volunteer as a team: Volunteer as a team at a local food bank or soup kitchen

3) Adopt-a-family program: Sponsor a family through an adopt-a-family program during the holidays

4) Toy drive: Host a toy drive at your business to collect toys for children in need 

The holidays are the perfect time to promote shopping local campaigns in your community! These campaigns benefit both the community and local businesses alike by strengthening the sense of community and supporting the local economy. By following these tips, you can make sure that your holiday shopping local campaign is successful!

Join the Crockett Area Chamber of Commerce to network with other local entrepreneurs and access valuable resources for helping your business grow.