Company Blog

In Support of REAL Local

by Adam Zack — March 4, 2015

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There is a certain national natural foods chain that really, really, REALLY tries hard to make its customers think it is a local company. And they do a really good job of reinforcing that brand image in their stores. But you know and I know that besides stores in Austin, Texas (or Texas in general if you want to really get liberal with the boundaries), it’s not local at all. But you are. And your customers should be reminded that you are. After all, you are the one who supports the local schools, sports teams and churches. You donate food to feed the needy in your city. You shop in your community. You pay taxes that go directly into your town. Your customers sit by you in church. They run into you at the movies. They see you working really hard in your store. Really, you are helping support your customers and their families. It’s an easy thing to say that you are local. Anyone can do that. Your advantage comes with the irrefutable proof that your profits, which are a very small percentage of sales, do actually stay in your community. They are not forwarded to Wall Street. They are not distributed to institutional investors. They stay with you and are reinvested in your town, in your customers’ town.

So how about pointing that out? Tell them what they did when they shopped with you. It will make them think. It will make them appreciate you a bit more. It will inspire loyalty and give them a little pause the next time they go into a Kroger or Walmart. Here is a list to point out to your customers (a long version and a short version) that you should post. Put it on your bags. Post it at your checkstands. Frame a copy and hang it near the restrooms and your community bulletin board. And when you do, give yourself a little credit for being Truly Local.

*This list was adapted from a Phoenix area independent book store that found itself going up against Amazon and chain book stores many years ago.

THANK YOU FOR SHOPPING AT [YOUR STORE]!

Here’s what you just did!

You kept dollars in our local economy

For every $100 you spend at a locally owned business, $68 will stay in the community. What happens when you spend the same $100 at a national chain? $57 goes to corporate headquarters instead.

You embraced what makes our community unique

You wouldn’t want your house to look like everyone else’s in the U.S., so why would you want your community to look that way?

You created local jobs

Local businesses are better at creating higher paying jobs for our neighbors.

You helped the environment

Buying from a local business conserves energy and resources in the form of less fuel for transportation, less packaging, and products that you know are safe and well made, because we stand behind them.

You nurtured community

We know you, and you know us. Studies have shown that local businesses donate to community causes at more than twice the rate of chains.

You conserved your tax dollars

Shopping in a local business district means less infrastructure, less maintenance, and more money available to beautify our community. Also, spending locally ensures that your sales taxes are reinvested where they belong – right here!

You created more choice

We pick the products we sell based on what we know you like and want. Local businesses carry a wider variety of unique products because we buy for our own individual market. Try asking a big chain to stock a specialty item that you love!

You took advantage of our expertise

You are our friends and neighbors, and we have a vested interest in knowing how to serve you. We’re passionate about what we do. Why not take advantage of it?