How Your Harbor Springs Community Can Benefit from a Holiday Shop Local Campaign

The holidays are a key time for businesses to capitalize on increased consumer spending. Shopping locally during the holidays has many benefits for both consumers and businesses alike. Local businesses offer unique gifts that can't be found at big box stores, and by shopping locally, consumers are supporting their community and strengthening the local economy. From the Harbor Springs Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center, here are some tips on how your business can benefit from a holiday shop local campaign.

Launch a Holiday Shop Local Campaign

One of the best ways to get involved in a holiday shop local campaign is to launch your own! This will show your customers that you're invested in supporting your community. There are a few things you'll need to do to get started.

First, you'll need to choose a catchy name and create some eye-catching marketing materials. This could include flyers, posters, or even social media graphics. Be sure to use festive colors and holiday-themed imagery to really capture people's attention. Once your materials are ready, start promoting your campaign through all of your channels—online and offline. Let everyone know why they should shop local this holiday season!

Promoting a Holiday Shop Local Campaign

Around the holiday season, many businesses promote a "Shop Local" campaign to encourage customers to do their holiday shopping at local businesses. There are many reasons why this is beneficial for both businesses and consumers. For businesses, it helps to increase sales and exposure. For consumers, it helps to support local businesses and the local economy. 

Additionally, it can help to create a sense of community and holiday spirit. Some businesses offer special holiday promotions or discounts for customers who shop locally, as well as hosting contests and giveaways. Others simply advertise their "Shop Local" campaign to raise awareness. Either way, businesses that promote a "Shop Local" campaign during the holiday season can help to encourage customers to support their community.

Get Local Businesses Onboard

Of course, a holiday shop local campaign is only going to be successful if you can get other local businesses on board. Reach out to businesses in your area and let them know about your campaign. Invite them to participate by hanging up flyers or promotional materials in their store, or by sharing your campaign on their social media channels. The more businesses you can get involved, the more successful your campaign will be.

Reward Shoppers for Shopping Local

Another way to encourage people to shop local is by offering rewards. This could include discounts, special offers, or even just bonus loyalty points. Whatever you decide, be sure to promote it prominently so that people are aware of the incentive to shop locally.

Support other businesses through joint marketing and co-hosting events: In addition to working with other businesses to promote your own campaign, you can also show your support by co-hosting events or participating in joint marketing initiatives. This is a great way to build relationships with other businesses in your community while also raising awareness for your holiday shop local campaign.

If you want to take this to the next level, try typing up a gift guide as a Word doc, make sure you include plenty of high quality product images and sales info, then invite your business collaborators to contribute as well. Once they’ve done so, use this free tool to convert it to PDF format. That way, it’ll look much more professional. Then, each business can make the PDF gift guide downloadable directly through their websites and send it out to their email lists as well, so it’s a win-win for everyone!

Give Back to Local Charity During the Holidays

One last way to show your support for your community during the holidays is by giving back. Consider donating a percentage of sales from specific days or products to a local charity. This is a great way to spread some holiday cheer while also helping those in need in your community.

The holidays are a key time for businesses of all sizes to capitalize on increased consumer spending. Shopping locally during the holidays has many benefits for both consumers and businesses alike. By launching your own holiday shop local campaign, getting other businesses involved, and offering rewards to shoppers, you can make a big impact on your community this holiday season—all while boosting your business!