How
it works
I’m
going to make this very simple… if you believe you’re helping
the small and valuable businesses in your community… then I do
as well.
It
really is that easy.
No
tricks.
Nothing
complicated.
This
effort is an attempt to recognize and support the diversity and
value brought to a neighborhood, town, city, and so on, by a one
of a kind destination. It’s isn’t about judging what a person
buys or where a person buys it.
To
that end, if you feel your dollars are contributing to the local
economy and business options because of the support given to a
place you find brilliant and worthy, then they are.
Still…
a few ground rules might be necessary. Let’s consider these not
a strictly-to-be-adhered-to listing of do and do-not musts, but
rather some advice in navigating the journey.
Ok?
Good.
We
begin with two overview concepts…
First
– The business itself should be an individual and unique property.
We are not looking for national chains or franchises.
Second
– The suggestion is $10 to $15 as the target for your spending.
Good
so far?
Need
more on those? Ok…
I
think it’s safe to say we can find room for the local owner that
has two or three restaurants, even with the same name and menu…
or even that grocery store of neighborhood legend that has several
locations. You are making the final decisions about this. But
I don’t want to encourage either of those or any similar ideas.
Remember, this is not a program to keep you away from any business.
So if you like a restaurant, eat there… if you enjoy a store,
shop there. When making your monthly Local Friends for Local Business
selection though, I like thinking we’re bringing awareness and
sales to places that can really benefit from the attention. And
that means finding places that often don’t get noticed.
The
spending target is a suggestion. Nothing more. If you can spend
more… want to spend more… or develop some approach that raises
the dollar value, great. If you can only spend a dollar or two,
that works too. The ultimate approach is to bring business to
these locations that might not normally step through the door
on the selected days.
And
now, the Local Friends for Local Business step-by-step guide…
(1)
During the first few days of every month, we will announce a category
and post it in the Local Friends History section. It will be a
broad subject. For example – bakery… gardens… shoes… pizza… and
other categories that allow for you to consider a few possible
options. The idea is to keep moving to new places, bring about
a different way of viewing your community, and also provide a
way to apply the subject of the month to those one-red-light towns
as well as a major city.
(2)
A five-day period of time will be announced for the middle of
the month. Generally it will begin on the Thursday of the second
week of the month and then run through the weekend to the following
Monday. We all have different schedules for our personal and professional
lives, and the result is that announcing a single day of the week
isn’t really realistic for everyone. If you are travelling, apply
the category to where you are during that stretch of time.
(3)
On one of those five days, visit a local business that fits the
outline of the program and the announced category for that month.
Spend a few dollars there.
There
you go. Easy.
Here’s
an example, using the first month of the program… January 2012.
On
January 1, 2012 the category announced was bakeries. And, the
shopping bracket was set as Thursday, January 12th through Monday,
January 16th.
The
challenge was to take some time to find a local bakery. Maybe
you had an actual bakery… maybe to keep it local you decided on
a coffee shop that sells muffins… qualifying the options available
and the final decisions were up to you.
On
one of the dates between January 12th and January 16th, hopefully
you went in to that bakery and bought something.
When
in doubt, look over the notes here or check the About section
for Local Friends for Local Business. Then apply your own judgment.
This
is supposed to be something to assist the little places that make
your home or travel special and different, while at the same time
possibly introducing you to some new treasures as well.
So
go have some fun and find a few local treasures!
