Supporting the small business: Shop Local this holiday season

For most people across communities, their favorite shopping memories have occurred when visiting a small business downtown. There is something special about shopping at a local store where the owners greet you by name, swap stories with you, and ask about the kids. You can’t find that experience everywhere, but you can find it here, in the local store or service. As we get ready for shopping during the holiday season, paying attention to our local stores can serve as an opportunity to recognize the positive contribution they make to our lives – during the holidays and all year long. 

Some Ideas For Small Businesses To Use During The Holiday Season 

One of the several post-pandemic trends is shopping hyper-local. Retail research for the holiday season states that consumers are largely supporting local merchants for their shopping during the holidays, with 58% of shoppers planning to buy from local businesses this year. 

As shoppers get ready to buy locally this season, here are some tips for a local business to keep in mind during the holidays:

1. Define Your Brand As A Small Business 

Shoppers want to shop small this year, so it is a good time to showcase your identity as a local business! Create a story around your brand to tell people about how it all started. Share the times that you got involved in community efforts with your customers. Tell them about what makes your product or service exclusive and special. Use the occasion as a time to recreate your brand image. 

2. Gift Your Customers With Something Special 

As a local business, make it a point to stand out from the crowd, by offering your target audience something appealing, something that they will cherish. “What is my store or business best known for?” “What has worked well in the past, that I can make use of now?”  When you ask these questions, you are sure to come up with some relevant insights that will make a difference. 

3. A Good Time For Email Marketing

You can use a series of 3 emails to remind people about the holiday season and tell them about your special plans and offers if any. A good idea would be to partner with other local businesses, you could then send out emails to your customers telling them about where they could shop on Small Business Saturday. In your emails, you could tell people why shopping small is important to the community. 

4. Get Your Physical Store Ready For Action

If you have a storefront, you could prepare to get it ready, in advance of the holiday season. Check to see if everything is well-stocked and your staff is ready and waiting to help. Put a plan in place to deal with large crowds; assign tasks to each staff member to avoid last-minute confusion. If you are holding the fort all by yourself, put a To-Do list together, so that things stay on track even during hectic times. 

And keep the momentum going, right through the holiday season!

Are you a new business owner? Is your business local? Established along the banks of the Long Prairie River, Long Prairie is a charming and diverse community known for its festivals, hard-working people, agricultural base, and thriving small businesses.  Long Prairie also benefits from larger industries, a CentraCare medical and wellness campus, and modern school facilities.  Find out more about how your local business can grow and prosper at https://www.longprairie.net/.