Make the Holidays Merry With a Local Shopping Campaign in Gulfport

'Tis the season for giving, and what better way to give back to your community than by supporting local businesses? A holiday shop local campaign is a great way to do just that. Not only does shopping local benefit the community, but it also strengthens the local economy. From the Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce, here's how you can make your holiday shop local campaign a success.

How to Kick Off Your Business’s Holiday Shop Local Campaign

There are a few things you'll need to do to get your holiday shop local campaign off the ground. First, you'll need to come up with a catchy name and logo for your campaign. This will help create brand recognition and make your campaign more memorable. Next, you'll need to develop marketing materials like flyers, posters, and social media graphics. And last but not least, you'll need to identify which businesses in your community you'd like to participate. Once you've got all of that sorted, you're ready to start promoting your campaign!

How Your Business Can Promote Its Holiday Shop Local Campaign

Once you've got your campaign up and running, it's time to start promoting it! As a participating business, there are a few things you can do to get the word out. First, be sure to display promotional materials in your store or office. This will let customers know that you're participating in the campaign and encourage them to shop local as well. You can also promote your participation on social media using hashtags, graphics, and even giveaways. And last but not least, don't forget to mention the campaign when communicating with customers via email or over the phone.

How Your Business Can Incentivize Local Shopping

In addition to promoting their participation in a holiday shop local campaign, businesses can also incentivize customers to shop local during the holidays. One way to do this is by offering exclusive discounts and deals to customers who shop with you during the campaign period. You can also enter customers who shop with you during the campaign into a drawing for a chance to win a prize. Consider giving a percentage of sales from the campaign period back to a local charity or non-profit organization.

Another way to draw in local shoppers is to create an easy-to-share PDF gift guide. This can feature many of your store’s products. Just write up and save a guide in your word processor, then create a secure file using this free PDF converter. Once you have the guide, share it via email, your website, and on social media.

How Your Business Can Support Others With Joint Marketing and Co-Hosting Events

One of the best things about holiday shop local campaigns is that they provide an opportunity for businesses to support each other. Joint marketing efforts like co-branded flyer distributions or social media takeovers are a great way for businesses to reach new audiences and promote their participation in the campaign. And co-hosting events like holiday trunk shows or festive open houses are also great ways for businesses to support each other while also getting exposure for their businesses.

How Your Business Can Give Back During The Holidays

Finally, don't forget that one of the best things about the holidays is giving back. As a business owner, there are plenty of ways you can give back during the holiday season. One way is by donating products or services to charity auctions or raffles. You can also offer discounts or freebies to customers who donate items to Toys for Tots or another local charity drive. Or if you really want to get into the holiday spirit, consider hosting an event where 100% of proceeds go towards benefiting those in need in your community.

As we kick off the holiday season, now is the perfect time for small businesses to start planning their holiday shop local campaigns. By following these tips on how to get started, how businesses can promote their involvement, how businesses can incentivize customers shopping locally, how businesses can support each other through joint marketing and co-hosting events, and how businesses can give back during this festive time of year—you're set up for success! So what are you waiting for? Get planning today!

Membership in the Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce offers invaluable benefits to entrepreneurs in our community. Join us today!