BE VOCAL ABOUT BUYING LOCAL!
Madison Communications is a big believer in small businesses. If we work together as community members, we can help small businesses succeed despite the increasing competition from national chains and online mega-retailers.
Given the prevailing emphasis on simply finding the cheapest price when making purchase decisions, it’s important to remind our friends and neighbors of the substantial community benefits of buying local. They include:
Improving Our Local Economy – Each dollar we spend at small local businesses returns three times more money to our local economy than one spent at a chain and almost 50 times more than buying from an online mega-retailer.
Creating Local Jobs and Opportunities – Not only do small local businesses employ more people directly per dollar of revenue, but they also employ an array of supporting services by buying local themselves. They hire local architects, contractors, accountants, insurance brokers, computer consultants, and attorneys. They also tend to carry a higher percentage of locally produced goods than chains, meaning more jobs for local suppliers. In contrast, a chain store is typically a clone of other units, which eliminates the need for local planning and uses a minimum of local goods and services.
Keeping Our Community Unique – Small local businesses give a community its distinct character and personality. Conversely, a preponderance of chain restaurants and stores create communities that all start to look alike. By supporting the one-of-a-kind businesses in our community, we help maintain the uniqueness that makes living here enjoyable and attracts visitors.
Giving More Support to Local Causes – In general, small local businesses donate more per sales dollar to local nonprofits, events, and sports teams compared to big businesses. Their owners and employees are also more likely to “do good” through volunteering at community events and serving on local advisory boards.
Whenever possible, Madison Communications encourages you to buy local (and dine local, play local, and give local) and spread this message to others. It’s up to all of us to keep our community thriving. To see highlights of our company’s community donations and volunteer activities, visit www.gomadison.com/community-involvement/.
https://www.amiba.net/resources/localhero/
