'Tis the season of giving, and what better way to give back to your community than by launching a holiday shop local campaign? Not only will you be helping to strengthen the local economy, but you'll also be promoting small businesses—the backbone of any community. From the Exeter Area Chamber of Commerce, here's everything you need to know about how to launch a successful holiday shop local campaign.

Prioritize Giving Back to Your Community

One of the best things about owning a small business is that you can give back to your community in ways that big businesses simply can't. During the holiday season, there are countless opportunities for businesses to give back, whether it's through donating a portion of sales to a local charity or hosting an event for underprivileged children. Get creative and come up with a way to give back that makes sense for your business—your community will certainly appreciate it.

Plan and Launch a Holiday Shop Local Campaign

When it comes to launching a successful holiday shop local campaign, timing is everything. Start planning and promoting your campaign at least one month in advance so that people have time to put it on their calendars. Make sure to use all available channels to promote your campaign, including social media, email marketing, and even good old-fashioned flyers and posters. And last but not least, don't forget to make it fun! After all, the holidays are supposed to be a joyous time of year.

Spread the Word About Your Shop Local Campaign

There are endless ways for businesses to promote a holiday shop local campaign. In addition to using traditional marketing channels like print and radio advertising, consider getting creative with social media marketing or even guerilla marketing tactics. And don't forget about word-of-mouth—it's still one of the most powerful marketing tools available. The more people you can get talking about your campaign, the better.

To get shoppers excited about shopping at your store, consider making some gift guides. Gift guides are a great way to feature your products by targeting specific friends and family members. Just create a PDF with a few different gift guides; this will let you separate PDF pages after you have it written. Then you can offer the guides on your website or social media, and you can use them in marketing emails. Your customers are sure to appreciate them.

Entice Local Shoppers

One of the best ways to incentivize shopping locally during the holidays is by offering discounts and special promotions exclusively for those who participate in your shop local campaign. This can be implemented by tying it into your customer loyalty program. You can also offer free gifts with purchase or enter people who shop locally into prize drawings. Get creative and come up with an incentive that will get people excited about shopping at your business.

Support Your Fellow Businesses Joint Marketing and Co-Hosted Events

In order for a holiday shop local campaign to be truly successful, it's important for businesses to support one another. One way to do this is by joint marketing—for example, cross-promoting each other's businesses on social media or teaming up on print advertising campaigns. Another great way to show support is by co-hosting events like holiday trunk shows or festive open houses. By working together, businesses can make their holiday shop local campaigns even more impactful.

A holiday shop local campaign is a great way for businesses to give back to their communities while also promoting small businesses and strengthening the local economy. If you're thinking about launching a campaign this year, start planning and promoting at least one month in advance. Use all available channels—including social media, email marketing, and even guerilla marketing tactics—to get people talking about your campaign. And don't forget to make it fun! By following these tips, you'll be well on your way to launching a successful holiday shop local campaign that benefits everyone involved.

Looking for business support in Exeter? The Exeter Area Chamber of Commerce champions our community’s economic and cultural growth through networking, events, and advocacy. Click here to become a member today!