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John Newby
John Newby
John Newby
John Newby
It has been said, "Either you deal with reality, or you can be sure that the reality is going to deal with you." This has never been more true than today when entire communities, businesses and individuals are forced into an ever-changing new reality. Taking that one step further, if small and mid-sized communities are to survive, they must face the new reality and find ways to build loyalty toward their hyper-local business base. Without that, they will struggle at best and slowly die in the worst-case scenario.
In the age of COVID-19 where government mandated the shuttering of many small businesses while corporate and big box competitors were allowed to remain open, entire districts of small businesses have been devastated. With this being the case in many communities, it is time for communities to fight back and regain control of their destinies. One might ask, how is that done in today’s difficult business climate? With creativity!
City leaders needs to work with their chambers and their local media companies. They need to come up with creative programs that drive business to their Main Streets, programs that incentivize the local residents to spend their dollars with the hyper-local businesses. Now is the time when real leaders have the opportunity to step to plate and lead within their community.
In Appleton, Wisconsin, the downtown association got together and designed a T-shirt that said “Downtown Unites” selling thousands at $10 each, reminding people to unite and support their local hyper-local business base. Many media companies around the country have put together plans allowing hyper-local businesses to advertise at very little cost, sometimes for free. They have done this through working with the community leaders and chambers.
Many communities have closed roads to make it possible for local Main Street businesses to move outside onto the sidewalks and streets allowing for social distancing and fresh air. Cities and downtown districts need to be looking for ideas to have markets, dollar days and a host of other potential shopper attracting events that spur traffic. For a constant stream of ideas that may translate into your community, I would invite you to visit the Building Main Street, not Wall Street Facebook page as we add new ideas every week.
For those communities that really want to make a splash, there are programs out there that bring the products and services that might normally be found in big cities right to your doorstep. Does your community have their own app or website that is modeled after Groupon or other big market products? One thing that technology has done in recent years is make what was unthinkable for smaller markets just a few years ago very possible today.
Lastly, there is a bill (Local Journalism Sustainability Act) being presented in Congress that might be fast-tracked that provides large tax credits for businesses that advertise with their local media. This will be HUGE for your hyper-local businesses and your local media companies. It would also provide a tax credit to those subscribing to a local newspaper. I would encourage every media company and community resident to contact your congressional representatives and voice your support for this legislation, it could be a boon for small towns across America.
In conjunction with the Local Journalism Sustainability Act, this presents a unique opportunity for city leadership and chambers to add a local flair to this piece of legislation. If done correctly, this allows your businesses to promote and market themselves like never before at practically no cost. This assures support for your local media company as well which is also struggling along with the entire community.
I could go on and write pages of ideas that would work depending upon the market, but it is more important that you understand the urgency of your actions. COVID-19 has left communities with little room for error. How you react in the coming weeks and months may well determine the destiny of your community. Is your community on the titanic or is your community on a highway to success? Let it be the highway to success.
John A. Newby, author of the "Building Main Street, Not Wall Street " column dedicated to helping communities and local media companies combine synergies that allow them to not just survive, but thrive in a world where truly-local is lost to Amazon, Wall Street chains and others. His email at: john@360MediaAlliance.net.
"loyalty" - Google News
July 21, 2020 at 05:00PM
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Business and community loyalty is the same thing - Huron Daily Tribune
"loyalty" - Google News
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