2. What is Local?
Better yet, what is twerking?
A word we all understand is local.
Local is a mindset. It’s making the determination to buy from independent
business owners headquartered in your City/neighborhood.
3. Reason #1 – Build Community
The casual encounters you enjoy at neighborhood–scale businesses and the public
spaces around them build relationships and community cohesiveness.
They are the ultimate social networking sites!
Non-profit organizations receive on average 250% more support from smaller
business owners than they do from large businesses.
Local businesses are owned by people who live in your community, are less likely
to leave, and are more invested in your community’s future.
4. Reason # 2 – StrengthenYour Local Economy
Each dollar you spend at independent businesses returns 3 times more
money to your local economy than one spent at a chain (almost 50 times
more than buying from an online mega-retailer) — a benefit we all can bank
on.
5. Reason # 3 – Shape Our Character
Independent businesses help give your community its distinct personality.
6. Reason # 4 – Create a Healthier Environment
Independent, community-serving businesses are people-sized.They
typically consume less land, carry more locally-made products, locate closer
to residents and create less traffic and air pollution.
Local ownership ensures that important decisions are made locally by
people who live in your community and who will feel the impacts of those
decisions
7. Reason # 5 – LowerTaxes
More efficient land use and more central locations mean local businesses
put less demand on our roads, sewers, and safety services.They also
generate more tax revenue per sales dollar.The bottom line: a greater
percentage of local independent businesses keeps your taxes lower.
8. Reason # 6 – Get RealValue ForYourself
Reader surveys by the Consumers Union repeatedly show independent
businesses beating their chain competitors in overall customer satisfaction
(and often save you money).
Local businesses often hire people with a better understanding of the
products they are selling and take more time to get to know customers.
9. Reason # 7 - Choices
A wide variety of independent businesses, each serving their customers’
tastes, creates greater overall choice for all of us.
A marketplace of tens of thousands of small businesses is the best way to
ensure innovation and low prices over the long-term. A multitude of small
businesses, each selecting products based not on a national sales plan but
on their own interests and the needs of their local customers guarantees a
much broader range of product choices.
10. Reason # 8 – IncreaseWealth Of Residents
The multiplier effect created by spending locally generates lasting impact
on the prosperity of local organizations and residents.
11. Reason # 9 – Create Jobs And Opportunities
Not only do independent businesses employ more people directly per dollar
of revenue, they also are the customers of local printers, accountants,
wholesalers, farms, attorneys, etc., expanding opportunities for local
entrepreneurs. Small local businesses are the largest employer nationally,
and in our community, provide the most jobs to residents.
Office Depot is headquartered in Florida; Staples/Quill is headquartered in
Massachusetts. Neither company has a stake in the vitality of our
communities.
12. Reason # 10 – Give BackToYour Community
Small businesses donate more than
twice as much per sales dollar to
local non-profits, events, and teams
compared to big businesses.
Throughout the United States, only
about 33.6% of the revenue from
national chains is reinvested into the
community, which is very low
compared to the 64.8% return from
local businesses.
13. Reason # 11 – Enhance Local Democracy
Local ownership of business means residents with roots in the community
are involved in key development decisions that shape our lives and local
environment.
