The Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce has launched a new initiative called “Buy Local #MyFootprint” aimed at encouraging residents in Blacksburg, Christiansburg and Montgomery County to buy from local businesses.
The effort is an attempt to restore the local economy to the full health it enjoyed before the pandemic. In a toolkit designed for the campaign, chamber officials say that “returning the health of our local economy will take every resident, visitor, and family member to invest by shopping in our community at an even greater level than we imagined in 2019. So our call to action in 2020 is to support every business in our community, so friends and neighbors retain their jobs, provide services and products close to us, and taxes are received here to support our community, schools, friends, and neighbors.”
The toolkit declares, “Buying local keeps money in the community, regardless of chain or small businesses. Your footprint goes everywhere with you. Whether you take a step outside your front door or travel around the world, your footprint stays with you. Why not keep your footprint local with the products and services you buy and sell? That’s the idea behind #MyFootprint.”
The goal of the campaign is to have our local businesses showcase #MyFootprint through a series of social media posts on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter through August 01, 2020. Businesses who participate will be eligible to win a Buy Local Business of the Month promotion from the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce. Winners will receive the following: an announcement of the winners via social media and newsletter, placement on the chamber’s website on the Buy Local webpage and a Facebook Watch Party with accompanying video similar to the chamber’s Meet the Member series.
To be eligible to win a Buy Local Business of the Month promotion, local businesses will need to post at least four times from now until August 12, 2020. Businesses who create at least four social media posts will be entered into the drawing. Six posts will gain the business two entries. Eight posts will result in being entered three times. Three winners will be drawn in August.
Posts may include such topics as 1) Customer Experience, 2) What’s Going On? 3) What’s Your
Staff Up To? and 4) How Do You Buy Local?
For customer experience, local businesses may post images of who or what a customer sees when they first walk in the door of your business. If you’re digital, show your homepage and how you help your customers.
Suggested posts for what’s going on include looks at what goes on behind the scenes. Post something your customers never see. Showcase your organization, its cleanliness or its inviting workspace. Or showcase your product or service in an inviting way. Showcase your customers interacting with you, your employees working or how you are innovating your business as seasons change.
A suggested post to illustrate what your staff is up to is to honor a staff member from your team. Take a picture with the staff member and tell everyone the part played to serve your company. How did the employee get started with you? Show the untold story of your employee. Share a group photo with as many employees as you can.
When it comes to buying locally, use #MyFootprint to show everyone your “Business BFF.” Who in the local business community have you known forever and love? Show some love and share this around. Take a picture of yourself and your family supporting another local business. Take a picture getting take-out, ordering a gift, or using their services. Whoever they are, tag them and help celebrate together.
For help, ideas and guidance, reach out to the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce at 210 Laurel Street NE, Christiansburg 24073, (540) 382-3020.
