The Preparation
We have studied Business Alliances across the country. We have attended conferences where representatives of various business alliances have shared how they encourage people to Think Local First. We have collected and studied materials on how to create an effective campaign to get people to support locally owned businesses in an ongoing manner. We have read The Smallmart Revolution and Big Box Swindle. We are a registered BALLE network. We think local is better. We are here to help.
The People
You, hopefully.
Joel Bassett, a graduate of Warren Wilson College outside of Asheville, NC, is originally from Beckley, WV. He wants everyone to try a new local business this week just for fun; even if it is just browsing to see what they sell or make, testing the food, something like that. "If we want Main Street to exist, we have to make a conscious choice to support it. Small businesses not only make our towns different from the rest of America, they are also the best hope for new, long-term jobs. They are the very spirit of entrepreneurship within our community."
Steve Rasmussen is a longtime resident of Asheville. He is a journalist and writer currently compiling histories of businesses in parts of Asheville. He hopes that the wealthy newcomers bedazzled by the charm and diversity of Western North Carolina will also respect the underlying history, traditions, and sense of community embodied in many of our older practical businesses. "When you buy from a chain you might as well be shipping your wealth to China, but when you buy locally you are supporting your neighbors, who in turn can support you"
The Idea
Many small businesses in Western North Carolina would greatly benefit from being able to market effectively, in order to do so they need to market collectively. There are a number of qualities that all locally owned businesses share that are direct benefits to their communities. Already several efforts have been put forth to encourage people to support small local businesses, such things as messages on the back of bookmarks and pamphlets showcasing Main Street shops are actively occurring across Western North Carolina. We feel that the time has come for a unified voice. We are actively engaged in telling everyone to Buy Local while recognizing that Local is relative to where you are. By marketing collectively and having a volunteer steering committee of business owners to shape advertising and messaging we are capable of broadcasting an effective campaign to the citizens of Western North Carolina. We want to tell people in this region what the tangible benefits of supporting local businesses are, and share how other communities have benefited from choosing to Think Local First.