4 Ways to ‘Work Local’ This Year

Starting your own business is a labour of love, but it's also exhausting. Here's how to work with your community for guaranteed success.

We've all heard the adage 'it takes a village to raise a child', and when I think of entrepreneurs no phrase feels more fitting. Starting your own business is a labour of love that can often leave you feeling exhausted mentally, physically and emotionally. Ask any first time parent how things are going eight-weeks in, and you will likely hear similar sentiments of fatigue. But in the same way that friends, family and neighbors rally together to help with sleepless nights so too can small businesses lean on each other to help themselves grow consistently.

If the past year has taught us anything, the value in shopping local has definitely been key. So let's take it one step further. Don't just shop local as a consumer, but learn to work local as a business owner. Here are four ways to get started.

1 - Back to Basics

Bartering is one of the oldest forms of doing business, and it lasted as long as it did because IT WORKS. Building a relationship of exchanging services with another company is an easy way to get things done on a budget, and a great way to network with other business owners

2 - Complimentary Over Competition

Researching your competitors is always a sound business practice, but there's benefits to uncovering local complimentary services as well. Get creative, make a pitch and team up to offer a promotional package that highlights the best of both worlds.

3 - All For One, One For All

Speaking of collaborations, shared ad space is another way small businesses can stretch both dollars and resources. Whether it be digital or in print, businesses in the same geographic space can often take advantage of bulk rates or upfront discounts when purchasing as a group. The holiday season is the perfect time to test out this option as people are typically shopping across several categories at once.

4 - Make It Memorable

Ordering items in bulk to use as client gifts or swag is pretty common, but why not source personalised or unique gifts instead from a local vendor. While you may pay slightly more for the customization, you’ll save on shipping and lower minimum order amounts. Plus this is an optimal way to create referrals for your vendors, and they’ll be sure to return the favour.

Your business may be small in scale, but that doesn’t mean you’re small in skill. If you’re ready to get started on these tactics or need assistance with deciding which is the best option for you, connect with the team at Press Pause today.