Shop Local on Small Business Saturday November 24 2018
The Beginning: "It's 2010, and small businesses are hurting from an economy in recession. In an effort to support local shops that make our communities strong, American Express launches Small Business Saturday® on the Saturday after Thanksgiving — to encourage people to Shop Small and bring more holiday shopping to small businesses.
One year later, the Shop Small Movement gains momentum, as local officials across the nation take notice and promote Small Business Saturday. In 2011, the Senate unanimously passes a resolution in support of the day. By 2012, officials in all 50 states participate.
By 2017, there were more than 7,200 Neighborhood Champions across all 50 states... [with] an estimated 108 million consumers reported shopping or dining at local independently-owned businesses on Small Business Saturday — generating roughly $12 billion in reported spending."
Small Business Saturday History
Why buy local? According to a report by Michigan State University, "It means nurturing locally owned businesses which use local resources sustainably, employ local workers at decent wages and serve primarily local consumers. It means becoming more self-sufficient and less dependent on imports. Control moves from the boardrooms of distant corporations and back into the community where it belongs."
Small Business Saturday is a great time to promote not only your own business, but that of your fellow businesses in the area as well! Did you know that you can create your own custom "Shop Small" graphics for FREE!? Go to the link below as often as you like and make several versions for your business if you wish! You can tell customers when you started, where they can find you, or what they'll love about you. This year, they added a new option to change the color of your message (the historic dark blue, and now lighter blue colors). You can select online and/or print materials, cover photos to use on your social media accounts and emails you send, signs to hang in your shop windows, and tips for marketing. They'll send it all to you, even including a bonus short video!
It's all at this link here: https://www.americanexpress.com/us/small-business/shop-small/promote
Learn more about Small Business Saturday here: https://www.americanexpress.com/us/small-business/shop-small/
How can you Shop Local with My Mountain Town, you wonder? Why, by posting here on MyMountainTown.com! :) Every time you..:
- add content to our Forums
- list your items for sale in our Mountain Classifieds (for Members and Businesses)
- add your organizations to our local Business & Nonprofit Directory or tell us about the favorite businesses who've served you well
- share the jobs you have available or services you need
- upload events you have coming up on our Community Calendar and in the Community News, Events, & Calendar Forum
- update us on the Highway 285 or Hwy 73/Hwy 74/I-70 Road Conditions you've experienced
- tell us your opinions on political issues, movies or books you've just seen or read, rant about your sports teams, or pass along a funny joke or story
- share your favorite hobbies, gardening tips, and recipes (or places to eat in the area)
- add photos of our wondrous mountain landscapes, sunrises and sunsets, flowers, and wildlife
- comment on and rate our Mountain Secrets Blog posts
- tell your friends and family about our helpful Emergency Page with the latest accidents, fires, and emergencies plus handy resources or to Join and Subscribe to our Scanner & Emergency Info Forum for instant email alerts!
- check out our Daily Mountain Weather Forecasts and Comprehensive Webcam Pages
...you are supporting us, our area nonprofits and businesses, and helping your neighbors and fellow community members and for that we are incredibly grateful! Our mission has always been to provide a place where it is fun, safe, and easy to participate so you can stay informed on that which affects you and your family, our businesses and nonprofits can connect online with you and vice versa to support one another, and we can continue to keep our mountain home safe and vibrant for generations to come! We are here to serve you and if there's anything we can do to improve our services or help you, we encourage suggestions and questions anytime. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 720-608-0285
You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, and LinkedIn, plus find other local organizations with services or products you need through those with whom we are connected (check out our Page Likes on Facebook, our 'Hwy 285 Corridor' and 'All Things Evergreen, CO' lists on Twitter, and who we Follow on Instagram and YouTube - if you are a local business or nonprofit with accounts on those platforms and we don't yet follow you, please let us know and follow back!). Leave us a review with specific details on what we did well and/or could improve upon, post photos and videos to our Page, tag us in your posts to grab our attention, tell your neighbors to follow us, add a link to our website on yours, and Share our posts please! We LOVE when you do that! :)
To our fellow businesses and nonprofits: consider advertising with us for your online, social media marketing needs!
Thank you everyone for all you do to support us and all of our local businesses, not just Small Business Saturday, but every day; it means the world to us!
With gratitude,
Your My Mountain Town Staff and Volunteers
