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Gift Ideas: A Few Reasons to Buy Local for the Holidays

November 27th, 2010 | Posted by martinbrossman in buy local - (0 Comments)

Gift ideasWhy buy local for the Holidays?

Looking for Holiday or Christmas gift ideas? Why not buy from a local merchant and help your local community as well?

I asked a few people to share reasons to take advantage of quality products from local merchants in your area and I want to share what they had to say:

“Buying local is a great way to strengthen our community on a smaller scale. As a pebble ripples through a pond, then can the positive effects of our stronger base community to ripple out and help others. One of the educational pieces I give my clients is to make sure you are strong, healthy and practice self-care so that your personal resources are set before you help your families. If our community is strong, then we can cause our own ripple effect within and outside ourselves.”
– Nancy Campbell www.campbelllmbt.com

“People should buy local to help support the local businesses that they like to frequent. We are seeing so many shops and restaurants closing down because they just can’t make it in this economy. How disappointing is it to go to the mall only to find your favorite store gone!

Online shopping does make shopping easy; however, consumers should consider calling a store directly and ordering over the phone instead (usually for the same deal). This will help even the bigger name stores stay in business here in Raleigh. If you have found a certain something on-line, do an Internet search to see if the product is available locally. You would be surprised how many items are made and sold right here in North Carolina. Google and Yahoo of course are good resources, but not all small business are listed or come up on the first page of search, so I would encourage consumers to ask their friends (tweet it, Facebook it or e-mail). I had a neighbor looking for a good dentist the other day. She received so many responses simply by sending an e-mail to a group of friends.

Buying local means to keep as many dollars right here in North Carolina as possible. Independent shops do keep more dollars locally; however, big name stores are equally important to our community (ordering on-line from a chain that is present in NC does not count as shopping locally if it doesn’t directly affect the sales at the local chain). Bottom line: consumers should try to shop at a variety of stores and buy local when they can.”
– Terri Voltz http://www.electricbeanz.com”

“You should support your local businesses because otherwise you’ll be paying the government for your neighbor’s unemployment and welfare checks, food stamps, and health care. If you support these local businesses, you enable them to remain in business, which means people stay employed and the debtload of the country and your state can be reduced. Plus, shipping costs are lower. :)”
– Marie-Dolores Anderson www.pamperedchef.biz/mda

“Consumer spending drives 70% of the economy. But when we shop at the big chain stores the dollars we just spent are overseas before sundown.

When we shop at local family owned stores 68 cents of every dollar returns back to our community and when we buy American Made at these stores every penny supports the growth of our own economy! Yep, the economy and the end of this recession is up to each and everyone of us. So get to work, find the “right gifts” for this holiday season… those that are American Made!

Here’s a few great resources to start with!  Links: http://www.FindAmericanMade.com ,  http://www.AmericanStyle.com , http://www.AmericanCraft.com”
– Wendy Rosen – www.americancraft.com

How can you find local businesses? Just search Google Maps ( http://maps.google.com/ ) for what you are looking for and the area you are in. Like “Toy Stores near Raleigh, NC” and you can tell which are local owned vs big box stores. Also make sure your own local business is listed here.

Lets hear your reasons to Buy Local and If you have or know of a local business that has gift ideas please share them too! Please share this with anyone you know and here is a short URL: bit.ly/buylocalgifts

To see more comments, check out the replies to this questions on LinkedIn and inSide919:

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/answers/marketing-sales/advertising-promotion/viral-marketing/MAR_ADP_VMM/756219-548650

inSide919: http://inside919.ning.com/forum/topics/why-buy-local-for-the-holidays

Related post: Five Reasons for Buying Local

Thanks! Martin Brossman http://NCSmallBusinessTranining.com

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Selling on eBay – The basics of what you need to know – Martin Brossman

November 4th, 2010 | Posted by martinbrossman in on-line Business Tips - (0 Comments)
Ham Radio on eBay - KI4CFS.com

What I bought with my eBay money.

eBay provides a low-cost way to sell items on-line and learn something about what is selling. You don’t need a store front, website or shopping cart to get going. It also provides a great way to learn about having your own business at a low cost. I became sold on eBay when I became interested in Amateur Radio (or Ham Radio) a few years ago (my call sign is KI4CFS). After passing my test I wanted to buy some radio equipment and made an agreement with myself– whatever junk in the attic that I could sell on eBay I could spend on radio equipment. After making a few thousand dollars from “stuff” in my attic, I not only became sold on eBay but now have some very nice radio equipment (see picture). Here are the basics your need for selling on eBay and let me know how you are making money with it. I am going to recommend you set aside $50.00 to learn how to use eBay.

What you will need to sell on eBay: a checking account; a paypal account; internet connection; some boxes and packing tape.

First the general overview. Go to paypal.com and set up an account then go to eBay and set up an account. Paypal is how you will pay for items and receive money. Next sign-in to ebay:

  • Look up your item in completed listings
  • Photo your item
  • Box your item (collected)
  • List your item
  • Sell your item
  • Ship it
  • Use Paypal & Parcel tracking
  • Give feeback after receive

Repeat the process and make lots of money.

Now for a few more detailed tips and notes. Even before you sell you should find a few low cost items to buy online using eBay. Like a new case or plastic protective cover for your phone.

Another resource for selling is http://www.etsy.com/ for crafts.

My video on how to use completed listing to determine the going price of an item on eBay:

Learn more from my Podcast interviewing someone that sell on eBay:
http://inquireonline.info/marketing/making-money-with-ebay

See all my classes and resources on NCSmallBusinessTraining.com Martin Brossman Senior Instructor Small Business Centers

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Definitions of Social Media for Business – The Top Websites

October 28th, 2010 | Posted by martinbrossman in Linkedin - (0 Comments)

Social Media Websites You Need to Know as a Business
Collected by Martin Brossman – (919) 847-4757 Facebook: http://BrossmanOnFB.com

Source: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org c2010 Wicipedia with exception of the inSideAreaCodes write up by Martin Brossman.  All these sites offer full service free levels of membership.

Social media are media for social interaction, using highly accessible and scalable publishing techniques. Social media uses web-based technologies  to turn communication into interactive dialogues. Andreas Kaplan and Michael Haenlein define social media as “a group of Internet-based applications that build on the ideological and technological foundations of Web 2.0, which allows the creation and exchange of user-generated content.”[1] Businesses also refer to social media as consumer-generated media (CGM). Social media utilization is believed[who?] to be a driving force in defining the current time period as the Attention Age[citation needed]. A common thread running through all definitions of social media is a blending of technology and social interaction for the co-creation of value.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_media

Facebook is a social network service and website launched in February 2004 that is operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc.[1] As of July 2010[update] Facebook has more than 500 million active users,[6] which is about one person for every fourteen in the world.[7][N 1]  Users may create a personal profile, add other users as friends and exchange messages, including automatic notifications when they update their profile. Additionally, users may join common interest user groups, organized by workplace, school, or college, or other characteristics. The name of the service stems from the colloquial name for the book  given to students at the start of the academic year by university administrations in the US with the intention of helping students to get to know each other better. Facebook allows anyone who declares themselves to be at least 13 years old to become a registered user of the website.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facebook

Facebook Wall: A place where “Friends” and you can post comment, pictures, links or video. The idea came from the small bulletin board  outside many dorm rooms in college where you may post things or your friends can.

Twitter is a website, owned and operated by Twitter Inc., which offers a social networking and microblogging service, enabling its users to send and read other users’ messages called tweets. Tweets are text-based posts of up to 140 characters displayed on the user’s profile  page. Tweets are publicly visible by default, however senders can restrict message delivery to their friends list. Users may subscribe to other author tweets—this is known as following and subscribers are known as followers. As of late 2009, users can follow lists of authors instead of just following individual authors.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twitter

YouTube is a video-sharing website on which users can upload, share, and view videos. Three former PayPal employees created YouTube in February 2005.[3]    The company is based in San Bruno, California, and uses Adobe Flash Video technology to display a wide variety of user-generated video content, including movie clips, TV clips, and music videos, as well as amateur content such as video blogging and short original videos. Most of the content on YouTube has been uploaded by individuals, although media corporations including CBS, BBC, VEVO and other organizations offer some of their material via the site, as part of the YouTube partnership program.[4]   Unregistered users can watch the videos, while registered users are permitted to upload an unlimited number of videos. Videos that are considered to contain potentially offensive content are available only to registered users 18 and older. In November 2006, YouTube, LLC was bought by Google Inc. for $1.65 billion, and now operates as a subsidiary of Google.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Youtube

LinkedIn (pronounced /ˌlɪŋkt.ˈɪn/) is a business-oriented social networking site. Founded in December 2002 and launched in May 2003,[2] it is mainly used for professional networking. As of 9 August 2010, LinkedIn had more than 75 million registered users, spanning more than 200 countries and territories worldwide.[3] The site is available in English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish.[4] Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linkedin

inSideAreaCodes (first one was inSide919) is a free micro-business and small business networking site that lets businesses build business allies with other businesses in their area, grouped by their area code. It is 100% transparent to Google, allowing for a way to produce local content that can be viewed by anyone. This open system allows a business to increase its local web presence at no cost, but you must be a member to comment on a post. Since the people of a small business are often the best competitive advantage they have, inSideAreaCodes requires that you sign up under your real name and use a real picture (there is a separate place for your business name by your picture). All the inSideAreaCodes.com are built on the Ning platform (see following definition from Wickipedia). See http://www.inSideAreaCodes.com to find one near you or to see the founding group: http://www.inSide919.com

Ning is an online platform for people to create their own social networks,[3] launched in October 2005.[1] Ning was co-founded by Marc Andreessen and Gina Bianchini. Ning is Andreessen’s third company (after Netscape and Opsware). The word “Ning” is Chinese for “peace” (simplified Chinese: 宁; traditional Chinese: 寧; pinyin: níng), as explained by Gina Bianchini on the company blog.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ning_(website).

Connect with Martin Brossman on Facebook at http://BrossmanOnFB.com
Learn more about Small Business Training and Chambers of Commerce Trainning at www.SBCSpeakers.com or his Business training at www.ProNetworkingOnLine.com

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Five Reasons for Buying Local

August 19th, 2010 | Posted by martinbrossman in buy local | Local Owned - (0 Comments)

New World Coffee - RaleighFive Reasons for Buying Local

By Martin Brossman – Success Coach and Author of Social Media & On-line Resource Directory for Business

You can’t help noticing the current buzz about buying local, re-inspired by deep concern for the environment and the necessities of the economic slowdown.   Restaurants are proudly announcing more locally-grown foods on their menu, and many of our friends announce their decision to shop smaller specialty retailers instead of chain discount stores.

Aside from the warm fuzzy feeling you get from helping your neighbor, there are some strong tangible benefits to buying from local merchants.  Buying local is beneficial to the environment in a number of different ways, while at the same time boosting the local economy. There are also political implications to your buying choices. Here are a few of the ways your family wins when you buy local.

1. Reduced shipping distance equals lower environmental impact

When you buy goods in your home town, you reduce carbon emissions and fossil fuel consumption by virtue of the simple fact that no one has to ship the goods to you from a long distance. When you purchase industrially-grown produce, for example, it typically travels 1,500 miles1 or more before reaching your dinner table. The environmental impact is staggering. A 2009 study2 revealed that in the state of Iowa alone, fuel consumption could be reduced by up to 346,000 gallons per year if 10% more of the state’s food were grown locally. The same study stated that annual carbon dioxide emissions would likely decrease by up to 7.9 million pounds.

2.Local dollars stay in your community

When your dollars go to local merchants, they are much more likely to buy from other local merchants than large corporate-owned stores. Most larger merchants are contractually obligated to buy from suppliers outside the towns where they operate. They often buy in bulk from central locations. The increased number of steps in the supply chain not only adds no intrinsic value, but often results in lower product quality. The reinvestment of business revenues into other local businesses generates local tax revenues.

3. The economic boom and bust cycle stabilizes over the long term

A locally-based economic infrastructure is less likely to suffer radical oscillations, due to the fact that it doesn’t depend on a small number of large businesses for the majority of its revenue. For example, suppose a factory moves into town and employs a large number of the town’s residents. The newly created jobs will attract more people and create a swell in house prices. Then, if economic conditions force the factory to close down or move offshore, there will be no cushion to absorb the economic impact of these lost jobs. The real estate market will decline, leaving affected families underwater on their mortgages.

When a local economy derives its income from a large number of small businesses, economic recessions are less extreme. Since small businesses move into town one by one, and economic growth occurs at a slow, natural pace, the likelihood of a sudden “gold rush” drops off, and prices are less likely to artificially spike.

4. Communities have a greater say in their own future

Economic dependency on a few large businesses shifts political leverage away from the local community. Companies who dominate local economies tend to get their way, whether citizens of their host communities like it or not.  Your everyday decision to buy from small grassroots entrepreneurs or big-box stores has an impact on the power structure governing your home town.

5. Local  pride increases as revenues improve the local environment

A Google search can show you exciting evidence of nationwide support for local independents.  Innovative Chambers of Commerce and merchants’ associations are implementing downtown revitalization projects, local currencies, networking events, joint advertising and community education efforts to bring small towns back to life.

“Shop Local” campaigns are so successful that Corporate marketers are climbing onto the local message bandwagon.  They may use terms like  “shop nearby” or “your local _____.”   It’s a trend that’s widespread enough to have gained the name “local washing.”

So how can you tell who is REALLY LOCAL in your home town? They are locally-owned AND independent,–and committed to making their community a better place to live. There are also many franchises with local owners that are important to support as well, keeping money in the community.

Just pause and think before you shop–can I get this from a locally-owned business? Help others become aware of the value of buying locally.  If you see the value, share it with a friend. I just invited a friend to lunch and said, “Let’s go to New World Coffee House for lunch; it’s good food and local-owned.”  Share your stories of buying  local!

Sources

  1. URL: http://www.localharvest.org/buylocal.jsp
  2. “What Exactly Is Local Food?” Sustainable Table, January 2009. URL: http://www.sustainabletable.org/issues/eatlocal/
  3. Schuman, Micheal. “Why Buy Local?” Helios Resource Network. URL: http://www.heliosnetwork.org/Why_Buy_Local.pdf

Contact Martin Brossman: martin@coachingsupport.com or (919)847-4757. His business coaching and training website is www.ProNetworkingOnline.com . Thanks to Dave Baldwin for his help with this article. To learn more about classes offered for Small Business Centers and Chambers of Commerce see: www.SBCSpeakers.com and select Courses

Click here for a printable PDF of this article.


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