Why is staying local & supporting small business such a big deal?

I’m sure that you have heard that ‘buying local’ is a good idea – but why is staying local and supporting small businesses such a big deal?

 

When a person supports a local business, they enjoy the benefits that simply can’t be gained by shopping at national chains.

 

Local businesses employ locals and create jobs

Small local businesses are the largest employers in Australia, so supporting a local business helps to both retain and grow jobs in your community. As a small business ourselves, we employ over 20 local staff members.

Not only do we create jobs for local people, we also encourage purchasing and supporting local suppliers, so that other local businesses may have an opportunity to create further employment.

In our service region of Ipswich, the unemployment rate is 8.4%, which is higher than the Australian average of 5.7%. As jobs continue to be a key issue, particularly in regional communities such as the one we operate in, I think it’s important to ask – who benefits if I purchase from this business and where does the profit go? Does it stay local or go overseas?

 

Improve & support the local economy

When you buy locally, significantly more of that money stays in the community. Compared to corporate businesses, studies show that locally owned businesses invest a much larger share of their revenue back into the local economy through purchasing services and supplies, as well as employing locals, enriching the whole community.

Local business owners often have an incentive to support other local businesses and likely frequent nearby establishments for both business and personal reasons. Chain businesses, on the other hand, tend to source their goods and services through central corporate supply systems, as well as having staff that aren’t as personally invested in buying local.

 

Local businesses invest in your community

Anyone who has helped raise funds for a school or community cause knows that it is considerably easier to secure donations from locally owned businesses, where there is no need to gain approvals from external decision makers.

Local businesses are owned by people who live in the community, so are less likely to leave, and are more committed to the community’s welfare and future. You will see them on social media – attending and rallying support for community causes or events. Because they are local, they may have a genuine commitment to you and the community as they rely upon its ongoing support and success.

 

Local businesses provide better customer service

If you’ve ever dealt with a large company, you know getting help can sometimes be a struggle. You’ll call a phone number, be transferred seven times only to end up on hold. Even when you speak to a person, they themselves are so far removed from the decision-making process.

A local business owner is usually directly connected to every employee within the business. That leads to a genuine, personal approach that often means any problem a customer may have is taken seriously. You know the people who work locally – you see them while out shopping or have children that go to the same school.

Local businesses often pride themselves on providing a knowledgeable, personalised service as they know that it is their point of difference from larger corporate businesses. They usually treat their customers as individuals, and not just a ‘number’. They value each customer and each interaction.

Small businesses tend to go out of their way to adjust and meet each customer’s individual needs.

 

I want our customers to be proud for supporting our local business – thank you.

Supporting local businesses has benefits beyond mere convenience. When you support local businesses, you get a better level of service, as well as helping make your community a better place to live by supporting local employment and the economy.