Shop Local for Marketing

One of the phrases we’re hearing repeated throughout the holiday season is to “Shop Local,” along with the promotion of Small Business Saturday. Buying goods locally is an investment in your community, and strengthens the economic base.

However, buying local and supporting local businesses should not be limited to brick and mortar retailers. Do you know the vendors available to you locally for your graphic design and marketing? Working with an independent consultant will yield results targeted to your market, marketing created specifically for your products or services.

Digital communications have made all of our lives easier, but nothing can replace a face-to-face meeting. Describing your business, reviewing your current marketing, analyzing the needs of your audience, and understanding your competition is more difficult when working with a corporation that may not even be based in the same country.

Outsourcing design might seem like a cost savings, but it may be a waste of your money. Often stock images. clip art and templates are used. Not only does this fail to create a unique brand for your business or organization, a competitor may be using a similar design. There is an online site called 60 Minute Logo, promising to design a logo for you within an hour. Isn’t your brand worth a greater investment of research and analysis? The same cookie-cutter approach is often used by the “affordable” online web design vendors. Limited design customization is offered, and you may not even own your website content and will have trouble transferring it to another hosting service.

Working with local writers, photographers, designers and marketers who will take the time to understand your needs and your audience will be a better marketing investment, and help your local economy. And it’s easy to contact this local designer, just click here.