Start a “Buy Local” campaign

Multiply the benefits of buying locally by creating a campaign to encourage local residents and visitors to support independently-owned shops and artisans.

Take action

• Start a “buy local” campaign with Totally Locally’s comprehensive Totally Locally Town Kit. The kit includes templates for posters, bag stuffers, badges, postcards, press releases and more, plus step-by-step advice for a successful campaign. It is UK-based, but applicable in any English-speaking country.
• This factsheet produced by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance tells you How to Start a Buy Local Campaign, including tips on creating a local business alliance.
• Improve existing campaigns with the American Independent Business Alliance’s guide to best practices, Building “Buy Local” Campaigns that Shift Culture and Spending.
• Find an existing ‘buy local’ initiative or group through the network members of the American Independent Business Alliance’s list of Members (US) and Totally Locally’s list of Totally Locally Towns (UK), and Go Local First (Australia).

Get inspired

• Teenagers in the US state of South Dakota launched the Miner County Buy Local campaign, encouraging residents to spend 10% more at local businesses. In the following year, money spent locally increased by $15 million.
• The Buy Fresh, Buy Local campaign in the US state of Iowa has been around a while: it was launched by the University of Northern Iowa in 2003. It’s also very successful: the dollar volume of purchases by retailers that partner with the program has grown by at least 10-fold since its start.