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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLE Shop Local Campaign (002) Page 1 of 5 Office of Economic Development MEMORANDUM Date: March 1, 2025 To: Jason Simpson, City Manager From: Gina Gonzalez, Director of Economic Development and Leg Affairs David Devries, Manager of Economic Development Kim Cousins, Lake Elsinore Chamber of Commerce Re: Shop Local Initiative Plan A "Shop Local" Initiative Plan is designed to support and promote small businesses within a city’s business community, encouraging local customers to shop locally and strengthen their local economy. This plan focuses on fostering loyalty, increasing foot traffic, and building relationships within Lake Elsinore. Below is a comprehensive outline for developing such an initiative: 1. Objectives of the Shop Local Initiative • Support Local Economy: Promote the importance of supporting locally-owned businesses and keeping money within the community. • Increase Foot Traffic: Encourage people to visit and shop at local businesses instead of online retailers or large chains- concentrating on Lake Elsinore’s Downtown, and key local businesses in the light industrial market, as well as local action sports. • Strengthen Community Ties: Foster a sense of community and unity among local businesses and residents. • Increase Awareness: Make customers aware of the range of products, services, and experiences offered by local businesses. • Customer Retention: Build long-term relationships with customers by emphasizing community values and personalized services. 2. Target Audience • Local Residents: Lake Elsinore and surrounding community residents who can benefit from the initiative by shopping at local businesses. (Lake Elsinore Shop Local Campaign) Page 2 of 5 • Local Workers: People who work in the area and can easily stop by local businesses during their breaks or after work. • Tourists and Visitors: Visitors to the area who may want to experience the community and take-home local goods. • Local Business Owners: Other small businesses in the community who can partner to promote and support each other. 3. Campaign Messaging and Brand Identity • Key Message: "Support Local. Strengthen Our LE Community." o Update tagine on City website: Shop Lake Elsinore | Lake Elsinore, CA • Tagline Options: o "Shop Small. Think LE." o "Buy Local, Build Local LE." o "Keep It Local – Every Purchase Counts in LE!" • Develop recognizable Shop Local Logo, create sticker pack for community, and create a shopping tote redeemable program. • Emphasize Benefits: Share the value of supporting local businesses such as personalized customer service, unique products, and the contribution to the local economy. • Highlight Local Stories: Feature the people behind local businesses, their products, and their stories to create a personal connection. 4. Key Components of the Shop Local Campaign • Shop Local Directory: Create a directory or map of local businesses, either online or in print, that customers can use to find participating businesses. Either via visitors guide, or handout (Via restaurants, store fronts, etc via category) • Local Business Collaborations: Encourage collaboration between businesses for cross-promotions, joint events, and combined marketing efforts (e.g., discounts for customers who visit multiple shops). • Exclusive Local Discounts: Offer special promotions or discounts to customers who shop locally (e.g., “10% off for local residents” or “Visit three local stores and receive a tote with proof of purchases”). • Loyalty Program: Develop a loyalty program where customers earn rewards for shopping locally, such as points for purchases at participating businesses that can be redeemed for discounts or prizes. • Community Events: o Local Business Week: Organize a week-long event where local businesses offer special deals, demos, or workshops. Much like restaurant week- but Locals Week! (Lake Elsinore Shop Local Campaign) Page 3 of 5 o Pop-up Markets: Host local artisan markets or street fairs featuring products from small businesses in the area. Hosting a tie into action sports at Launch Point- via kicking off November -small business day- and holiday shopping, via Local Business Launch at Launch Pointe or The Great LE Action Sports Expo, etc. 5. Marketing and Promotion Channels • Social Media Campaign: o Create a dedicated hashtag (e.g., #ShopLocalLakeElsinore or #SupportLocalLakeElsinore for people to share their experiences when shopping locally. o Feature stories about local business owners, behind-the-scenes looks at how products are made, and customer testimonials.  Made In LE series- highlighting stories for the Shop local week- each day on a select business and why they choose local. o Encourage customers to check in and tag local businesses on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. • Email Marketing: o Build an email list of community members and send them regular updates on local business promotions, events, and news. o Share “Local Business Spotlight” emails featuring different businesses each week. • Local Media Partnerships: o Partner with local newspapers (Valley News, IE Magazine), radio stations, and TV stations to promote the initiative, feature local business stories, and advertise special promotions. • Flyers & Posters: o Create visually appealing flyers and posters that promote the shop-local message, to be displayed in shops, cafes, and community centers. • Collaborative Events and Sponsorships: o Partner with local organizations, schools, and Chamber to co-host events that bring attention to local businesses like the popup event. o Participate in local festivals or markets to raise awareness for the campaign- with Community Services, and the Chamber. 6. Incentives and Special Offers • Discounts & Promotions: o Offer time-sensitive discounts to local customers (e.g., “This week only – 15% off when you shop local!”). • Giveaways and Contests: (Lake Elsinore Shop Local Campaign) Page 4 of 5 o Hold social media contests that encourage people to share their shopping experiences at local businesses, with a chance to win gift cards or promotional items donated from local businesses. • Referral Programs: o Create a referral system where customers receive rewards (like discounts or freebies) for bringing new customers to shop locally. • Bundles and Packages: o Develop bundle offers or packages combining products or services from various local businesses (e.g., a local spa, coffee shop, and bookstore collaboration). 7. Partnerships with Other Local Businesses • Business-to-Business Support: Form partnerships with other local businesses to cross-promote each other and create bundled offers. • Shared Marketing Resources: Pool resources with other businesses to create joint marketing campaigns (e.g., shared ad space, joint promotional materials). • Local Influencers/Advocates: Work with local influencers or community leaders who can help spread the message about supporting local businesses. 8. Campaign Timeline • Pre-Launch (4-8 weeks before campaign): o Organize business partnerships, finalize the marketing materials, and promote the initiative on social media and through email. o Secure media partnerships and set up any local event logistics. • Launch (2-4 weeks): Announce the launch of the Shop Local initiative via social media, email, and local media channels. • Kick-off (Week 1): Host a kickoff event or online challenge to get the community involved. • Campaign Duration (4 weeks): o Continuously promote discounts, events, and special offers throughout the campaign. o Keep the excitement alive with regular updates and highlights of participating businesses. • Post-Campaign (After the Campaign): o Evaluate campaign success (sales increases, social media engagement, foot traffic). o Thank participants and business owners, and share results publicly to build momentum for future initiatives. 9. Metrics and Evaluation (Lake Elsinore Shop Local Campaign) Page 5 of 5 • Sales Metrics: Track sales growth from the shop local campaign and compare to previous periods. o Use Placer AI to track foot traffic, track website analytics, and look at increases in HDL reporting compared to last fiscal minus anomalies in economy. • Foot Traffic: Measure foot traffic before, during, and after the campaign in participating local businesses. Conduct business survey on traffic, and gain feedback on improvements to the incremental programming. • Social Media Engagement: Track the success of the social media campaign through engagement metrics (likes, shares, hashtags). • Customer Feedback: Conduct surveys to gather feedback on the campaign, understanding what customers liked and what can be improved for future initiatives. • Partnership Success: Evaluate how effectively local businesses worked together, including cross-promotions and joint events. 10. Post-Campaign Activities • Follow-Up Communication: Thank customers for their support, share the success of the campaign, and continue encouraging them to shop local. • Build on Momentum: Plan for future Shop Local events and initiatives, keeping the community engaged year-round. By implementing a well-thought-out Shop Local initiative, Lake Elsinore will not only support small businesses in our community, but also will create lasting connections with customers and encourage ongoing local economic growth.