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Former retailer plans 'Buy Local' promo |
06.05.2009
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By Ellen Ranta
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.-Independent retailers throughout the country can promote local shopping for a week in July with the National Independent Retailer's Week. The brainchild of retailer turned public speaker Tom Shay, the NIRW can be tailored to the needs of individual businesses. Shay's Web site provides a cohesive theme and artwork, and leaves the rest up to the retailer's imagination.
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"Businesses can take the idea and run with it," Shay said. "Our Web site has artwork that can be downloaded to go out in a press release, a poster or the local paper. Some companies will include a list of other local stores to support, or the local chamber might publish a list of locally owned retailers."
Shay, a fourth-generation retailer, stumbled on his talent for public speaking almost by accident. As a food and hardware store owner in St. Petersburg, Fla., Shay traveled to various trade shows and in talking to colleagues, discovered that he often had the solutions to various problems.
"My name got around as someone who had answers and eventually I found myself on panels at trade shows, answering questions," Shay said. "The panels morphed into individual speaking, then came a column, freelance writing and eventually selling Skyway, the hardware store, to help others run their business."
In 1997, Shay founded Profits+Plus, a company aimed at helping small businesses increase their profits. He later created the NIRW, which will be July 19-25, and its Web site to help draw attention to the importance of supporting locally owned businesses.
"Money spent locally stays near home more than money spent at big chain stores. Local business owners are more likely to buy their own goods and supplies at other local businesses," Shay said.
Suggestions are available about how retailers can get their chamber of commerce to participate in NIRW online at www.nationalindependentretailersweek.com. Participants can also order free bumper stickers and view samples of newspaper ads on the site.
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