Dear Members: THINK LOCAL FIRST!
The Cooperstown and Otsego Chambers of Commerce, along with project partners BANK OF COOPERSTOWN and OTSEGO COUNTY TOURISM, are pleased to collaborate together on THINK LOCAL FIRST, an awareness and action campaign to promote our region’s products and services. THINK LOCAL FIRST is designed to grow jobs, strengthen our local tax base and champion commerce in our region by encouraging local purchasing, hiring and the contracting of local services.
Over the last nine months the two organizations have met with a joint advisory task force, as well as identified and met with a stakeholders advisory committee comprised of municipal and business leaders, as well as media, advertising and transportation representatives.
We are planning a kick-off event for early December to coincide with the holiday shopping season for all of our members to learn more about THINK LOCAL FIRST. Information will be out soon! Print, radio and television advertising will begin now and will continue for the next year.
Overall goals of the THINK LOCAL FIRST awareness campaign are to:
- Create a public awareness campaign that places importance on supporting local businesses wherever possible through educational public forums, panel discussions, media promotion and community involvement.
- Create a local marketplace list of the goods and services available locally and regionally;
- Compile and promote the positive economic effects of shopping locally to the Otsego County region.
- Run the awareness campaign for 24 – 36 months in order to determine quantifiable results in support of local businesses Otsego County.
Reasons Why a Think Local First Campaign will benefit your business and our local community:
- Supports the community by keeping money in the area;
- Supports locally-owned businesses;
- Supports community non-profit organizations;
- Encourages unique businesses to start up, giving the community its unique character;
- Reduces environmental impact from out-shopping;
- Creates and maintains more local jobs;
- Results in better services – personal touch, you get to know who you are buying from;
- Increases business investments in the community by local businesses;
- Supports better use of tax dollars;
- Ensures innovation and helps to keep pricing in check;
- Encourages local prosperity by improving the local economy overall.
The Cooperstown and Otsego County Chambers of Commerce are committed supporting your business and strengthening our region! For questions or any other information, please contact Patricia Szarpa, Executive Director of the Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce at 607-547-9983, or Barbara Ann Heegan, President and CEO of the Otsego County Chamber at 607-432-4500.
Sincerely,
Patricia Szarpa Barbara Ann Heegan
Executive Director President/CEO
Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce Otsego County Chamber of Commerce
November 4, 2013
