Press Release

Shop Local vs. Gift Certificate Programs Downtown

(Boonton, NJ, July 2, 2009) — Most downtown leaders would agree on the value of encouraging consumers to support their local businesses, but opinions and methods differ wildly on the best approach. One strategy is to make buying local a part of downtown's marketing message or brand. The Bainbridge Island Downtown Association in Bainbridge,WA, took this approach with its "Think Bainbridge/Buy Local" campaign.

The key to the program, says Jennifer Rhoads, president of the BIDA board of directors is two fold, "With our buy- local campaign, we tried very hard to educate the public about why spending their money locally goes a lot farther to support their community. But on top of that, we made sure that when they do buy local in downtown, they're being served better than they would be if they went anywhere else."

The July 1 issue of Downtown Promotion Reporter details BIDA's program and an alternative coupon approach.

About Downtown Promotion Reporter

Downtown Promotion Reporter newsletter is published by the Downtown Research & Development Center. For more than 50 years, the Downtown Research & Development Center has provided a forum for exchanging news, information and ideas on how to rebuild the hearts of our cities.

Website: http://www.DowntownDevelopment.com