Don’t think you can find it at a locally owned business?

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Maybe you can and you just don’t know it.

How many times have you said to yourself, “I’d like to buy more things from local businesses, they just don’t have what I need.”

Here are a few things you can do:

Revisit local businesses. Inventories change, services are added or upgraded, updates and new ideas occur all the time. Just because you didn’t find something last time you visited doesn’t mean it won’t be available today. Businesses are always looking to improve, that’s how they stay in business.

Talk to the owner. If it’s not on the shelf it’s possible the owner can order an item for you, or knows someone who can. Not only do you get what you want, you’ve now told the owner that there’s potential market for that item. (There’s that cool empowerment thing again.)

If it’s available at a local business, buy it there. Remember the old saying, “success breeds success”. Successful businesses attract more businesses. The more successful businesses you have, the more types of businesses you’ll have in the future. The more things you buy locally today, the more things you’ll be able to buy locally tomorrow.

Shop local businesses consistently. Regular customers and clients are the backbone of any business. Consistent shopping means consistent cash flow for the business, and that’s important. Consistent cash flow allows local business owners to plan more effectively. This means they can target their budgets to better meet your needs, whether through staffing, inventory or services offered.

Spending your dollars close to home brings you better value through more personalized service, higher quality merchandise and a stronger community. How and where you choose to spend your dollars determines the selection of goods, clothing, food, furniture, gift items and services offered by local businesses.

Build the kind of city you want to live in, shop local.