Contributed article by Colin Murray

As economic uncertainty looms, many local business owners are feeling anxious about the future—and for good reason. Experts are warning of a potential recession ahead, and history tells us when the economy tightens, small businesses are often the first to feel the impact. But it’s also in these moments of hardship that Buy Local organizations can become an essential lifeline.

As a former Executive Director of Dane Buy Local for over a decade, I saw firsthand how our membership actually grew during challenging economic times. Why? Because local businesses—often stretched thin and under-resourced—look for community, advocacy, and creative solutions when the going gets tough. That’s exactly what Buy Local organizations are uniquely positioned to provide.

So, how can you, as an executive director of a Buy Local group, prepare now to ensure your organization is a critical partner for local businesses as turbulence unfolds? Here are six practical, high-impact steps to help you and your community not just survive—but thrive.

1. Show the Power of Your Organization

The value of your organization needs to be visible and tangible. Ask yourself: Why should a business join us right now? What programs, campaigns, and support structures do you already have in place—or could quickly develop—that directly benefit local businesses?

Meet with your board and key members to identify and document the core strengths of your organization. Whether it’s marketing support, networking events, educational resources, or community recognition, make your value proposition crystal clear. Package it. Promote it. Share success stories that demonstrate real, measurable impact.

2. Create a Year-Round Marketing Strategy

Now is the time to map out a smart, category-specific marketing strategy for the rest of the year. Get creative with campaigns that serve your local restaurants, retailers, service providers, and more.

Some ideas to kick off your planning:

• Buy Local Dining Out Week—Feature participating member restaurants, with coordinated promotion, media coverage, and a call to action for the community to dine local.

• Shop Local Saturdays—Organize monthly spotlights on neighborhood shops, culminating in a big push on Small Business Saturday (November 29, 2025).

• Bank Local Awareness Week—Highlight local credit unions and banks, encouraging personal and business accounts to shift away from national chains.

Build a volunteer marketing committee made up of your members to help brainstorm, execute, and amplify these campaigns. The more people involved, the stronger your reach and the deeper your impact.

3. Engage Your Board—Fully

Your board of directors should be your biggest champion. This means more than attending meetings—they should be actively living out your mission. Assign each board member specific responsibilities:

• Visit member businesses in person.

• Participate in marketing campaigns.

• Promote Buy Local on their own social media platforms.

• Serve as local ambassadors who “walk the walk.”

The credibility of your organization depends on leadership that’s visibly involved and passionately supportive. Set expectations of your board members to support local businesses.

4. Publish a Consistent, Value-Packed Newsletter

A well-curated newsletter is one of the simplest ways to keep your community engaged. Make sure it includes:

• A feature on at least one member business each issue.

• Highlights of upcoming events.

• Announcements or promotions exclusive to members.

Avoid promoting events from outside organizations not affiliated with your membership—it dilutes your mission and focus. Keep it local, relevant, and member-centric.

5. Build Media Relationships

Don’t underestimate the power of local media partnerships. Start reaching out now to local radio hosts, news anchors, and influencers. Invite them to join your events, meet your members, and cover your stories.

You might pitch a recurring “Local Business Spotlight” segment, or offer to coordinate introductions to business owners doing unique or inspiring things in the community. Many media professionals are looking for content—make their job easy, and your members benefit from priceless exposure.

6. Get Press Savvy with Strategic Releases

Put together a master list of local news outlets and their contact emails. Send out press releases for every event or campaign you launch. If written clearly and professionally, many outlets will literally copy, paste, and publish your content as-is.

Journalists are often short on time but in need of stories—especially local ones with community value. Well-crafted press releases not only give your events wider reach but also establish your organization as a trusted source of business news.

The Time to Act is Now

Buy Local organizations have always been about strengthening community, supporting entrepreneurship, and fueling local economies. That mission is more relevant—and more necessary—than ever. The organizations that step up now, with clarity, creativity, and collaboration, will not only weather the storm but come out the other side stronger and more deeply embedded in their local ecosystem.

If you’d like to connect for a deeper conversation about how to implement some of these ideas or brainstorm new ones, I’d be happy to talk with you by phone or Zoom. Just reach out to me at ColinM3440@gmail.com.

Let’s show our communities that in times of challenge, we rise—together.