July 1-7, 2014, will be Independents Week, “to engage your local independent businesses and community members in celebrating the spirit of entrepreneurism and community.”
Put some fireworks in your Independents Week.
Independents Week is sponsored by the AMIBA. The American Independent Business Alliance is a non-profit organization helping communities sustain their local independent businesses and keep opportunities alive for local entrepreneurs.
Notice that this event is focused on independent businesses, not just small businesses. Graphics, activity ideas, and checklists are made available online, at no cost. Past participants include big cities and small towns: Durango, CO; Dormont, PA; Austin, TX; St. Petersburg, FL; Springfield, IL; Albuquerque, NM; and Omaha, NE.
Ideas for events include things small towns could pull of easily:
- a street dance,
- food events,
- a bicycle tour of businesses,
- sidewalk art, or
- a kick off sale.
In-store promotion event suggestions were local musicians, balloons, local food samples, crafts for kids, sales on locally produced items, and cooperative events with more than one business.
More ideas:
Include Independents Week in your social media activity, advertising, and in-store displays.
Create a cross-display with another independent business: you put some of their items in your window, and they show yours.
On your blog or Facebook page, invite locals to share their own story of how an independent business went out of the way to help them.
Post photos of other local independent businesses on your Twitter or Instagram account and add their stories in the captions.
Put news of the local events as an update on your Yelp or Google Local Page.
Get your toolkit for Independents Week at AMIBA.
New to SmallBizSurvival.com? Take the Guided Tour. Like what you see? Get our updates.
- How has 2020 changed the challenges rural small towns face? Tell us here - October 20, 2020
- The Idea Friendly Method to surviving a business crisis - October 6, 2020
- Join me for the Rural Renewal Symposium online Oct 13 - September 26, 2020
- Cheap placemaking idea: instant murals - September 11, 2020
- Refilling the rural business pipeline - July 7, 2020
- Huge vacant buildings: grants to renovate? - June 9, 2020
- Economic self defense for small towns - June 7, 2020
- The best things you can do for local businesses in light of coronavirus - March 27, 2020
- How to get more parking downtown without adding any spaces - March 7, 2020
- Exact Yeti Blue mic volume and Windows settings to reduce background noise - February 17, 2020
