Now’s the Time for “Shift Your Shopping”

Booksellers who are looking to build on the momentum of Small Business Saturday have a ready-made option in the ideas and materials created for the “Shift Your Shopping” (SYS) campaign, an initiative recently launched by several independent business and local first alliances to shine a light on the impact of consumer spending during the winter months.

“Shift Your Shopping recognizes that this year, thankfully, there are a variety of voices with localism messages and campaigns,” said Carla Jimenez, co-owner of Inkwood Books, in Tampa Florida, and a board member of the Tampa Independent Business Alliance. “SYS is inclusive and collaborative with Small Business Saturday, among others, linked on their website. While American Express is doing great marketing to spread the word about the economic impact of small businesses, their campaign is a good starting point for discussing the broader message of SYS.”

Retailers, artisans, affiliates of the American Independent Business Alliance and the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies, and others are encouraged to use the ideas on SYS’s “Get Engaged” page, and to add their group to the SYS map as a way to show support for the movement. There are several creative examples of various approaches to the SYS campaign on The Latest.

The Shift Your Shopping logo and the message can be spread by businesses through their websites, as well as through Facebook and Twitter. Logos, posters, and press releases can be downloaded on the “Resources” page.

“We have had great response here with everyone quickly understanding the importance of an ongoing collaborative campaign,” said Jimenez.