Tag Archives: Chatham Ontario
If you’re a resident of Chatham-Kent, listen up! We’ve got big news to announce today, news that will be of special interest to local business owners. But before we spill the beans, it’s time for a short economic lesson:
Did you know, that for every $100 spent in a locally-owned business, $68 returns to the community through expenditures? Spend the same amount at a national retailer, and only $43 comes back. Spend it on Amazon.com, and the local community receives $0. (Source: 350 Project)
Shopping locally is an essential part of the economic pie, and it’s one that we can all help support. For the past few months, CIK Marketing has been researching and developing a program that provides local shoppers with the tools and incentives necessary to find and frequent local Chatham-Kent businesses.
So without further adue, CIK Marketing is proud to announce the Shop Local CK program. The Shop Local CK program is designed to help spur economic growth in Chatham-Kent through increased local spending and an extensive local rewards program. As a member of the program, you’ll join a network of businesses and local shoppers who care about their community and are committed to making Chatham-Kent a better place to live, work, shop, and share.
Shop Local K Program Features
The Shop Local CK program is full of great incentives for both shoppers and business. These include:
- A loyalty card program that will be implemented in every community of Chatham-Kent, providing local shoppers with discounts throughout the municipality.
- An interactive website and online/offline marketing campaign that keeps businesses and consumers abreast of offers and events.
- A built in community donation where $1 from the purchase of every loyalty card is donated to the United Way of Chatham-Kent.
- Incentives for people to visit local businesses and return time and time again.
- Financial incentives for businesses that participate in the program and act as a reseller for Shop Local CK Loyalty Cards.
The program features three different levels of Shop Local CK loyalty cards: Red, Blue, and Black. Red cardholders are entitled to a entry level of discounts at participating retailers, Blue card holders receive an even greater discount, and Black card holders receive and exceptional level of savings. But there’s a catch – only the Shop Local CK Red and Blue cards will be available for the public to purchase later this spring. Only 100 Shop Local CK Black cards will be produced every year and then hidden in amongst the Red and Blue memberships. You won’t know if you’ve received a Black card until after you’ve purchased your membership!
Register Your Chatham-Kent Business
There are currently 22 business registered to participate in the program, seven of which have already published their discounts to the Shop Local CK website. If you own a business in Chatham-Kent, or know of a local business who would benefit from the program, send them to the Shop Local CK Business Registration page where they can sign up to receive further details on the benefits and costs associated with the program.
Shop Local CK cards will be made available for purchase later next month. We’ll be unveiling more details on the Shop Local CK Facebook Page soon, so don’t forget to “like” the page and stay tuned.
So whether you live in Chatham-Kent or not, remember to always shop local… and shop often!
I’m all about cooperating, and I don’t just mean in the sense that your Mother taught you. Yes, it pays to play nice with your coworkers and business acquaintances, but what I’m really talking about is co-operating – operating alongside someone else or some other business in order to create amazing opportunities that you couldn’t have done on your own.
The Arts are Co-Operating in Chatham
This week I learned about an exciting new Arts Co-Operative that’s currently in the works here in Chatham. Yes – in Chatham! (If you’ve ever been to Chatham, you’ll understand that this is an exciting edition to our predominantly blue-collar town). The space, which is being spear-headed by local artists Christy Obalek DeKoning and Linda Van de Bovenkamp, will include a combination of studio, retail store, workshop space, and café. It will provide artists from throughout the municipality with more than just a place to work and connect, but a place to inspire and create. How awesome is that!? (Want to learn more about this unique local venture? Linda can be contacted either by phone at 519-350-3146, or through her Facebook profile).
Collaborative working and co-operating spaces make complete sense to me, probably because I currently work from a home office. I spend five days a week talking to my trusty assistant, Marg the Cat, and my security detail, Pepper the Dog. Sadly, they aren’t the most creative bunch in the world. Of course, I could open an office and hire in-house staff as opposed to contract telecommute staff, but then I’m surrounding myself with people that do the same thing as me… which still isn’t the creative atmosphere I want. What I want is a collaborative space that houses a whole spectrum of professions. A place where graphic designers work alongside writers, where local art is displayed on the walls, and a demo CD from a local band is playing in the background. I want to feed off of the creativity of others, even if that creativity has nothing to do with mine. It’s a big dream, but the unveiling of this new Arts Co-Operative goes to show that it’s not an impossible one.
How You Can Start Co-Operating Today
While we don’t all have the luxury of working in a collaborative space, we can start approaching our business from a co-operative stand point. Take a minute and start brainstorming other businesses in your area that you admire – either for their awesome product offering or friendly customer service. Now, think of ways that you can combine your business with theirs to create a truly unique experience. Perhaps you could embark on a great co-operative marketing strategy that would bring both of your businesses new clients. Or maybe you could arrange to carry a few of their specialty items in your store, if they offered to do the same for you.
It doesn’t need to be a dog-eat-dog world out there. Stop constantly competing against other local businesses, and instead, start working together to create stronger communities and better services. Your customers will appreciate it and I’m willing to bet your business will benefit too.
Do you co-operate with another business or businesses? Tell us how!
