HOT TOPIC
IT’S NOT ALWAYS
what you know…
The notion of buying locally has been embraced over the past year. But what happens when pandemic restrictions are lifted, and that warm and cuddly feeling subsides?
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– by Michelle Sturman
www.opi.net
ince March 2020, few aspects of business life have warranted a high five, but there are some minor exceptions. One of them is the goodwill and increased adoption of buying locally. While e-commerce soared to unprecedented heights, office and store closures combined also elicited sympathy and a new-found appreciation for small business owners. Traditionally, buy local campaigns have predominantly targeted retail, but with employees sent home to work, our sector has been able to piggyback on such strategies. There has also been renewed emphasis on lobbying to shift purchasing patterns to independently-owned businesses while seeking to curtail the dominance of online operators like Amazon. The definition of ‘local’ is as ambiguous as ever, with the waters muddied by corporations muscling in with ‘local-washing’ campaigns – their argument being that they employ people from the neighbourhoods. It also throws up a link – some may argue a tenuous one – to the concept of ‘made in’, especially in the US under the Trump Administration and in the UK following Brexit. Be that as it may, on the back of stimulating local economies, growing environmental concerns, and with supply chains currently stretched to the max, ‘made in’ is definitely gaining traction globally.
20
opi.net poll
Does being actively involved in a buy local campaign help to increase sales? n Yes
ON THE WANE? n Not sure Local purchasing activity ramped up during the n No pandemic, but as we gradually emerge from over a year of restrictions, is ‘buy local’ on the wane? OPI spoke to several executives in our industry who are heavily involved in campaigning for community businesses 29% and believe the sentiment for ‘buy local’ or ‘made in’ will remain strong. In the US, Kansas City, Missouri-based independent dealer Office Products Alliance (OPA), has had the buy local point entrenched in everything it does; it has been its 32% overriding brand strategy for years.
39%
Owner/President Mark Whitlow says the issue has never been more critical to the independent dealer community (IDC) than now as we emerge from the pandemic. “While office staff were working from home, many jumped online to purchase products. As they head back to the workplace, we want to break that habit and remind them why they were purchasing from us 18 months ago.” In some ways, COVID-19 has reinforced OPA’s status, becoming a ‘local hero’ as the company turned on a dime to provide critical products. Marketing Director Amie Stinson explains: “We were effective in sourcing scarce items for our customers as well as promoting them to those who were in need.” Over the past year, getting the message out to existing clientele and potential purchasers hasn’t always been easy, but OPA has used social media to great effect. Stinson says it’s involved on different platforms with as many Kansas City companies as possible in the hope they share the love. “Overall, I do get a hefty response and it’s constantly trending up,” she adds. OPENING DOORS While social media bears some of the heavy lifting in terms of brand awareness, OPA’s sales team messaging is based on creating a difference in the community by buying local. Says Whitlow: “If we convince customers to spend a few extra minutes to look at our history, our offering, and the fact their dollars stay local, they realise it makes perfect sense to work with us. Once the door is opened, we are usually very successful.” Moving forward, Stinson’s focus is on building the company’s ‘personality’, and highlighting the benefits of working with a local independent dealer versus the big boxes. Advancing the local notion further, OPA’s website showcases team members with short video biographies. “This is a campaign in itself,” adds Whitlow. “Customers see the human face of OPA, literally, and realise our team is based right here in Kansas City.” Against the onslaught of e-commerce, COVID, and industry consolidation, it’s no surprise Whitlow issues a rallying cry for a more cohesive effort from dealers. “Decision-makers in government need to listen to what we have to offer because we can serve anyone at any level. There are so few of us left in the IDC, we need to band together and work collectively on a countrywide ‘local’ campaign – not as competitors but as partners.”
