Small businesses are trusted – tap that trust

For rural communities with struggling businesses, cash mobs and shop local used to be popular economic development tools. They are useful to bring together people from all across the community and bridge divides.

Small businesses are one of the few institutions with broad support across divisions, in fact they are one of the most trusted institutions in the United States. When we give people small but meaningful ways to support local businesses, we’re tapping that shared trust to bridge divides.

To do that, we want to create experiences that bring people together from across different groups to each play a meaningful role.

Cash mobs can pull the community together

Remember cash mobs? A “cash mob” is a group of regular people who decide to all support the same local business at the same time. Picture you and 10 friends all going to the hardware store each with $25 you’re going to spend there. Think how excited you’ll be and how much of a difference you’ll make in the merchant’s sales total.

This has all three elements: Bring people together across groups, give everyone a small but meaningful role, and create experiences that change people’s thinking.

Cash mobs went viral about 10 years ago, and now the buzz has died down. At the Institute for Quality Communities Placemaking Conference, Melody Warnick, author of This is Where You Belong, said cash mobs are still a good way to build place attachment.

Shop Local that still works now

Another project that is not as popular as it used to be is shop local campaigns. To be effective at bringing people together and changing behavior, it has to be more of an experience than just a slogan.

Franklin County, Iowa, started a ‘buy one product local’ campaign that turned into a real experience because they picked toilet paper as the focus. They identified every single business that sold toilet paper, including the Hispanic grocery, the farm supply and the hardware store. Those businesses got really creative with displays and promotions. The local radio station told toilet paper jokes. Facebook was filled with posts of people shopping for toilet paper, pictures included.

Everyone in town was talking about toilet paper! They were redefining themselves as people who supported their town, all because they bought their toilet paper locally.

This has all three elements: Bring people together across groups, give everyone a small but meaningful role, and create experiences that change people’s thinking.

Need a rural speaker for your event?

Rural Speaker Becky McCray presented this session to the Main Street Now Conference, Main Street America, in Boston.

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She has spoken at events in the USA, Canada, Australia and UK.

Small Town Speaker Becky McCray presents the keynote speech to the North Carolina Rural Conference, organized by the NC Rural Center. Photo by Jose Alvarez.

I help you shape a brighter future for your town no matter what the negative people do, giving you practical steps you can put into action right away.
My advice is based on my real world experience as a lifelong entrepreneur and cattle rancher. I don’t just talk about rural issues; I live them.

Using my real-world perspective as a small business owner, I deliver concrete take-aways that you can use today to shape the future of your town without getting beaten down by circumstances or others’ negativity. Audiences feel energized and hopeful because they know how they can make a difference in their community starting now despite everything going on in the world.

You get down-to-earth advice based on my experience as a life-long rural entrepreneur and cattle rancher, including the “get your hands dirty” aspects that others gloss over.

My programs on my Idea Friendly method, rural trends, downtowns, economic development and community development have given practical ideas to audiences at over 250 events. Rural and small town conferences, economic development organizations, councils of government and chambers of commerce in the US, UK, Canada and Australia have chosen me to boost optimism, change thinking and unleash immediate action.

Not holding a conference? Just want me to visit your town?

Turn a visit from me into change for your town.

When you invite me to your town, it’s not about me. My impartial approach keeps the group focused. We get out and walk through your downtown to all work together on practical steps you can use right now.

Towns and counties from 700 to 70,000 population in the US and Canada have invited me to be part of shaping their future.

Learn more about Becky McCray, small town speaker