Incorporating good economic data and research into your “Buy Local” campaign can have multiple benefits. This article outlines how economic data can strengthen the development, implementation, and evaluation of a buy local campaign. It will focus on economic data related to demographics, “what-if” economic impact scenarios, and evaluation data. The first step in determining what data you’ll need is to be specific about what questions you need answered. These questions might include: what is the income range of the people who are already shopping at our local businesses? How much do they typically spend at these business locations?

This article guides you through an evaluation of your Buy Local program: Has it made a difference? Are people buying locally? Is your community’s economic base more stable and secure because of this effort?

The “Buy Local” movement continues to gain traction in communities across the United States. Local business and downtown advocates are finding common cause in emphasizing buy local strategies as part of the community’s overall economic development plan. But how does one go about actually developing a “Buy Local” campaign? The following steps are intended to provide a framework for developing your buy local campaign. While they are presented sequentially, your group will likely be addressing more than one step at a time.