Benevolence is nice (Part Two)

I’ve been reminded of another issue that can be misinterpreted as completely benevolent (I wrote about another earlier today in the posting that appears two stories below). And that is the concept of “Local.” A recent Media Post Marketing Daily story might help you grasp why consumers see “local” as a true benefit worth buying, rather than simply an ideal. (For starters, think about things like the freshness of produce grown close to home, the environmentally responsible act of buying things that weren’t shipped long distances, etc.)

Implications: On a similar note, there was a story in the New York Times early this month which pointed-out that more local products are showing up in stores like Macy’s. (Click here to read the story.)

Sure, Twin Cities shoppers will appreciate seeing a Minnesota Twins cap in their hometown, but is that enough to make Macy’s feel like the hometown department store that Dayton’s once was? I don’t think so. And anyway, that hometown feel, alone, was not enough to keep Dayton’s alive.

Instead of simply touting, “Local,” tell the consumer why a product or service is BETTER when produced locally. After all, while many people prefer to buy local, the going-out-of-business hall of fame is filled with local companies who lost-out because the consumer—while preferring to buy local—decided to compare prices at Walmart or Costco before making a final decision.

Mike Anderson