#ThinkShopSupportLocal business campaign launched
By Maurice Garvey
THE Echo, Local Enterprise Office South Dublin and South Dublin County Council this week launched the #ThinkShopSupportLocal campaign – a free business listing.
The free business directory will appear in the print and online edition of The Echo every week until the end of the year, in an effort to support local businesses during an extremely difficult time.
Nicola van Loon (Templeogue Décor), Tom Rooney (Head of Enterprise LEO) and Emma Kennedy (The Echo), at the launch of #ThinkShopSupportLocal campaign – a free business listing
Any businesses who wish to be involved are encouraged to get in touch with The Echo.
LEO South Dublin are advised that every €100 spent locally is worth €500 to the national economy.
Along with employing local people, micro and small businesses also carry a higher percentage of locally produced goods.
Tom Rooney, Head of Enterprise at LEO South Dublin says the impact of shopping locally this Christmas can go a long way for the local and national economy.
“When we shop locally for artisan food, beauty products, fashion, crafts or books, it’s not just money in the till for that shop – that shop is likely to hire local people in their premises, use local delivery drivers, and stock a higher percentage of locally produced goods, so it’s support for the wider business community here in South Dublin.
“Every cent goes back into local community, supporting every business and trader along the supply chain.
We’ve all faced huge challenges this year, many of us are living more locally than ever before and this Christmas, we have a unique opportunity to support the local business owners, service providers and product creators who operate and trade right here in our community.”
LEO South Dublin report that in the last six months, in excess of 1,000 local businesses have taken up the Trading Online Voucher to develop or update online payment facilities, booking systems and additional ecommerce capability.
Mr Rooney says the Voucher, worth up to €2,500, enables micro and small business owners to trade and promote their business online, reaching a wider customer base and new markets when trading restrictions have caused many businesses to close their doors.
“This funding, available with just 10 per cent co-funding by the business, can open up access to online shopping that many small businesses still haven’t tapped into.
“This is another opportunity for those who traditionally mightn’t have thought about online trading, to explore how they could continue to trade in this busy Christmas period and in the uncertain times ahead as we continue to live with this virus.”
LEO South Dublin training for local businesses and entrepreneurs is available at www.localenterprise.ie/SouthDublin.
Emma Kennedy, Managing Director, The Echo said: “As a local business ourselves, we initially thought about charging a small weekly fee to be part of The Echo print and online directory, but during these difficult times we really didn’t want to have to approach small retailers with a cost.
So we put it to the LEO South Dublin to come on board as a sponsor to make this a free service for all our small local retailers and they were delighted to support a great collaboration.
“The Echo is a Newspaper for the community, so much of that community are the local businesses and the people that work in them, by the LEO and SDCC supporting us on this project, together we can support the local business community.”
It is a very simple process for local businesses to be included in the directory.
Simply fill in the ‘Shop Local Directory Form’ online: https://www.echo.ie/advertising/shop-local-directory-form or contact the office on 468 5350 or email advertising@echo.ie
Support local and checkout the #ThinkShopSupportLocal listing HERE
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