Up and Down El Rio Blanco: Advertise

Small businesses are getting national press and support from business advocacy groups and public and private organizations this shopping season. Led by American Express, Facebook and The 3/50 Project, among many others, the groups have created a national advertising campaign to support small businesses across the country.
The Saturday after Thanksgiving, Nov. 27, has been declared Small Business SaturdaySM, “a day to support the local businesses that create jobs, boost the economy and preserve neighborhoods around the county,” according to a press release. “Small Business Saturday is a national movement to drive shoppers to local merchants across the U.S.”
The Meeker and Rangely chambers of commerce work year-round to support and promote local businesses. Cinda Baxter, founder of The 3/50 Project, was invited to Meeker earlier this year to speak to local businesses, describing The 3/50 Project and how it can be used to gain local support by encouraging consumers to pick three locally-owned, independent, brick and mortar businesses they can’t live without and commit to spending $50 per month across the three businesses.
It was nice to meet Cinda Baxter and it’s cool to see her make national news, as she continues to spread the word about the importance of small businesses and a plan to help them. Ms. Baxter is a lady on a mission! A mission, not to guilt people into shopping local but just pick three and feel good about yourself for knowing you’re helping out, then watch it work exponentially!
“According to a recent survey, 90 percent of consumers are willing to pledge support for a ‘buy local’ small business initiative,” Baxter was quoted in a press release promoting the upcoming shopping day. “So, I ask everyone to pledge their support for Small Business Saturday and to shop exclusively with independent stores on Nov. 27.”
Both chambers of commerce in the county are working on membership drives and the Rangely Chamber of Commerce is currently working on producing the 2012 Rangely Booklet, a full-color information guide containing what to do and see while in the Rangely area, display advertising and a membership list. All Rangely chamber members are listed free in the booklet, so if you are a business in Rio Blanco County and want to support the business community, join the chamber of commerce in your town or both and advertise your goods and or services.
I’ve written before about how I like sayings. I remember one from media mogul, visionary and billionaire Ted Turner after he pledged $1 billion to United Nation programs in the late 1990s. Asked about his secret to success, he replied with a smile, “Early to bed, early to rise and always advertise.”