Leading Edge Retail has rolled out a nationwide initiative to help participating independent small businesses attract and retain more customers. The program is aimed at encouraging and incentivising customers to shop in its member network.
The #LocalLikeUs initiative is designed to help Leading Edge Retail members capitalise on the consumer trend to shop locally. Members who choose to participate are supported with marketing tools and programs aimed at showcasing their business to new audiences both locally and nationally. One of the major benefits is inclusion in national advertising campaigns and access to third-party platforms.
Leading Edge Retail will be leveraging the power of its connected supplier and member community to reach shoppers nationwide through multi-channel community marketing activations. This provides exposure for small businesses, while providing access to large-scale platforms typically only available to big businesses.
“Across Australia during the pandemic, shoppers were conscious of the role small businesses played in keeping their local communities afloat. In their millions, from Alice Springs to Hobart, they showed their gratitude by changing where they spent their money. Instead of buying from retail giants and overseas businesses, more Australians looked to support their local stores and communities,” Leading Edge Retail general manager for marketing, Olivia Anderson said.
“Shopping local is very much on trend. CommBank data shows 85% of Australians intend to buy from local brands and businesses to help them on the road to recovery. Our role is to help leverage our connected community and support our members in raising their visibility and promote their businesses to a wider audience, so they can tap into the wonderful opportunities presented by shopping local.”
Shoppers are incentivised with loyalty discounts when they register at any participating store and the response to the #LocalLikeUsprogram from members has been overwhelmingly positive.
As part of the campaign, members receive a Leading Edge Retail member decal for their windows to make the shop clearly identifiable. They will be able to sell Leading Edge gift cards and offer loyalty cards that are redeemable across the participating retail network. They will also be listed on Leading Edge Retail’s central website of participating members so shoppers can easily find them.
Leading Edge Retail CEO, Simon Lane said, “We’re committed to making our members and community stronger. Wherever a customer sees the red and gold Leading Edge Retail member decal on a store window or the logo on a website, whenever they buy a gift card or use our loyalty card in store, they’ll know that they’re supporting proud Australian businesses and their communities. This is a noble and worthwhile ambition. We’re honoured to help members achieve it.”