So you Want Totally Locally in your Town?
Totally Locally is a big idea put together by a small bunch of people. If you like it, and think it would be good for your town, you can have it – for free. It won’t cost you anything. All we want from you is that you commit to it, you get a bit giddy and excited and you go for it!
Why do we do it?
We love our independent shops and businesses, and realised that the competition from the big multi-nationals was killing our high streets. Our background is in branding, marketing & business consultancy. We realised that what is missing from most small businesses and towns is a structured branding and marketing approach (sorry this is sounding a bit corporate but bear with us), something that everyone can get their teeth into, which is easy for the general public to buy into. And it’s proven! (We even won a couple of nice big awards on the way).
We get excited that we could possibly make a big impact on the towns of the UK by being a bit clever, working with great people who care and playing the big boys at their own game. Totally Locally is our “unreasonable passion” – and everyone should have one of those.
Why do it?
Totally Locally is about reminding people of what they have in your town, and that if they want to continue to have these great things that they only need to make small changes to make a large difference.
Totally Locally is a showcase for your town’s independent businesses and shops. It gives people a reason to shop in your town and reminds them of all the great things that they have and may have forgotten. It changes public perception and shopping habits so that people look to spend money in your local shops instead of just at supermarkets, online and chain stores.
Totally Locally is not just about individual shops or businesses though. It is about working together to lift your whole town. It is a long-term campaign that can be run on a shoestring, but one that has successfully changed both the bottom lines of shops and businesses and the way people choose to shop.
And It’s Really, Truly Free?
Yes. Your town or village can have Totally Locally completely free. We give you a marketing strategy and everything you need to get people excited about shopping locally. We have released it under creative commons licenses – so just think open source software like Wikipedia, Linux, etc.
It just takes time and effort…but that’s a small price to pay for better towns and nicer places to live, don’t you think?
What’s the catch?
You’ve got to get it started and you’ve got to keep it up. If you ignore Totally Locally it will fade. You’re in it for the long-term, but in the end that’s why you got into business in the first place, to do exciting and good things. No more catches.
Ok I’m in. What happens next?
If you read this kit it will give you a step by step guide to getting started. It includes all the design templates for the campaign, along with a suggested timetable (rough) of what works best at what time.
But before you go headlong into it all, there are a few things you need to do…
Here’s your shopping list (no pun intended).
INGREDIENTS:
You – someone who wants Totally Locally in their town – very much!
Main contact – find someone to be our main point of contact in your town. They’ll need to be able to send emails, organise meetings, be on the end of a phone… generally be an organised kind of sort. It can be you, but doesn’t have to be.
Your supporters – you’ll need a group of at least three people who want to change your town. One can make a difference, three can make a huge difference. Start talking about Totally Locally on your local high street. Share this kit. Start a Facebook group that people can join, then use it to announce your first Totally Locally meet-up in a local venue. Good people to have on board include photographers, writers, deliverers (these can be shop owners, as there are a lot of frustrated creatives running small businesses, or people from local colleges, or retired people or just people you know who may like to give it a shot) the local paper / magazines, and people who are generally positive characters!
Other Town Websites – you’ll find a huge amount of information in this kit and on other TL towns websites, and on the forums if you ask questions and get involved. Share the ideas with your potential supporters and start a list of ideas that might work in your town (most will!) www.totally-locally.co.uk
A thick skin – you’ll be told “We’ve tried stuff like this before”, “it won’t work”, and lots of other things. Just get on and do it,
When it works they’ll all want to be part of it.
Done. What’s next?
Download the files for the kit and go for it. Please let us know too. We receive a lot of enquiries about Totally Locally (being free and excellent and all…) so it’s great to know that you’re committed.
Start thinking about your Hidden Gems too. A big comment from people who visit Totally Locally sites say “the photos just make me want to go to the shops right away”. Your photos should show the Hidden Gem owner and elements of the shop & products they sell. There’s more about taking a great photo in our Hidden Gem bit of the Town Kit.
When can we announce that we’re a Totally Locally town?
We’ve found that it’s best to go “official”, as in start talking to your local journalists, once you have a date for your launch event in your diary. It’s just that as a Totally Locally type you’ll be talking to the press rather a lot in the future… it’s best to start it with a bang!
In the meantime, spread the word about what you’re doing. Get people excited, see who can do what, and most of all take a fresh look around the place that you live. You’ll be surprised by the Totally Locally expertise on your doorstep.
