Buy Local to Beat the Downturn

Last month, I interviewed a small business owner in Tyler, Texas, who was boosting business by offering his customers a stimulus check. Through that same interview, I learned of a business in Austin, Texas, doing something similar. And now today, I read this Wall Street Journal article that explains how buying local—and rallying consumers around this idea—is the key to beating this recession.
The article cited a survey released in January by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance that found that "community efforts can often at least protect independent companies from the worst of the recession. Independent retailers in cities with buy-local campaigns saw holiday sales drop 3.2% from the previous year, compared with 5.6% in cities without them."
Perhaps one of the biggest buy-local campaigns in the nation is Florida's Backyard Economics program. Spearheaded by NFIB and other business groups, the program encourages Floridians to buy local products by offering discounts at participating Florida merchants.
Whether you're in a location with a formal buy-local program or not, you can still do your part to encourage local spending. For starters, you can set an example by patronizing local businesses yourself. Use the family-run office supplies store down the street instead of placing your order with one of the big boxes. And send customers to local merchants when they're looking for a product you can't provide. It's the little things that add up to make a big difference.