Since 2017, Vancity and LOCO BC have been partnered with on area-based #BCBuyLocal campaigns. These campaigns have focused partially on the importance for small local businesses to capture more of the online market by improving their online presence through digital marketing and e-commerce. The COVID-19 pandemic shifted consumer shopping behaviour towards online ordering, and at the same time helped contribute to a cultural shift to support small local businesses. While Business Recovery and Launch Online grants have helped many businesses develop their online channel, few have the technical support they need, some did not qualify for grants, and others may be too cash-strapped after contributing 25% of their technology build out to budget for digital marketing.
In order to compete effectively online against multinational corporations with big marketing budgets, LOCO and Vancity are conducting a pilot project to provide technical expertise to businesses, an action plan, along with expertise and cash for implementation. The goal is to get some exposure at a time when the province is slowly lifting restrictions following the third wave of COVID-19. Consumers who are sitting on savings will begin to spend and travel more, and it’s important that we support local businesses to capture that spending to support a local recovery and the resilience of small local businesses.
The pilot will offer 10 businesses the opportunity to:
- Book a one hour one-on-one session with Crisp Media to workshop questions on:
- ecommerce
- digital marketing / online lead generation and/or
- technology/software to streamline operations
- Receive an action plan
- Receive up to $1000 in funding to implement the action plan
- Receive support for implementation if required
The program starts immediately. The pilot will be offered on a first come/first served basis to businesses in the 7 areas in which Vancity and LOCO BC have partnered since 2017:
- Commercial Drive/East Vancouver
- Burnaby Heights
- Point Grey Vancouver
- Mission
- Ambleside-Dundarave West Vancouver
- Langley
- Squamish (ongoing June 2021)
Priority will be given to: Vancity members (required) and LOCO members (not required but preferred).
What's the process?
- Fill out the application - should take less than 10 minutes
- We will contact you to book a one-hour coaching session
- Receive your list of action items
- Receive your funding
- Implement - yourself, or with support from Crisp Media