List Your Kansas City Small Business on the New, Updated BuyKC Directory

Get your business listed on buykc.org. Just click “List Your Business.”

As you may know, KCSourceLink has hosted a shop local directory and map since 2013. (Wow!) And we’ve got a big update to share.

You might know we first launched our shop local page as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week all those years ago and as an extension of our seasonal and semi-annual shop local campaigns. We’ve been hot to get this page updated to include not just brick-and-mortar businesses but also online businesses and businesses that sell to other businesses.

We wanted to make it easier for folks to find and support veteran-owned business, Latinx-businesses, Black-owned businesses, Asian-owned businesses, women-owned businesses, LBGTQ businesses and more. And we wanted to help create a place where corporations could source local and diverse suppliers.

And with the help of Trozzolo (three cheers!) and our shop local partners, it’s finally happened!

Introducing #BuyKC!

The new BuyKC directory aims to help increase sales for all local, independently owned businesses and build awareness of these economic powerhouses for both consumers and corporate buyers.

And we’d like to invite you and your business to get listed.

If your business is a local, independently owned (or HQ’d) business in the Kansas City (bistate, y’all) metro area, you can sign up (for free, of course) at buykc.org/signup.

Here’s what you need to know about the BuyKC directory:

· All BuyKC listings are free.

· All businesses are welcome in the BuyKC directory if they are local, independently owned businesses in the Kansas City (bistate!) area. (No franchises, please).

· That means brick-and-mortar, online, B2B, B2C, those who sell products and those who sell services can sign up.

· We’ll continue to map in-store, brick-and-mortar businesses so consumers can find shops close to where they’re spending. (So heads up to online businesses: Don’t submit your home address.)

· You can include a photo of your product or service. (That’s HIGHLY recommended. Listings with an image get more visibility on the site’s front page.)

· Users of the directory can filter the results by location, who they’re shopping for, what they want to buy, etc. You can see this feature in play at buykc.org.

· And as always, if you need additional support or resources for your business (like how to get listed on Google or how to set up a website), we can help there, too! Just give us a call at 816-235-6500 or let us know what you need at kcsourcelink.com/myplan. We’re here to make sure you have the right resources for your business.

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So isn’t my website enough? Do I REALLY need to get on (another) directory?

We can make this one short and sweet. Yes. Especially when you consider that 93% of consumers search online for a local businesses.

Getting listed on an online business directory like #BuyKC helps enhance your online presence, improves your local visibility, creates more brand awareness and boost your search engine optimization via backlinks. (Basically, this improves where your business ranks in search results.)

And BuyKC certainly isn’t the only shop local directory in town. (We give big hearts to KC Black-Owned Business, Buy Black KC, Made In KC, The Strawberry Swing and Troost Market Collective.)

We encourage you to take EVERY opportunity to promote your business, especially when those options are low- or no-cost (like BuyKC)!

Back it up … buying local matters? How do I get THAT word out?

You betcha shopping local matters.

Getting the idea of “local first” on consumers’ shopping lists helps strengthen our economy and our community.

In fact, feel free to drop this fact in casual conversation:

KC startups create over 60% of net new jobs in the KC metro. (Startups are defined as first-time employers with fewer than 20 employees.)

60% of all net new jobs in KC created by startups

Read more about that here.

But also consider these facts:

· When you spend $100 at a local business, $68 stay in our community, compared with just $43 from national chains.

$68 stays in our community

· And, if every KC family could commit to spent $10 per month at a local business, a whopping $64 million would directly return to our economy.

$64 million would be returned to our economy

Feel free to click, download and share these stats on your social media channels.

So where do those dollars go? To other local businesses for marketing, accounting and printing services. To charities and community donations. To local taxes that support schools, police, firefighters, etc. To supplies from local businesses. To employee wages.

Buying locally ensures a greater investment – both social and economic – in our local communities by increasing jobs and keeping more money flowing through local economies.

Did you know?

· Local delivery cuts CO2 emissions by more than half when compared with deliveries from online shopping

· 250% more is contributed to community causes by small businesses than large businesses

250% more is contributed to community causes

Feel free to click, download and share these stats on your social media channels.

So what can you do to support and promote local?

As a business owner, you can promote local by:

· Making sure your business is visible. Get on the BuyKC directory (and any others that fit your businesses profile and needs) and then share the word about BuyKC and why it’s important to shop local.

· Participating in “shop local” events like Small Business Saturday on Nov. 27. It’s a great way to join an effort and movement that celebrates local businesses.

· Making sure that you’re online. That can be as simple as getting a Google listing, setting up relevant social media channels or launching your website.

· Asking for help. KCSourceLink is the perfect first stop. We can help you find the right resource, whether you need appropriate website services (GotDevKC), some marketing or social media help (Freelance Exchange of KC) or general business assistance. Just call us at 816-235-6500 or let us know what you need at kcsourcelink.com/myplan.

As a consumer, you can support local by shopping local. Your most important step is to put local first. When you can, support a small business. Rethink which coffee shop you frequent. Go to pop-ups for your holiday shopping. Eat at a local, independently owned restaurant.

Because the stat is worth repeating: if every KC family could commit to spent $10 per month at a local business, a whopping, amazing and really incredible $64 million would be directly returned to our economy.

You can also help boost that algorithm and give those local businesses you love some visibility at $0 cost to you:

· Tell your friends, family and businesses you love #BuyKC, ShopLocalKC.com, MadeInKC.co, KCBlackOwned.org and other shop local directories.

· Write a positive review because 87% of consumers read online reviews and 92% trust the word-of-mouth recommendations of friends.

· Engage with small businesses’ posts on social media. Adding a comment helps boost their visibility in social media algorithms.

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