About us: LocalBusinessNow

Local business now (Sunshine Coast Business Now) is simply about one thing. Supporting and growing locally owned businesses first, over and above anything, and any other non locally owned business. Support local, buy local, employ local, and we grow local. The money stays locally and continues to support other businesses and the local infrastructure, schools, roads, and charities. Its not rocket science (but you'd think it was!)

To quantify what is and isn't Australian and sold here right now is very difficult, but it would easily be 35% of everything we buy, probably more. But here's one example. 85% of all beer sold in Australia is foreign owned. Less than 4% is picked up by the 700 plus small craft breweries, that on a pro rata basis, employ more people. Milk, clothing, vehicles, plastics, printing and much more are made or owned by overseas. Even service based like accounting, graphic design, web and social media are outsourced overseas, even though we sell, do and make them all here. Even the two major food delivery services that 90% of restaurant's use, are overseas owned. The single easiest way to grow the economy of the country and every region is support local first, even if its only 10% more.

There are 2.1 million businesses in Australia, 60% have turnovers under $200,000 according the ABS. Change the way we spend, and buy locally owned more by only 10%, and that adds $25 billion into our economy. (Yes its billion, do the numbers!)

The Sunshine Coast has 25,000 businesses here, do the same and change 10% more spending to locally owned and that adds $300 million into the local economy. And that could happen everywhere, if we just support local first, wherever possible.

We aren't the only "think local" platform, but we are the only one that does it like this, with a number of key differences.

1. Its not just about locally made (Australian Made) we just don't make everything, its about locally owned and keeping profits here.
2. Its also about regionalising. All other platforms talk about businesses on the other side of the country. Who cares about a milk producer in WA, when I'm on the Sunshine Coast, who are the local producers here?
3. Its about awareness and branding.
4. Its about a directory that makes it easy to find locally owned. 
5. And its about promoting and marketing those local businesses, so customers find out about them

99% of customers surveyed, have said they would by local, over non local, go out of their way to shop and even pay more (as long as it was value). All they need to know is who, what and where are those local businesses.

Awareness is critical. The ability to be easily found, is the simplest way to grow any business (99% of people don't know that a business even exists!). Cant be seen and it doesn't matter how good the product is, it just wont sell.  There are two keys to making local businesses standout more.

1. The local business directories. You'll only find local, nothing else.
2. The local business now logos are all about branding and awareness. And they are free for listed businesses to use.

Our local business directories are the key to this. Each region has its own local business directory, that can be used to search for any local product or service on a computer or phone. Make contact and request information.

Marketing and promotion is essential. Its all about two fundamental aspects.

1. Regular promotion of our members, their offerings, specials and deals.
2. But its also about ongoing education. Why is it so important to support local first.

Social media is part of the answer, but not the only part. A regular monthly LocalBusinessNow e'news is available to subscribers to keep ahead of ideas, new businesses and specials and deals.

We will also introduce some additional marketing options for some members in 2021 including, e/news magazines, print magazines, print directories and local business events.

A big part of everything we are doing is about awareness. Being able to quickly and easily identify something or someone as a local business now, business. Our series of local business logos are there FREE to use for any local business. 

• Business and vehicle signs
• Product branding
• Swing tags
• Marketing and advertising.

If a business can be seen easily and identified as local fast, it might just change the way people shop, choosing local first.

It wont work with the occasional post. Its all about driving the brand and the reason why local business first is so important.

• Create better awareness
• Build the local business directories
• Offer marketing and social media support.
• Help businesses grow with skills, tips and business training that works.
• Print promotion opportunities
• Local business events, expos and workshops.

Our directories:

• Sunshine Coast
• Gympie
• Bundaberg
• Rockhampton
• McKay
• Townsville
• Cairns
• More locations to come.

If you'd like to list your business FREE, just click here: Local Business Now directories

Our facebook page, Made on the Sunshine Coast, is also a great source of what Local Business Now is all about.

And lastly our Utube channel includes all of our recent video features from some of our local businesses. Local business feature videos.