PARTNER UPDATE

As Independents Month continues, we're ramping up our anti-monopoly planning efforts this week.

Amazon's Prime Days (Tuesday, July 16 – Wednesday, July 17, 2024) are PRIME days to focus on the Local Multiplier and other ways our communities benefit when we Choose Indie Local.

Check out our new resource highlights below and plan to make ripples on July 16 - 17.

As we all make ripples, AMIBA works to transform our ripples into waves. 🌊

We'll also continue updating our Planning Resources Google Doc with more ideas and inspiration. => Planning Resources Google Doc. <=

Feel free to add your questions and new ideas for leveraging this movement into this document (or email jenrisley@amiba.net). We'll treat this as a working document to boost collaboration.

Best,

Jen Risley

Choose Indie Local Coordinator - Director of Operations

NEW RESOURCE HIGHLIGHTS & INSPIRATION

Independence Requires Healthy Independents

From The Main Street Journal: American freedom is uniquely grounded in its local businesses. These businesses and other locally rooted institutions like hospitals, universities, and municipal governments are responsible for 60-80% of the jobs in the country (depending on how you define “local”). And every time you mindfully buy from or invest in a locally owned business, you make your community just a little stronger and a little freer.

This freedom is increasingly under threat from global corporations, monopolies, and oligopolies. I highly recommend Senator Amy Klobuchar’s 2021 book Antitrust: Taking Monopoly Power from the Gilded Age to the Digital Age. She reviews early American history and shows how much our escape from King George III was a repudiation of centralized political and economic power. The Boston Tea Party in 1773 was a rebellion against a crown-granted monopoly called the East India Company.

Our Founding Fathers expressly denounced monopolies—James Madison called them “among the greatest nuisances in Government.” Maryland’s first Constitution condemned them, as did North Carolina’s.

A Prime Day to Make Ripples

Prime Day is approaching on July 16 - 17, and we are excited to share plans for a campaign using the increased attention on Amazon to promote independent and local businesses! With social media templates, caption guides, and story posts, we are working to direct attention away from Amazon and toward our independent businesses and communities.

While we know the benefits of choosing indie local, many do not. So, we plan on sharing our resources through social media and making the process simple to navigate.

PAST RESOURCE HIGHLIGHTS & INSPIRATION

Independents Month Champions

Think back to the people who first introduced you to the Local Economy Movement and give them a shout-out during Independents Month. For me, it was Michael Shuman and his book, The Small-Mart Revolution. What about you?

Indies Take the Gold

From the American Booksellers Association: “Indies Take The Gold” is an engaging marketing campaign designed to celebrate the spirit of community and excellence of independent bookstores during the Summer Olympics. The campaign leverages the excitement of the games to promote independent bookstores and all that they offer. As Amazon Prime Days return, why settle for less?

Power of Local Film

From Local Futures: An uplifting film about localization in action featuring people and groups on five continents working to create healthy and fair local economies, communities, and food systems. A must-see, and we hope you will share it with your networks.

Use Canva? Independents Month Image Templates 

Check out our Independents Month templates and adapt them to work best in your community:

• Proud Indie Local template
• Indie Challenge template
• Independents Month Quote template

You, our partners, shared a variety of campaign goals for July, including:

• Get the word out about local businesses' successes and their impact on our community.
• Increase sales in my own business.
• Highlight events sponsored by Indies during the month of July.
• Engage and inspire more businesses to speak up.

How can you prepare now to meet your campaign goals?

• Add a page or post to your website introducing this campaign and highlighting some of your plans for the month.
• Plan a community event.
• Submit a request for an Independents Month city resolution.
• Adapt this press release template and send it to your local media contacts.
• Share social media posts announcing your plans.
• What else?

Take the Indie Challenge

Pledge to make all your purchases at locally owned businesses for one day, one week, or the entire month. Sign on to the Indie Challenge today and then share the challenge with your customers, clients, and neighbors.

Monadnock Region Staycation Challenge

From The Local Crowd Monadnock: Summer means vacation for many of us. However, taking a vacation doesn't have to include traveling far to get away. Take a staycation this year! Stay close to home and experience all the Monadnock Region has to offer. You'll save money at the gas pumps. Plus, any money you spend will recirculate in our local economy, building more community health and wealth. To get you inspired, we're offering our Independents Month Staycation Giveaway again in 2024. Enter our giveaway today by signing on to our Indie Month Challenge. Take our pre-survey by July 31 and a post-survey by August 12, 2024. Complete both surveys to get your chance to win our Staycation Giveaway package. One randomly selected WINNER will receive a two-night stay at the Bridges Inn Whitcomb House in Swanzey and much more.

Phoenix Independents Bowl

From Local First Arizona: Phoenix-based event producer Psyko Steve Presents is proud to announce the 9th Somewhat-Annual Phoenix Independents Bowl, an all-local bowling tournament featuring a mix of Phoenix's premier bands, innovative businesses, and independent-minded citizens. Affectionately known as the "Indie Bowl," this event celebrates Phoenix's vibrant independent community. This year's event will be held on Saturday, July 13th, at Let It Roll Bowl, one of Arizona's only independently owned bowling alleys.

How to Celebrate Independents Month in Style from Tarot to Trivia

The relationship between the business owner, local customer, and community is what the American Booksellers Association (ABA) has doubled down on emphasizing since the pandemic. Their 2020 #BoxedOut campaign was a striking example.