St. Petersburg offers up more than one small-business directory, with more than one reason to use them. Two major champions for community, Keep Saint Petersburg Local and LocalShops1, provide membership programs for small businesses in the area. Knowing who they are is the first step to knowing how to use them to their full potential.
Pointing you in the Right Direction
Keep Saint Petersburg Local partners with government officials, media, small-business owners and residents to “raise awareness of the importance of buying local.” The organization also is behind the beloved annual event, Localtopia. Its directory program offers three membership levels, including one specifically for nonprofits.
LocalShops1 strives to be the area’s “best resource for local businesses” and hosts the annual Shopapalooza Festival. It publishes an online directory, a digital “Live Local! Buzz” quarterly and a print and digital membership guide annually. Find the physical shop in downtown Gulfport, where more than 40 local artist members consign. LocalShops1 has two membership levels, annual sponsorship options, and free listing opportunities.
Membership Perks
For business owners, joining a membership program has several advantages. From networking to advertising, connecting with a directory could get you the most bang for your hard-earned buck.
Members can expect opportunities to connect with other movers and shakers around town, share following, and team up for collaborative projects. Both Keep Saint Petersburg Local and LocalShops1 memberships offer inclusion at meetings, events, and mixers.
According to Ester Venouziou, founder of LocalShops 1, “It’s a power-in-numbers sort of thing. Individually, we can each only do so much. But when we come together, great things happen.”
Members can also bank on advertising opportunities, with the chance for promotion through a directory’s social-media accounts, event postings, and cross promotions. Keep Saint Petersburg Local even has discounted advertising rates through participating local media outlets.
Consumer Benefits
Non-business owners can find convenience in using local directories. For consumers, these are a handy search engine for finding everything from home cleaning services to hotels and web design. Both Keep Saint Petersburg Local and LocalShops1 have user-friendly search functions that make it simple to find businesses and get in touch. In addition, they’re a resource for learning about local business news and finding upcoming community events.
“We’ve all heard the positive economic impacts to the local community when we shop, eat and play local. That’s not just a catchy line. When you shop from a local business, you are keeping more of your money local and supporting your community. Beyond that, local businesses give our communities unique charm and character,” Venouziou said.
Find out whether listing your business in a membership directory is right for you. Choose to search locally owned, independent businesses first for your service-provider needs. Skip big-box stores or national chains whenever possible.
Visit Keep Saint Petersburg Local at keepsaintpetersburglocal.org.
Find LocalShops1 at localshops1.com.
Market Mafia is a resource connecting residents and visitors throughout Greater Tampa Bay with local handcraft markets. Find local happenings and #HitTheMarket, visit www.MarketMafia.com.
