Turning a Small-Business Grant into a Community-Wide Shop Local Campaign
Main Street America – Backing Small Businesses Grant Campaign
Services: Digital Advertising, Social Media Strategy, Content Development, Website Updates, Graphic Design, Print Marketing, Impact Reporting, Video Production
The Challenge
Through Main Street America’s Backing Small Businesses grant, made possible by American Express, Newberry received funding to support local small businesses and encourage greater community engagement with downtown merchants. The opportunity called for more than simply promoting individual businesses; it required a coordinated campaign that could drive awareness, increase visits, and connect residents and nearby audiences with places to eat, shop, stay, and explore.
The campaign also needed to work across multiple channels within a short timeframe, using digital advertising, social media, website content, and print materials to create a consistent path from discovering Newberry to visiting its businesses.
The Solution
Team EMILY developed a month-long campaign targeting audiences within 25 miles of downtown Newberry.
Original photography and video were captured throughout the community and used to create social media content showcasing local businesses and experiences. Facebook, Instagram, and Google Display advertising extended the campaign’s reach, while calls to action encouraged residents and visitors to engage with and share their favorite Newberry destinations.
The Newberry Now website was also updated to support the campaign. Team EMILY refreshed imagery and messaging, expanded the Explore section to feature local businesses, restaurants, and hotels, improved mobile responsiveness and navigation, updated SEO elements, and enhanced galleries with new photo and video content.
Print postcards featuring a QR code to the Explore Newberry page extended the campaign into the community, creating a direct connection between physical promotion and the digital experience.
The Impact
The campaign distributed 2,000 full-color postcards through Newberry College and businesses in Newberry, Prosperity, and Little Mountain while digital and social media efforts expanded awareness throughout the surrounding area.
Most importantly, the post-campaign business survey showed a direct connection between the marketing and customer activity: 80% of responding businesses reported that customers had mentioned visiting because they saw the business featured on Newberry Now.
By connecting targeted advertising, locally produced content, website improvements, and print outreach, the campaign turned a small-business grant into a coordinated effort that increased visibility for Newberry merchants and gave the community a stronger platform for promoting local businesses beyond the grant period.
