CPA Resources
CPA Resources

New 'LoveLocalMaryland' initiative offers small business resources

A groundbreaking phenomenon was launched on Dec. 18 when www.LoveLocalMaryland.com went live.

For the first time, there is a program aimed at supporting small businesses and connecting those businesses and consumers with the support of a major media partner and statewide business organizations representing more than 30,000 businesses. Both small businesses and consumers benefit.

With the LoveLocal Maryland program, small businesses -- the biggest job creators in the American economy -- get sales and marketing tools so that they can compete with big businesses. Consumers get to learn about businesses in their community and help support the local economy and those job generators.

The program's roll-out comes in two parts. The first is a registration period, which started on Dec. 18. Businesses can start registering themselves on the   www.LoveLocalMaryland.com active directory.  When this free directory goes live to consumers, it will include search engine features that allow consumers to find businesses through:

  • product category,
  • ZIP code,
  • proximity,
  • type and kind of business, and
  • keywords.  (Keywords are words that describe the range of products and services that a business offers. In the customized profile set up when registering, a business should list its keywords. Businesses can change those keyywords any time there is a change product or service offerings.)

Consumers can search by community and proximity to their location. This is a great feature for both consumers who are Maryland residents looking for a specific kind of business near them and for tourists who are constantly in search of businesses in an unfamiliar place.

LoveLocal Maryland was initiated by WBAL-TV and is supported and endorsed by:

  • the Maryland Chamber of Commerce,
  • the Restaurant Association of Maryland
  • the Maryland Retailers Association,
  • the Maryland Hotel and Lodging Association,
  • the Maryland Tourism Council,
  • the Maryland Hispanic Chamber,
  • the Maryland Bankers Association,
  • the Greater Baltimore Committee, and
  • the Maryland Association of CPAs.

These organizations are committed to the growth of small businesses, jobs and strengthening competitiveness. Their members represent more than 30,000 businesses.

Committing its resources, WBAL-TV will be promoting the campaign through a series of public service announcements, which will appear several times a day around the following programming.

  • Morning, noon, evening and 11 p.m. news
  • "Oprah"
  • "Ellen"
  • "Dr. Oz"
  • "Regis & Kelly Live"
  • "Martha Stewart"
  • "Access Hollywood"
  • "Days of Our Lives"

Watch the promo here.

Sales and marketing tools

In the second phase of the roll-out, LoveLocalMaryland.com goes “live” to consumers. Plus, the small businesses get access to a full set of sales and marketing tools for businesses, including:

  • Web page,
  • e-coupons,
  • text messaging,
  • e-mail blast,
  • customer management tools,
  • enhanced search engine features,
  • social networking, and
  • maps and directions.

These sales and marketing tools will allow subscribers to:

  • save on printing costs,
  • act quickly to offer specials and sales when needed,
  • create direct communication with customers, and
  • attach menus, artwork, photographs and brochures to their own individual Web page.

In this second phase, WBAL-TV will actively promote the Web site address to consumers.

When small businesses thrive

Business organizations, which have seen the tools, have described them as being a true economic stimulus program. All recognize that when small businesses thrive, the whole economy benefits — jobs are created, local charities get funded and the economy grows, and all without increasing taxes or expanding deficits.

Costs

The directory listing with the search features is free.

Members of the Maryland Association of CPAs receive a 20 percent discount off the subscription for the full set of sales and marketing tools so it is only $78 per year ($6.50 per month or 21 cents per day) for Maryland-based businesses.

Registration

Businesses can sign up now on the free directory at www.lovelocalmaryland.com. If a business is not in the directory, consumers will not find it when they search for products and services and they will not share the benefits of the LoveLocal Maryland program.

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