“Buy Local” is a great idea, but it often lacks ownership from local businesses.

For “Buy Local” to really work, the local businesses have to do a better job of marketing. They have to improve their public relations, advertising and social networking. After all it’s “Buy Local,” not “Search and Find and Then Buy Local,” and that’s what determined “Buy Local” consumers are faced with when they want to, in fact, “Buy Local.”

Most people are a bit of adventurers. They like to explore new places but only if they hear that an adventure can be found at a particular place. They are not as likely to discover a new place, restaurant, community or store without prior information. Most people like the idea of supporting their local independent business community, they aren’t willing to make an effort to find the local businesses that sell locally-sourced products.

Local independent businesses are at such a disadvantage when it comes to advertising. Advertising works best when it is a part of a public relations campaign and the budget allows for multi-media buys. The effort has to be planned and consistent with a professional know-how.

Hiller’s Markets is one of those companies that has made “Buy Local” the hallmark of its marketing messages, and it’s paid off for them big time according Hiller’s Markets CEO Jim Hiller in an Aug. 31 article in Crain’s Detroit Business. And not only is Berkley’s Yellow Door Art Market all about Michigan artists, but does an exceptional job highlighting them on its website, which is worth a read at least once a week.

All the things that 75% of local businesses lack is the biggest marketing advantage they already have: a relationship with the other businesses and stakeholders in town. Here in Michigan, with the economic issues we face, our independent businesses need “Buy Local” campaigns. Now is the time for these businesses to unite in a marketing effort to increase traffic to the community.

Guy Williams is the president of Community Marketing Associates. He can be reached at gwilliams@commmktgassoc.com.