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One of the major complaints Lincoln business people have is that
Lincoln people don't buy from Lincoln businesses even though they
are from the same hometown. In fact, the grousing seems to have
grown, and now businesses in town are no longer merely grousing in
general, they are grousing in particular. They are citing other
businesses in town who say that citizens should do business locally
but fail to do so themselves. This grousing about the apparent
hypocrites has escalated into retaliation. Since business A knows
that business B doesn't buy goods or services from Lincoln
businesses (and especially from business A), business A will no
longer be doing business with business B!
Thus, an entirely unhealthy cycle has been bred, born, raised and
has now attained maturity, all because of an outdated and outmoded
expectation.
Many local businesses center their entire marketing strategy
around calling prospects to their businesses on the basis of being a
Lincoln business -- that is, they generally don't advertise or
promote themselves outside the yellow pages because they believe
that being a hometown business should be everything that you need to
attract local clients.
The fallout from all of this is that Lincoln businesses will fail
if they put any stock in being successful because Lincoln citizens
and businesses should do business with them because they are local.
The reality of this whole issue is that prospects no longer
choose to do business based on locality, but rather have a
complicated list of criteria for selecting vendors. There are
certainly so many ways to find products and services today.
Technology has increased the size and scope of the marketplace, and
purchasing values have changed. The current highest priority now
seems to be on receiving the highest value for your money spent.
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 This is not just a reality here in Lincoln, but rather it is a
reality across the globe. Ask business people you know in other
cities.
Imagining that your business or a business that you might start
in the future will be successful because of any kind of hometown
pride will doom your business to mediocrity or failure. There is no
longer a hometown advantage. Perhaps there never was.
To Lincoln businesses -- change your expectations. Just because
you are here doesn't mean people will do business with you. Be
proactive and do what every other business on the planet must do to
get and retain business -- earn it.
Stock the goods that prospects are looking for. Market your
business across the media in different ways to attract new clients.
Make sure your employees are trained, eager, enthusiastic, polite
and ready to serve your customers. Improve the interior and exterior
of your place of business. Investigate new ways of selling your
products in other locales with lower investment (non-bricks and
mortar). Do everything necessary to make your business successful.
And change your expectation. There is no such thing as a hometown
advantage.
[Jim Youngquist]
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