Totally Locally recently visited Knaresborough to share its proven campaign – grassroots collaboration and a no-nonsense strategy based on collaboration and kindness for helping high streets help themselves.
Totally Locally has been running for 15 years and has had great results, won loads of awards and has been used as far away as Australia and New Zealand.
It’s hard to explain the concept, but here’s a quick stab from the book ‘The Economics of Being Nice (which we are currently sharing copies of around the town).
What is Totally Locally and what it isn’t!
– It’s a toolkit, not a magic wand. A framework, not a finished thing.
– It’s not about you. It’s not an exclusive club. It’s about everyone mucking in. Leave your ego at the door, make friends. Be nice – it gets things done!
– It’s not a formal group with minutes, a chairman and waiting for permission to do stuff, it’s about making friends, working together and having fun doing it! Any person can be involved in Totally Locally Knaresborough, whether they are in another business group, or in nothing at all. See here for more info.
It runs on the simple premise: ‘If the town gets busier, everybody wins’.
After a tour of the town, The Chris and Simon from Totally Locally presented to Knaresborough businesses in person at a packed-out meeting at the Mitre. They showed what other towns have achieved using this ethos and marketing material via their Town Kit campaign. They also asked for feedback on the town and what locals feel the town needs, both at the meeting and in an on-line survey
The main things people said they wanted to see:
- Promotion of local businesses to locals and visitors – particularly locals.
- Business groups collaborating to show a united front
- An artist-drawn map of the town with businesses listed (see 1)
- Joining up the two main areas of town (waterside and main town centre)
- Website that highlighted businesses with an events & what’s on list
People were also asked what they love about Knaresborough.
The most popular answers were the community, how friendly locals are and of course, their beloved independent shops.
Knaresborough has a lot going for it and via this new influx of energy and ideas, we can all capitalise on this!
The aim is to start some joined up, strategic local campaigns to highlight the fantastic range of businesses right on your doorstep and learn more about them.
Chris & Simon also left copies of their book ‘The Economics of Being Nice’ with some businesses, with instructions to share it with others when it’s read – ask around if you also want to read a copy – this explains how Totally Locally works and how everyone pitching in a little has a huge effect on their town.
This is all made possible by the North Yorkshire Mayor’s Vibrant and Sustainable High Streets fund – specifically to rejuvenate and reanimate high streets across North Yorkshire, so is for public-facing businesses with a physical presence in the town (waterside and town centre) for now but this scope may get bigger in the future! Mayor David Skaith visited recently to film the announcement of the project kicking off.
