The registry is a collection of local businesses that are registered on the Regional/ Community Business Registry. The local shoppers search the registry to identify and shop local businesses. The use of this service is free to both the local businesses and the shoppers.
The Local Board of Overseers is responsible for establishing of their Regional/Community Business Registry. The process for setting up a board to oversee the initiative is ongoing.
- A registration of at least three (3) overseers (volunteers) activates a request for iBStrong to establish a specified region/community sub-portal.
- iBStrong reviews and approves request to ensure compliance to Board of Overseers and sub-portal requirements.
- iBStrong creates a sub-portal for the requested region/community.
The Community/Regional Overseers serve the local small businesses in their community by encouraging /promoting the “Search & Go Shop Local Businesses” initiative. It is important to understand what this means.
1) Search: The local small businesses are registered on the community/regional registry listing their offerings. This provides the community one spot to search for businesses in their community and to look-up all the offerings in the community on one site.
2) Go Shop Local Businesses: The search only look at the local businesses within the community. The search results would simplify the process of knowing products/services within the community. Then, go shop THEM!
3) Be a champion for Local Businesses: Please share the information with friends and others on social media. Promote your local businesses when ever you can. Your local small businesses appreciate your support and their lives depend on our collective actions.
***Local small businesses participate in the shop/buy local initiative by registering on the Regional/Community Business Registry.
The registration would include some basic information to inform individual consumers when making purchase decisions. The registration process would present opportunities for business to make choices as to what they would include in their profile.
This is where we break the flight of local spends out of the community. The Business Registry is a critical component of the initiative. Local small businesses would have to offer robust shopping/offering opportunities for consumers to keep coming back to support local spend.