Recognition came in for the Newcastle Chamber of Commerce and CEO/Executive Director Gayla Riddle for a Shop Local promotion held during the end-of-year holidays.
A social media group, known as Chamber of Commerce Professionals, which is composed of paid chamber staff across the United States, kept track of the Chamber Industry’s 2023 Small Business Season campaign and Newcastle was number one on the list for social interactions.
Riddle said the Newcastle Chamber was aggressive publicizing all of the local events leading up to the holiday season. They did so using social media, their digital newsletter, through the Newcastle Pacer, and “with lots of word of mouth.”
Riddle said she visited and shared information with all of the chamber-member businesses, such as the area boutiques, salons, restaurants, and other small businesses, about keeping spending local and supporting small businesses. She said she also discussed what all the other businesses in Newcastle had to offer.
Riddle and the chamber posted on four pages on Facebook — the chamber page, the Community of Newcastle page, the Newcastle area business page, and the Newcastle Proud page.
The chamber’s big promotion was the Shop Local Bingo game, where shoppers went by area businesses, purchasing products, and having their cards marked to show where they had visited.
Many of the participating businesses told Riddle the promotion helped drive traffic to them. Other businesses commented that they had new customers because of the promotion. These included Happy Heart Homestead, Alma’s Flowers, and Gypsy Hat Company and Boutique.
Riddle said Larry and Kelly Kincaid, of the Outpost Print & Ship Center, played a big part in bingo.
“People who participated were able to drop their cards off there for the drawings,” Riddle said. “Larry made copies after they completed the required two freestyle bingo games, and then they kept the original cards to continue on with the blackout game.”
She said the Kincaids also held all the drawings which determined the prize winners.
“I also played bingo myself, and purchased something from every business,” Riddle said. “I posted what I had purchased from each SHOP LOCAL on page 3 business along with my bingo card.”
Riddle said she just didn’t turn in her card for prizes.
Winning the blackout was Lauren Fisher. Week 1 winner was Stephanie Pace. Week 2 winner was Christina Tankersley, and week 3 winner was Elizabeth Torrenueva. Riddle said she thanks the winners and all those who participated in this year’s Shop Local Bingo.
The Chamber of Commerce Professionals lists the following as leaders in the Shop Local campaign: Newcastle Chamber of Commerce - Oklahoma; Humboldt Chamber - Tennessee; Cabot Chamber - Arkansas; Lake Elsinore Valley Chamber - Connecticut; Van Buren Chamber - Arkansas; Wayne County Chamber - Georgia; El Dorado Hills Chamber - California; Leeds Area Chamber - Alabama; I Love Babylon Chamber - New York; Cynthia-Harrison County Chamber Kentucky; Navarre Chamber - Florida; and The Dalles Area Chamber - Oregon.
They said the overall campaign reached 26,800,000 people with more than 21,500 interactions.
