1. FOBO – for OHIO buy OHIO - www.forOHIObuyOHIO.com
Ways WE can support local Ohio businesses!
Supporting Ohio independent businesses is, and should involve a lot more than simply touting a
slogan. Here are some ways WE can support Ohio growth…….together!
1. Shop at your local Ohio Farmer’s Markets. The majority of vendors are local.
2. Display artwork from local Ohio artists in your home or business.
3. Commit to considering Ohio independents first for products and services for your
personal AND/OR business needs.
4. Attend or begin a local Ohio business expo in your community.
5. Discover the live music venues in Ohio. Ticket prices are usually reasonable (if required
at all) and you’ll support local venues and often hear talented local musicians and
performers from your city.
6. Need to renew a favorite magazine subscription? Find a local Ohio school or community
who is fundraising.
7. Find out which charitable Ohio organizations make the largest positive impact(s) for local
residents and then support these organizations earnestly.
8. Spread the word! Use the power of your network and social media. Don’t keep your
favorite Ohio independent business a secret. Word-of-mouth is one of the best ways to
support local an you’ll also ensure that your favorite store, café, restaurant or service will
stay in business.
9. Accessorize with Ohio – Love your name-brand clothes? Great! Make it unique by
adding accessories from Ohio independent merchants and artisans. Purchase jewelry,
hats, handbags, wallets, shoes, socks, ties, scarves, mitts, lunch bags, backpacks and
more.
10. Ask your Ohio merchants about purchasing gift certificates for their goods and
services. You can cyber in Ohio! Some have websites allowing you to purchase online.
11. Try progressive local dining in Ohio – Progressive dining is when each successive course
of the meal is prepared and eaten at a different local café or restaurant. And yes, there are
Ohio independent movie theatres to add to your agenda!
12. Choose five frequently used household items and commit to purchasing these necessities
from an Ohio independent merchant all year long (even if the price is slightly
higher). Bread from a local bakery, compostable bags from a local eco store, lunchtime
deli meats from a local deli, chicken cuts from a local butcher/farmer, toothpaste from a
local pharmacy etc…
13. Keep a stock of Ohio products in your pantry for company and overnight
guests. Travelers love to experience something local. It’s not much of an experience
when you can get the same thing at home. Locally grown produce, handmade bath
products, wines, craft beers, unique beauty products from a local salon and holiday
turkey/ham from a local butcher make guests feel special.

2. FOBO – for OHIO buy OHIO - www.forOHIObuyOHIO.com
14. Support Ohio tourism when you travel – Book your flights from a local travel agency,
stay in locally owned accommodations and B & B’s, experience the culture and enjoy
unique dining options by choosing to eat at local restaurants, book tours and excursions
from local guides.
15. Love to give or receive flowers? Pre-order a flower-of-the-month arrangement delivered
to your own door or a friend’s door by a an Ohio independent florist once a
month. Flower-of-the-month arrangements consist of flowers currently in season (i.e.
carnations in January, daffodils in April, tulips in May etc…) and are usually available at
the best prices of the year.
16. Connect with Ohio independent businesses through social media, emails and
newsletters. Ohio independent businesses offer sales and promotions too! But they
often announce their best deals to their loyal clientele via social media.
17. Share your GOOD experiences with Ohio independent businesses on social media,
including on FOBO – forOHIObuyOHIO.com. On Facebook, “Like” pages and use the
“Share” function to spread the word. Retweet on Twitter, and “Like” and “Share” on
LinkedIn.
18. When hosting an event in Ohio, choose a venue that allows you to support a local caterer,
local entertainers and local event services. Then encourage and allow the businesses
which have made your event a success to leave business cards or fliers out for your guests
to pick up. This allows you to get the message out quickly to your guests with all the
available service info and necessary contact information,
19. Add a touch of local Ohio to daily meals. Large chain grocery stores and supercenters
are part of everyday living for most families but, if you’re inspired by the “eat local”
movement and don’t know where to begin, start adding just one local product or
ingredient to your dinner table each day (a dessert from a local bakery, fresh produce
from a local market or meat from a local butcher).
20. Always let Ohio independent business owners know how you heard of them! Advertising
and marketing are expensive and most local businesses want to harness the marketing
methods that will help them succeed without spending a tremendous amount of
dollars. Mention you found them on FOBO – forOHIObuyOHIO.com!
21. Don’t get advice and information from a local Ohio merchant, and then purchase the
product at a big box retailer. You might save an extra $2, but it won’t foster a local
relationship AND your dollars spent are not going back into YOUR local
economy. Supporting local supports YOU!
22. Start a Community Garden or Orchard – You won’t have to guess if your food is grown
locally when you’ve had a hand in raising the crops.
23. Take pride in your Ohio digs – Get out and beautify your community. Be proactive and
just choose one small spot (your favorite Ohio business entrance, a pond, park bench,
neighborhood entrance sign) near your home or business that you commit to looking after
on a regular basis. Sweep, pick up trash, plant some flowers and water/weed them each
week.
24. Pay with cash – Businesses are charged a fee every time you use a credit card and local
business owners must often purchase their own debit and credit equipment.
25. Prevent business owner burnout ….running an independent business isn’t easy. It’s a lot
of work and requires a significant time commitment on a shoestring budget. If you
personally know an Ohio local business owner, why not volunteer a couple hours of your

3. FOBO – for OHIO buy OHIO - www.forOHIObuyOHIO.com
time once a week to help out. It might mean that the business is able to open earlier or
stay open later one day per week. It’s a small thing that can make a big difference
because many business owners can’t afford to hire additional staff to help them
out. They have families and other commitments too.
26. Vote – Yes, it matters! Before heading to the polling station(s) and casting your vote at
election time, take into consideration the candidates that make “support local” a priority
27. Label It – MANY of us want Ohio made products. Look for a label that says “Made in
Ohio”! If not, ask the business owner and encourage “Made in Ohio, Produced in Ohio,
Grown in Ohio” labeling.
28. Increase your network and get to know area Ohio independent business owners.
29. Pool your funds with nearby neighbors when considering household repairs, remodeling,
and landscaping. Agree on a local Ohio service or product provider and ask for a multi-
home discount. Many Ohio independent businesses (like roofing and landscaping
companies) will offer a discount when working on multiple homes in the same area.
30. Ask questions about school and community club fundraising and event efforts - Are
the fundraising products the school or club support Ohio made products? Are there local
options available (i.e. locally made chocolates, a local photographer for school photos,
local businesses for hot lunch or school breakfast programs etc…)
31. Hire Local People – Everything comes full circle. If you want people to support your
local business, than it’s important to hire the residents that live locally. They support
word-of-mouth marketing.
32. Get Mobile Friendly – Connect with consumers and Ohio independent businesses on
social media networks. Be a part of OHIO based networks that support Ohio
independent businesses, and check out FOBO – forOHIObuyOHIO.com on Facebook,
Twitter, and LinkedIn.
33. Encourage local Ohio festivals to USE Ohio products – Wouldn’t it be great if the
pancake mix we use to serve up pancakes at our community breakfast throughout the year
was produced in Ohio? What if the sausages served supported local Ohio farms?
34. Whether you’re a business or a consumer, read and support your Ohio municipal
publications and magazines. FREE newspaper/magazine publications are often available
at the entrance of many grocery stores, coffee shops, recreation facilities and
public libraries. These publications usually focus on local Ohio events and advertise
many Ohio independent businesses.
35. Be a tourist in your own Ohio city. Visit your local attractions and experience local
festivals – Most of us are guilty of not exploring our own local attractions. “We live
here so, we can do that place any old time”. But, supporting the local attractions,
galleries, festivals and recreational facilities in your area is valuable on many levels. It
ensures that these facilities and festivals remain in the community, like any tourist, most
of us can’t help but, talk about an attraction or event we’ve seen and word of mouth
travels fast plus, it helps to improve the facilities and the services offered at our local
attractions and events. Who would know how to improve these things better than the
people who live near them?
36. Think outside the Box (Store) – Change your mindset of where you go when you need to
run an errand or when you are making plans for drinks or dinner. Is there an Ohio
independent business that specializes in running shoes, bread, deli meats, toys, books,
office supplies? Meeting friends for dinner or coffee? Make arrangements to meet at an

4. FOBO – for OHIO buy OHIO - www.forOHIObuyOHIO.com
Ohio independent (non-chain) restaurant or café. Visit FOBO –
forOHIObuyOHIO.com often to check out new listings of Ohio independent businesses
in your area or destination.
37. Ohio businesses should consider approaching your local library and offer to run a
FREE workshop in a skill you have expertise in (cooking, computers, quilting, writing,
puppetry, photography, scrapbooking, marketing etc..). Offering a FREE class or
workshop every once in while is a great way to network with people that are interested in
your business/service. Make sure that everyone who attends your workshop has an
opportunity to receive or pick-up your business card information. Remember to let them
know you're an Ohio independent business.
Let’s support Ohio growth……together!