Norwood has been known as a business-friendly community for many years. In its continuing efforts to promote local businesses, it has initiated Local Business Friday.
A recent announcement appeared on the Town’s website.
“The Town of Norwood would like to showcase local businesses that help make Norwood great. Every Friday, the Town will feature a local business on its Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram channels.”
Joseph Collins, a relative newcomer to the Town’s administrative roster, joined its ranks as a budget and management analyst in mid-July of 2019 by way of North Attleborough’s town hall and that of Ashland, Virginia. In addition to his budget and management responsibilities, Collins manages the Town’s social media platforms. He conceived the new Local Business Friday initiative in order to further promote Norwood businesses through the Town’s multimedia presence on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
There are over 4,000 businesses in Norwood encompassing a wide variety of products and services. From business and professional services, personal care services, legal and financial services, to retail, restaurants, health care, education, arts and entertainment, sports and recreation, transportation, automotive, construction, real estate, home improvement and maintenance services such as carpenters, plumbers, electricians, painters, decorators, landscapers and locksmiths, all of Norwood’s businesses, large and small, commercial and industrial, are welcome and encouraged to participate.
Collins hopes to attract a wide variety of business types.
“We want to support local businesses any way we can and this is one avenue we can use to do that,” Collins said. “We haven’t received many applications yet, but it’s still early in the process.” Collins will work with Norwood Community Media on the project.”
Interested? This is how it works. Business owners or branch managers must complete an application which asks that you provide basic information about your business as well as the reasons why you would like to participate. The application can be found on the Town’s website at: www.norwoodma.gov/Local%20Business%20Friday%20Application%20Fillable.pdf. Once Collins receives the application, he will contact the business owner/manager to set up a time for a brief interview. That’s all there is to it!
“I recognize and respect the time constraints business owners have and promise to be flexible as to when and where we conduct these interviews,” Collins said. “Interviews will be videotaped by Norwood Community Media in order to provide a professional product to place on social media. “We will work with each business to get their message out during the interview.”
Can any business afford to turn away free advertising? The program sounds like a win for all concerned – the businesses that participate, the Town and the overall community.
Donna Lane is a Norwood-based writer, lecturer and designer. You can reach her at addictedgardener@verizon.net.
Issue Date:
March, 2020
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