,

VizyPay Advocates for Small Business Owners with Look Local First Initiative, Helping Merchants Rebuild During COVID-19

WM Circle Logo

By: Wise Marketer Staff |

Posted on July 31, 2020

Look Local First was created to support small business owners by actively spreading the messaging to shop local and build a community of people who believe in the same mission

WEST DES MOINES, IA July 22, 2020 — COVID-19 has placed an immense burden on small business owners who are fighting to keep their doors open. VizyPay, an award-winning payment processing company and creators of the popular Cash Discount Program, is supporting these small businesses nationwide through its Look Local First movement which provides free digital marketing efforts like sponsored social media ads and promotional giveaways to drive customer engagement. VizyPay launched Look Local First in 2019 and since its inception has supported hundreds of local businesses across the United States.

“We firmly believe in supporting small businesses across America—whether they’re a VizyPay client or not,” said Amy Hayes, VizyPay’s Marketing Director. “We know that when customers spend their money at locally-owned businesses, 68 percent of that revenue stays circulating in the local community compared to 43 percent when shopping at a large corporate chain and virtually zero percent when customers shop online. We hope to help encourage that spending with Look Local First, especially as small businesses have been hit hard by COVID-19.”

“The partnership between Look Local First and small businesses is great,” said Dina Bechman, owner of Five Monkeys Inc. and a Look Local First member. “To have someone else out in the world promoting our small businesses is amazing. When Five Monkeys Inc. was featured on the Look Local First social channels, I saw an uptick in social media traffic!”

Look Local First recognizes that social media has become a vital way small businesses connect with their customers, but often times do not have the resources to implement a full digital strategy. The team regularly posts facts and statistics about shopping locally to educate followers on the benefits of supporting small businesses. The initiative also comes in and helps local businesses increase awareness and social following through various social posts and giveaways.

"Our local businesses need support now, more than ever," said Tiffany Menke, President of The Urbandale Chamber of Commerce. "Reminders such as Look Local First help to promote local businesses and reminds the community to make an effort to support those businesses who make a significant impact on our local communities through their donations, employment opportunities and support."

In addition to social media marketing, VizyPay also sells a variety of Look Local First branded merchandise, including stickers, shirts and more, of which all proceeds get put back into the cause. Most recently, the team created social distancing floor stickers businesses can use to mark the 6-foot recommended distance for checkout lines and waiting areas. Shop the selection here.

Look Local First can be found on FacebookTwitter and Instagram, or via the website https://looklocalfirstvp.com/. For more information about VizyPay and its services, visit https://www.vizypay.com/.

About VizyPay

VizyPay was founded in West Des Moines, Iowa, by three entrepreneurs who each had either significant credit card processing experience or were previously small business owners. Their combined understanding of these different industries created the perfect cocktail for a credit card processing company that could truly look out for the business owner. VizyPay is growing rapidly by being honest and simple in an industry that is known for being complicated and deceitful. Their business model is unique and making a huge splash nationwide.