The Times Herald (Norristown, PA)
‘Shop Small to Win Big’ keeps the focus on local businesses
Shopping contest event begins Nov. 26
A new “Shop Small to Win Big” initiative will launch on Friday, Nov. 26, running through Sunday, Dec. 5. The event is designed to put the focus on small businesses along the 422 corridor — encouraging people to patronize participating businesses.
As an incentive, there are prizes involved with the initiative — a grand prize valued at $10,000 and a runner-up prize valued at $1,500.
During the 10-day event period, consumers that spend at least $50 at one or more of the participating businesses are eligible to submit their receipts for a chance to win. “And the $50 can be actual product, service, gift cards or purchasing a future service,” according to Chris Lerch, organizer of the event.
Once the purchase is made, a photo of the receipt needs to be submitted, to chris@hello422.com or via messenger on Hello422’s Facebook or Instagram page. The winner will be chosen during a Facebook Live event on Dec. 6.
One grand prize winner will receive $10,000 worth of gift cards or gift certificates; a runner-up will receive $1,500 worth of gift cards or gift certificates. As of Friday morning, a total of 115 businesses have signed up to participate.
The participating businesses are not just restaurants or retailers, according to Lerch, but also include wellness and personal care, home décor, activities and recreation, specialty shops and services. The list of participating businesses can be found on the Hello422 Facebook page and website.
The “Shop Small to Win Big” event is focused on small businesses along the Route 422 corridor according to Lerch, “mostly from Pottstown through Phoenixville,” although he said some businesses from other areas have signed on.
Lerch began signing up businesses in September to participate in the upcoming event. The merchants donate a $100 gift card or gift certificate, which then becomes part of the prize.
This is the fifth “Shop Small to Win Big” event Lerch has organized. The first was held very early in the pandemic, in April 2020, as a way to show support for local businesses — many of which were closed due to state COVID restrictions, or operating on a different business model.
The events have generated more than $250,000 in sales for the participating businesses.
“It’s staggering,” Lerch said, adding that some people have submitted 10-20 receipts in past “Shop Small to Win Big” events.
The event has become a labor of love for Lerch, director of marketing for SportsPlex Management Group, which owns the 422 SportsPlex in Pottstown, and a “big supporter of small business.”
“To be honest, I have relationships now with so many of these business owners. I see and have heard from them the positive impact it has. I know the amount of awareness it brings to the small business community. And truthfully, I just enjoy it,” he said. “I love creating something the community can rally behind, and what better than supporting all of these amazing small businesses.” He added that he can’t imagine not doing it.
For this event, the businesses are donating one card or gift certificate valued at $100, or four $25 gift cards or certificates — which is a change from previous events.
Lerch said he wants the event to continue and didn’t want the “Shop Small to Win Big” effort to get watered down. Moving forward, it will be an annual event in November, starting on Black Friday and overlapping Shop Small Saturday and Cyber Monday.
“It seems this is a good time of year when people are more conscious of shopping small to help businesses as much as possible,” he said.
During his early planning, he set a goal of the $10,000 grand prize — which is the highest prize yet. He said his goal was an amount “that would attract attention.”
Lerch said it is important to keep the focus on small, local businesses.
“Even in a world where there is no pandemic and no COVID, there is still a need for this,” he said, adding that while online shopping is convenient, it takes something away from the local businesses. “Regardless of everything else in the world, there should always be an emphasis on the small businesses.”
When Lerch launched the first initiative in April 2020, he launched www.hello422.com as a vehicle to help raise awareness of small businesses. After that first “Shop Small to Win Big event,” he continued the Hello422 social media pages to spotlight businesses in the area.
“I hope that is one of the lingering things from the pandemic — that there is a renewed sense of your hometown and the small businesses that make it up. And I think that there is,” Lerch added.
For more information about the “Shop Small To Win Big” initiative and a list of participating businesses visit https://www.facebook. com/Hello-422-107484017378117/ or www.hello422.com.