I was recently asked, along with two coworkers, to try and put together a new flash demo that would help better explain the benefits of being a member of CitySquares. After working on it for a while and tossing around several ideas, we realized that we kept coming back to the same two points. Number one: Where are all of the small business advertising dollars really going and who exactly are they reaching? Number two: being online and targeting a qualified, local audience is really where they get the most bang for their buck.

Working on this project, I started to draw a few conclusions. It is not that consumers have no interest in local business, it is that they don’t know where to find you, and they forget. It used to be that customer loyalty was gained simply by being an active member of your community in a physical sense. It is obvious that the definition of a community is rapidly changing. Whether it is MySpace or Facebook or any other site, people are congregating in these online communities where they feel some sort of connection or draw. CitySquares is quite literally an online playground for local business owners and consumers looking for them. The kid who used to play jacks outside your storefront is still out there, he just happens to be sitting on his Mac for a few hours while he plans out his day. The point is that CitySquares gives you a chance to be found by people who want to find you.

The flash demo storyboard came together nicely. It really will offer a new outlook on the benefits of becoming part of our community! I am excited to see what it looks like when it is finished. Keep an eye out for it!

– Jason

Ben Saren is Co-Founder and CEO of CitySquares.com, the premier hyper-local search site for small businesses nationwide. Ben is also a guest writer on Local Search News and a a regular at industry conferences and within the Boston high-tech and entrepreneurial scene. Ben's actively blogs at Your Suspect, where he writes about his experiences and perspectives as an entrepreneur. Email this author | See all posts by Ben Saren

Tags | community, Consumerism, local business