Think Globally, Act Locally
by Todd Joyce-ASMP OVC -Cincinnati, OH

You’ve heard the phrase before.  It means think about your environment and do what you can on a local level.  I’ve always considered the statement to be about pollution and waste.  Recently though, I’ve taken a bit of a different look at the phrase.  It applies also to our local business environment.

Sometimes, a client will go out of town to use another photographer.  Let’s face it, we all live in a global economy.  Photographers are easier to find now than they used to be.  Web sites and search engines make the search an easy one for art buyers.  It’s also become easier for us to reach outside our market.  With electronic transfers of information on the internet, clients can communicate their layouts and get images on line.  It has become easy for us all to do business from a distance.

Business at a distance... Ahh that sure makes it hard to do business with a handshake, doesn’t it?  You can easily do business without ever meeting anyone face to face.  The cyberworld isn’t a very friendly place.  But who needs friendly?  It’s “cheap” is why we use the internet isn’t it?  At least that’s what I hear.  Oh I do use the internet for things such as props that I can't get here; the fresh lei from Hawaii, the Mardi Gras mask from New Orleans...  I do, however, try to buy anything I can from local suppliers!

Think about our economy.  We live in a tight micro economy of sorts.  We use labs and suppliers who sell mostly to us.  If we don’t support them, someday they just might not be around.  Who would have the equipment for us to examine before we purchase?  Who would we see with a problem? Try dealing with an online complaint department and you’ll appreciate having someone local to deal with, with whom you can talk face to face.

All of us are living in a different world of doing business from what we are accustomed.  We need to look at what is really important.  The camera store has the information and equipment on hand for us to try.  The lab takes things back when I am over critical and fixes it.  When I have a question, my supplier finds the answer and calls me back because we have a relationship... Try finding that on line.  Our local suppliers do a great deal more for us than an on line supplier.  

I’m not suggesting that we buy our supplies locally at whatever cost.  I am suggesting that we all take a look at what we get for our money and what we are saving when we do business on line and locally.  Think about what you are doing to the local economy when you save a small amount of money on a large order bought on line.  If it is a large amount of money, give the local supplier a opportunity to come close to the price.  And, even if you have to pay a little more to get it locally, it’s worth it to have someone to deal with face to face if there is an issue with the product.  

Support our local suppliers.  Our micro-economy is fragile.  If local suppliers go out of business, it will hurt us too.

Think about the added support you get in dealing with someone face to face on a regular basis.

Think about what the relationship does for you.  Think Globally, but act locally.