As a business in our town, we want to help you this holiday season. But we also need some assistance from you. As part of Small Business Season (November 1- December 31), we’re trying to bring awareness to the importance of shopping local.

Every time someone buys from a business in our town, something bigger happens than a simple transaction. Those dollars circulate through the community, supporting local jobs, funding community improvements, and creating a stronger local economy.

When you’re building a small business, it’s easy to focus on the day-to-day grind—inventory, customer service, cash flow, and that never-ending inbox. But if you don’t know where you’re going, how will you know if you’re getting there?

That’s where a vision statement comes in. Some businesses think it’s “too corporate” or “too pretentious,” something people do to impress investors. But it’s more than a buzz phrase or a corporate checkbox.

A clear, inspiring vision is your business’s North Star—and one of the most underused tools in small business marketing. Yes, small business marketing. You don’t need to be a giant organization with stockholders to realize the power behind a well-crafted vision statement.