Local businesses are the heart of every community, yet they often face challenges when competing with national retailers and online marketplaces. To encourage local spending and provide direct support to small businesses, the communities of Frostburg and Charles County, Maryland, launched community gift card programs powered by Yiftee. These initiatives, respectively named Burg Bucks and With Love From Charles, incentivize residents and visitors to shop locally, keeping more dollars within the community.
Knowing that the gift card programs would give small businesses the boost they needed, PPR Strategies played a pivotal role in promoting both programs, applying strategic marketing, business outreach, and ongoing program management to ensure success.
For Frostburg’s Burg Bucks initiative, PPR Strategies developed a social media strategy to raise awareness and drive participation around the winter holiday season. Our team crafted targeted content highlighting participating businesses and emphasizing the benefits of shopping locally through the program. We managed all aspects of social media execution, from content creation to posting and performance tracking, aiming for maximum engagement with the community.
The With Love From Charles gift card program in Charles County required a more extensive approach, as PPR Strategies was involved in the planning stages for the program’s initial launch. We led business recruitment efforts, directly engaging with local businesses to encourage participation while providing ongoing support to maximize involvement. Our comprehensive marketing approach included public relations, social media campaigns, digital advertising, billboard placements, and more. To ensure long-term success, we developed a structured implementation plan and continue to refine marketing strategies based on performance and seasonal trends.
To generate excitement and encourage more purchases for With Love From Charles, we introduced a Valentine’s Day-themed campaign that ran from late January through mid-February. This initiative incorporated a targeted advertising campaign, a social media giveaway, and a series of business spotlights showcasing the diverse range of participating vendors. These efforts contributed to Charles County’s goals to boost community engagement and reinforce the value of shopping locally.
Standout metrics included:
Frostburg’s Burg Bucks gift card program
- Highlighted 20+ participating businesses to showcase the versatility of the card
- Reached 47k+ individuals through ads and organic content
Charles County’s With Love From Charles gift card program
- Recruited and onboarded 25+ local businesses to the program
- Garnered over 13 million impressions over 8 months
Both Burg Bucks and With Love From Charles are ongoing initiatives that continue to welcome new, local businesses to participate. These programs demonstrate how the power of strategic marketing and community engagement can strengthen local economies. By providing residents with an easy and rewarding way to shop locally—and give a meaningful gift in the process—they support their neighbors and the long-term stability of the places they live in—and love!
Learn more about Burg Bucks and With Love From Charles!
