If you live in Lafayette, LA (or Shreveport/Bossier  or Tyler, Waco, or Longview TX) you can’t help but notice a new logo everywhere in town. It is appearing on the doors, tables and windows of local businesses, on the sides of cars, t-shirts – everywhere you can put a logo (and some places you can’t). Locals Love Us is a new (and clever) business that encourages locals to vote on the businesses that they love (you’d probably guessed that right?) – They then provide a directory (delivered to all the homes and businesses in the area) so everyone can reference who won, they also provide the businesses with some very interesting data about their customers and how they voted and a great online presence.

I was planning on writing a blog post about this company anyway, but yesterday they also decided to become a sponsor of this site (Yes, they seem to have great taste). I love to work out what we can all learn from a clever business model and for me the takeaway is this: Emotional Buy In is the Holy Grail of business success, this company gets that first, upfront – and builds from there. Most companies want you to buy something first, then hope you fall in love with them – Locals Love Us want you to Love them (and what they do) and then work with you. Clever? – I think so. What does your company do to get your customers to love you or are you just casually dating?

Lafayette People Go Vote for your favorite businesses today!