Sheffield Businesses Boost Local Economy by Buying Local

3rd August 2016

In today's digital age, where cheaper international products are readily available, but not always top quality, a recent survey has revealed that 85% of businesses based in the Yorkshire and Humberside region believe that buying local is always a top priority beating the national average at 83%.

The survey, commissioned by Sheffield based sign company, Signs Express (Sheffield), collated answers from over 1,000 business decision makers across the UK in order to discover their attitudes towards the local marketplace and the vital role that signage plays in the appearance and professionalism of a brand. The research revealed that businesses based in the Yorkshire and Humberside region are strong believers in buying locally, with almost three quarters stating that good value and service beats price every time. The majority of businesses stated that their attitudes towards buying local are influenced by the fact that it boosts the local economy and local tradespeople are always more concerned with customer satisfaction. Carol Morris, co-owner of Signs Express (Sheffield), said: -There is no doubt that buying online is taking over and this often means that we are less aware of where our purchases come from. However, buying locally, especially when it comes to perishable goods and specialised items that require expert advice and special skills, is always the best option. Signs Express (Sheffield) is just one of the Signs Express branches based in the Yorkshire and Humberside regions, with branches also based in Hull, Leeds, York, Doncaster, Huddersfield, Harrogate and Grimsby. All Signs Express centres offer the benefits of shopping local, but because of the business' franchising model, it also offers the advantages that come from working with a UK wide organisation. When it came to signage, the survey revealed that despite our increasing reliance on digital marketing techniques to advertise our businesses, 82% of businesses revealed that signs, graphics and displays form an important part of their marketing activity. In fact, 100% of those surveyed in the Yorkshire and Humberside region said that premium quality and well maintained signage give an excellent first impression of a company. Carol Morris concluded: -The survey showed that professional signage is an integral part of most business' brand strategy, which means great things for the signs and graphics industry. Also, it revealed that Signs Express customers would not only use our services again, but would also recommend us to others. An impressive, 96% of participants would highly endorse our services and products, so we are immensely pleased that our hard work has paid off. For more information about the survey results or to find out more about Signs Express, please visit www.signsexpress.co.uk/sheffield