CHARLESTON, W.Va. — As the economy in West Virginia continues to reopen, the West Virginia Small Business Development Center (WV SBDC) is encouraging people to support small businesses through the “Come In, We’re Open” campaign which launched this week.

“The ‘Come In, We’re Open’ message is an invitation for West Virginians to head out into their communities and visit the small businesses found there,” said WV SBDC Director Debra Martin. “Throughout the pandemic, small business owners have adapted and persevered and continue to be the backbone of our economy. As West Virginia reopens, it’s critical that small businesses receive enough support to survive long term.”

The campaign will continue through September and includes several components produced by InnerAction Media, including a video, a downloadable sign and social media toolkit. There will also be opportunities for small businesses to be featured in the WV SBDC blog and social media pages.

“This project has potential to make a positive impact on the great small business community in West Virginia, and it was a privilege for the InnerAction team to produce these materials,” said Jim Matuga, president and founder of InnerAction Media. “To capture a variety of businesses, the video footage and photos were shot throughout the Mountain State in Charleston, Elkins, Morgantown, Bluefield, Buckhannon, Davis and Thomas, Fairmont, Berkeley Springs, Wheeling and Parkersburg.”

In addition to encouraging West Virginians to shop locally and visit storefronts, small business owners can also get involved in the campaign by displaying a “Come In, We’re Open” sign in their businesses’ windows and posting to social media with “#WeAreOpenWV.” The sign can be downloaded here, and examples of small business participation can be found in the campaign’s social media toolkit here.

“West Virginia is home to a diverse community of small businesses and business owners,” said Martin. “We wanted to capture this incredible diversity in the ‘Come In, We’re Open’ campaign materials and showcase the unique opportunities to shop small right here in West Virginia. Our hope is that people will stop to consider if the product or service they’re seeking can be found within a small, local business that truly needs and appreciates their patronage.”

More information and how to can get involved can be found online at wvsbdc.com/weareopenwv.