Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Input Needed - Why Buy American?

I am writing a speech for Toastmasters that I am giving Thursday, June 12th. Oh my! Where did the time go? I need your honest input. Give me your best reasons for buying American made products, rather than imports. What reasons really compell you to choose American over the imports?

I am off to a yoga clinic this morning. I'll be back around noon and expect my inbox to be filled with lots of inspiring comments so I can wrap up this speech and start practicing it!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a great opportunity Kandas! I'd love to give this speech. I'm very passionate about buying American...especially in the last couple of years. Why? Here's my list of both personal and professional reasons:

1) It's the economy. The more we support both small and large US companies, more money stays in our country.
2) Small businesses (like Comfy Cozy and other "SW" companies will only survive with US consumers - we don't sell overseas and don't get foreign business. Without the support of American consumers, we won't be in business.
3) Jobs. We buy from American companies, they grow, they hire more Americans to work.
4) Yikes! but it's so much cheaper to buy products made overseas. Maybe, but if more of us buy American, we may see a shift in our economy which will allow US companies to reduce prices because our costs won't be so high.
5) Future. We want our children to believe in the "American dream" of owning your own company. Following their dreams to create, make and sell something here in the US, not to grow up in a country that depends/relies on other countries for so many products.
I think that boils down to "good ole American ingenuity"!
6) It just makes me feel good to know that when I buy something from an American company that someone just like me is sitting at home, working at home (or in an office) and that my purchase was important to them. Maybe it helps them employ another American or helps send their kid to summer camp. Every order I receive makes my day, makes me proud that I created my own company, makes me stand a little taller knowing that there are customers out there willing to support me.

Sometimes there are no choices, but to buy foreign products. I do. And it's ok, but given the choice, I'll buy American every time.

Bottom line, as the song goes, "I'm proud to be an American" and am proud to own a company that sells products 100% made in America.

Good luck tomorrow night!

Stitchen - Custom Embroidery said...

Oh my gosh Peggy, I could not have said it any better. I will be speaking on this topic at a business meeting this month also. Every point you mentioned was already on my list.
I believe in America and I will always, when given the opportunity, support an American company and a small business owner.

Lynn - the piggy bank painter said...

quality
supporting small businesses
Hmmm...I'll keep thinking.

Kandas | GratitudeGeek said...

Thanks for the input everyone. When the speech is written I'll post it here. Just like a WAHM to not have time until the LAST MINUTE to get something done! Smooches.