Frequently Asked Questions - About the Directory

When planning the directory, we did a lot of research into other online directories, and talked with countless folks from the City of Denver and State of Colorado about how we could identify and gather information for Colorado-based businesses.

And we discovered something with all that research: There IS no resource for identifying the kinds of businesses we consider local.

This reinforced why we think the directory is so important - most of us don't know which restaurants or shops are owned by our neighbors, and which are corporate chains. So we decided to use the best data we could find to seed our directory: business data from the Colorado Secreatary of State.

We've done our best to sift through the data and remove records that were obviously not local (by our definition) and terribly incomplete. But that's a huge task, and we would rather have launched with lots of info (and then improve upon it) than with very little data. So we're still working to improve our info, and you can definitely help.

There are currently over 430,000 business records in the directory.

wow!

We started the directory with information about Colorado-based companies from the Secretary of State's office. We've already found some errors, and are working to clean up the data as we go. You can help us by making sure your business listing is complete and up-to-date.

If your business is headquartered in Colorado, and not owned by a non-Colorado company or franchise, you can get your business listed in the directory.

We have two kinds of listings: Free Basic Listings and Expanded Listings. Find out more about these and how to get your business in the directory.

When we launched the directory, we used information from the Colorado Secretary of State's office. This data is limited and uses the name and address you used to incorporate your business. We're happy to update this info; simply click on the "Is this your company? Find out how you can enhance this listing for free!" link at the bottom of your listing and we'll call you to verify the new information you submit.

The Colorado Local First media campaign is all about raising awareness of the importance of local businesses, and providing resources for people to connect with locally-owned companies.

Now that the directory is online, we're pulling together the resources to unroll a fun media campaign leveraging traditional media (print ads, radio, billboards, etc) and grassroots methods to help spread the word. It takes cash and partnerships to do this effectively.

We already have media sponsorship from The Onion and Metromode Magazine, who are featuring regular print ads. Our partnerships with various city and non-profit organizations are helping to spread the word as well.

Our Colorado Local First t-shirts and stickers are being sold online, through member retail businesses, and at special community events.

There is much more we can and would like to do. And we probably can't do it all on our own.

You can help us spread the word.

Here are things you can do to build our Colorado Local First campaign:

1. Become a member of the Mile High Business Alliance as a business or individual. We are a grass-roots, member-driven organization, and this is the first way to get involved. Your participation not only means more connections and exposure for your business, but also builds the momentum we need to create a healthy, viable organization.
2. Make sure your business' profile is up-to-date and complete. Learn more about business listings and how to update them.
3. Create a user profile and start reviewing businesses. Invite people you know who would be interested in the directory, too.
4. Add the directory quicksearch to your web site. You can get the HTML here and add it easily to your own web site. Let us know when you've done this or if you have any questions.
5. Add a blurb to your newsletter or web site about what we're doing and why it's important. You can find an example here.
6. Attend a Mile High Business Alliance event, and bring a friend. Our community/social events are free, and are a great way to connect with other local businesses.
7. Sell some campaign t-shirts and stickers in your store. They're unique, they're inexpensive, and they're a great way to get people excited about Colorado Local First. Contact us if you'd like to carry Colorado Local First merchandise in your store.
8. Become an underwriter for the media campaign. With sponsorship levels starting at $1,000, you'll be promoted as a leader in the local business community and be providing the resources we need to expand the campaign. View more info about becoming a campaign underwriter.