Dubbo Chamber of Commerce president Matt Wright has urged the city's businesses to jump aboard campaigns promoting products from retailers in drought-hit communities to metro shoppers.
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Mr Wright said some of the results from the Buy from the Bush movement on social media had been "staggering" and the public had embraced it quickly.
The brainchild of Grace Brennan of the Warren district, its Facebook page has attracted more than 55,000 followers in less than two weeks and boosted trade for stores across the region.
The government also launched its Buy Regional online hub on Monday to showcase regional products in the lead-up to Christmas.
Mr Wright said it was overwhelmingly positive and there was potential in the campaigns for the city's retailers to capture trade from out of town.
"We really want to say to Dubbo businesses, find a way to be involved in some of these campaigns," he said.
"...So there's numerous events that are on, but we'd urge businesses to find a way to get involved and get their name in among the list of businesses that are participating so that they can take advantage of this stream of business that comes in from out of town."
Mr Wright encouraged any businesses that did not have an online presence to add it to their offering.
"So it is a really good lesson for businesses to get that digital footprint and be ready not just for your physical shoppers walking through the door, but your online shoppers that are willing to purchase from their own loungerooms in some other part of the country or the world for that matter," he said.
The chamber president was not altogether surprised by the response to Buy from the Bush.
"We've been talking about the effects of drought for quite a while, and I think people are looking at ways to try to help, whether they donate money or they send clothes or send food, I think people are just looking for a way to try to help," Mr Wright said.
"So certainly the fact people are willing to utilise the Buy from the Bush campaign and be involved with it doesn't surprise me.
"Social media obviously plays a massive part in the success of these types of campaigns, and the success of this has ridden off the back of a huge wave of exposure through social media."
Mrs Brennan has encouraged stores and creators in drought-affected areas to use the hashtag buyfromthebush, and it's at no cost to them.
Businesses wishing to be involved in the government's Buy Regional campaign can do so for free by registering online at www.nsw.gov.au/buyregional
Faye Wheeler
I have been a journalist for more than a decade and in that time I have been keeping Daily Liberal readers up to date about issues affecting them and what's happening in their community. Throughout my career I have covered a range of rounds and most recently I have been focusing on the business round.
I have been a journalist for more than a decade and in that time I have been keeping Daily Liberal readers up to date about issues affecting them and what's happening in their community. Throughout my career I have covered a range of rounds and most recently I have been focusing on the business round.
