Based on projections from the National Retail Federation (NRF), Fayetteville, North Carolina consumers are on track to spend $6.2-billion with retailers by the end of this year. This would be 13.5% higher than was spent in 2020.

To earn a significant share of these retail dollars, Fayetteville area business owners are expected to spend $108-million to advertise by year's end, according to Borrell Associates. This company tracks advertising expenditures in local markets across the U.S.

To ensure they are spending their advertising and marketing dollars wisely, many Fayetteville business owners research how to best target prospective customers by using local media. An exceptional resource for local business owners to investigate the media habits of localconsumers is on the advice section of AdvertiseInFayetteville.com.  

Here are the top five most-read articles on the site in 2021:

Based on information from the National Retail Foundation, Fayetteville consumers will be spending $11 million on Halloween this year. 

Typically, 80% of all Halloween shopping, according to the NRF, will occur between now and October 16.  The remaining dollars will be spent in the last 14 days leading up to the holiday.

Nearly 53% of consumers in the Fayetteville are expected to participate in Halloween this year, each spending, on average, about $86.  This money will go towards the purchase of candy, decorations, costumes, pumpkins, and greeting cards.

Almost every type of small business in Cumberland and Robeson County enjoys a taste of this spending. This includes hardware stores, convenience stores, craft stores, fabric stores, thrift stores, florists, card stores, consignment shops, haunted houses, home decor store, bakeries, and, of course, candy stores.

To claim a significant share of this Halloween cash will require local small business owners to advertise.  The key to successful advertising is reaching as many Halloween shoppers as possible over the next four weeks.

After years of robust growth, there are some signals that point to an impending economic downturn. It is a part of the American business cycle. There have actually been more recessions in the United States than presidents (47 vs. 45).

A recession is a period of declining economic performance across an entire economy, frequently measured as two consecutive quarters. In other words: it's a time when most Fayetteville small business owners sell fewer of their goods and services.

What a recession isn't is a time for Fayetteville business owners to stop advertising.

Henry Ford once said, "The man who stops advertising to save money is like the man who stops the clock to save time." There are many examples of companies that have proven this aphorism to be true.

Your breakfast cereal may be one example.