Local businesses thrive on community relationships. In Gloucester, independent shops, cafes, and services often rely on personal connections and visibility to attract customers. While social media and online advertising play a role, physical print materials such as stickers and flyers remain vital tools for small businesses trying to stand out. These items are affordable, tangible, and easy to distribute – qualities that make them highly effective in building familiarity and trust with residents.

The use of print in small business promotion is not new, but it continues to deliver results. Stickers on packaging, flyers in mailboxes, and posters in shop windows create daily reminders of a business’s presence. 

 “For local businesses, a simple flyer or sticker can leave a lasting impression. It’s not just marketing – it’s a way to stay visible in the community,” said a spokesperson for Jukeboxprint.com, a Canadian vendor specializing in custom stickers and labels. 

But let’s get into the options that SMBs have in Gloucester.

Flyers for Promotions and Events

Flyers remain one of the most cost-effective ways to reach people locally. Whether tucked into mailboxes, handed out at farmers markets, or pinned to community boards, they help businesses spread information about special promotions, sales, or events. A well-designed flyer with bold text and clear graphics catches attention quickly.

For Gloucester’s small businesses, flyers are often used to advertise seasonal discounts, new product launches, or neighborhood activities. Because they are easy to distribute in bulk, flyers ensure wide coverage without significant cost. Even in an age of digital communication, many residents respond to a printed piece they can hold in their hands.

Stickers as Mini Billboards

Stickers serve a dual purpose: they brand packaging and provide free advertising when customers reuse them. A coffee shop handing out logo stickers may see them displayed on laptops, water bottles, or cars. Every time someone sees that sticker, the business gains exposure.

Businesses in Gloucester often use stickers to seal bags, decorate takeaway cups, or reward loyal customers. Die cut stickers shaped to match a company logo or product design are particularly effective in drawing attention. Kiss cut sheets, on the other hand, allow for multiple designs on one backing sheet, making them versatile for giveaways.

The table below compares how stickers and flyers each contribute to local business promotion.

Together, these tools give small businesses multiple avenues to connect with Gloucester residents in ways that feel immediate and personal.

Visibility in Local Gatherings

Gloucester hosts numerous community events throughout the year, from craft fairs to seasonal festivals. For small businesses, these gatherings are opportunities to meet potential customers face-to-face. Stickers and flyers are perfect for these settings. A flyer advertising a store’s discount or a sticker handed out at a festival can remind attendees of the business long after the event ends.

Stickers in particular have staying power. A parent may give a sticker to a child at a fair, and that child proudly displays it on a notebook or water bottle. In this way, the business’s name continues to circulate beyond the event itself.

Affordable Marketing for Small Budgets

Marketing budgets for small businesses are often tight, which makes cost-effective strategies essential. Flyers and stickers are inexpensive compared to digital ads or large-scale campaigns. They require no monthly fees or complex tracking, yet they provide measurable benefits through increased foot traffic and brand recognition.

To illustrate, consider that producing 500 flyers typically costs less than running a single sponsored online ad targeting the same neighborhood. Stickers, meanwhile, can be ordered in bulk at a low price and distributed gradually, extending their value over time.

Here is a cost-to-value comparison for typical print materials:

The affordability of print makes it possible for small businesses to stay active in their communities without overspending.

Design Choices That Resonate Locally

Effective design is essential for print materials to succeed. Gloucester businesses often incorporate local references – landmarks, colors, or phrases – into their flyers and stickers. These touches resonate with residents by creating a sense of familiarity.

For example, a seafood restaurant might include imagery of Gloucester Harbor, while a retail shop could highlight the town’s historic roots. Aligning print design with local culture makes the material more memorable and relevant to the people receiving it.

Building Familiarity and Trust

Consistency is another key factor. When businesses use the same logos, colors, and fonts across all printed materials, residents begin to recognize them more easily. Over time, this familiarity fosters trust. A flyer in a mailbox or a sticker on a takeaway bag becomes more than just an advertisement – it becomes a symbol of reliability.

Trust is particularly valuable for small businesses competing with larger chains. Residents often prefer to support local establishments, but recognition and trust help drive repeat visits. Flyers and stickers support this process by keeping businesses visible in everyday life.

Practical Examples from Gloucester

Several types of businesses benefit from stickers and flyers in Gloucester. Cafes distribute branded stickers with coffee purchases, encouraging customers to share the brand outside the shop. Local service providers such as plumbers or landscapers leave flyers in neighborhoods to advertise seasonal offers. Retail stores hand out stickers to children while also placing flyers on bulletin boards to announce sales.

These practical strategies demonstrate how print adapts to different industries while maintaining its effectiveness. Whether used for direct promotion, packaging, or giveaways, stickers and flyers offer small businesses accessible ways to connect with their community.

Closing Thoughts

Small businesses in Gloucester understand that community connection is essential. While digital tools extend reach, print materials such as stickers and flyers create a tangible presence that residents notice and remember. Affordable, adaptable, and long-lasting, they continue to serve as reliable marketing tools.

By integrating stickers and flyers into their strategies, Gloucester’s small businesses can strengthen relationships with residents, build familiarity, and keep their presence alive in the community.

Images by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images (FG), Dinendra Haria/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images (BG

 

By Andrew Chapados, Blaze Media

An Ohio barista was fired after she wrote a disparaging message on a customer’s cup.

Since Charlie Kirk’s murder, a video of a young woman asking him what he orders at Starbucks has gone viral. Kirk revealed in the video that due to his frequent speaking engagements, he orders “literally just Mint Majesty tea with two honeys” to preserve his speaking voice.

Starbucks called the writing on the cup ‘unacceptable.’

Since then, Americans have honored the late activist by ordering his favorite drink at their local Starbucks. In Middletown, Ohio — the hometown of Vice President JD Vance — a woman said her local Starbucks proved to her exactly why she does not frequent the business.

“The girl at Starbucks thought she was cute,” wrote Autumn Perkins. The customer added that even though she is not a big fan of the company, she decided to support Kirk by ordering his favorite drink.

Attached to Perkins’ Facebook post was a photo of her coffee cup that showed the words “racists fav drink” written on it.

“Thank you Starbucks for proving to me exactly why I prefer to support my small local Christian owned and operated coffee shop,” Perkins added.

However, after revealing she had complained to the store manager, Perkins said she heard back from the location the following morning.

The Kroger in which the Starbucks is located contacted Perkins to let her know the employee had been fired, she claimed.

“Between last night and this morning I have had several Kroger employees reach out to me and they took this very seriously. As a long time customer of this particular Kroger location I am pleased with the way they quickly reacted and responded,” the customer wrote. “Thank you Kroger for doing what was right.”

A Kroger spokesperson provided comment to the Cincinnati Enquirer and stated the actions of the former employee do not reflect the grocer’s values.

In a comment to Fox News Digital, Starbucks called the writing on the cup “unacceptable.”

“We have clear policies that prohibit negative messages to help preserve a welcoming environment,” Starbucks added. The company also confirmed the employee in question had been fired by Kroger.

Typically, Starbucks baristas write the customer’s name on the drink, and while it is unclear if Perkins requested her own name or Kirk’s, the latter gesture has also become popular enough that Starbucks released a statement about it.

Videos have circulated showing Starbucks customers not only ordering Kirk’s favorite drink, but asking for his name to be written on their cup.

Starbucks said it had reviewed some incidents of customers claiming rude messages had been written on their cups instead, but in at least one instance, the message was written after the customer received the drink.

Nonetheless, Starbucks has plainly stated that “when a customer wants to use a different name — including the name Charlie Kirk — when ordering their drink in our café, we aim to respect their preference.”

by University of California San Diego

New study confirms the presence of xylazine on the U.S.-Mexico border, posing numerous health risks for people in the region

Newswise — Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, in collaboration with the Prevencasa free clinic in Tijuana, Mexico, have confirmed the presence of xylazine in the illicit drug supply at the U.S.-Mexico border. While xylazine remains less common in the Western U.S., border cities serve as key trafficking hubs and may have higher rates of emerging substances. The findings, published on March 20, 2025 in the Journal of Addiction Medicine, highlight the urgent need for public health intervention.

“Xylazine is a veterinary anesthetic that is not approved for human use and is increasingly detected alongside illicit fentanyl in parts of the United States and Canada,” said senior author Joseph R. Friedman, M.D., Ph.D., a resident physician in the Department of Psychiatry at UC San Diego School of Medicine. “Although xylazine has been most prevalent on the East Coast of the United States, this new evidence confirms its presence in Tijuana, on the U.S.-Mexico border, posing numerous health risks for people in this region.”

The study analyzed de-identified records of 23 users from Prevencasa, examining urine and paraphernalia samples from individuals who reported using illicit opioids within the past 24 hours. Researchers used test strips to screen for xylazine, along with other drugs such as fentanyl, opiates and methamphetamine. Paraphernalia samples were further analyzed using mass spectrometry.

Key findings include:

• Xylazine was detected in 82.6% of participant urine samples using Wisebatch test strips and in 65.2% using SAFElife test strips.
• Paraphernalia testing confirmed xylazine in 52.2% of samples via mass spectrometry, along with fentanyl (73.9%), fluorofentanyl (30.4%), tramadol (30.4%) and lidocaine (30.4%).
• 100% of participants’ urine tested positive for fentanyl.

Xylazine is associated with severe health risks, including profound sedation, more complex withdrawal syndromes, and a heightened risk of skin infections and wounds. Given Tijuana’s strategic location as a transit point for illicit drugs entering the U.S., researchers caution that xylazine prevalence could soon rise in Southern California and beyond.

“This study underscores the importance of expanding drug-checking efforts in border regions,” Friedman added. “Our findings also support the use of xylazine test strips as a harm reduction tool, providing people who use drugs and healthcare providers with critical information about exposure risks.”

A previous study published in the Harm Reduction Journal demonstrated that individuals can use fentanyl test strips to check their own drug supply before consumption. While further research is needed to standardize xylazine testing methods, the results highlight the rapidly evolving landscape of drug-checking technologies and the need for public health agencies to adapt accordingly.

Additionally, researchers noted a high prevalence of lidocaine in Tijuana’s illicit fentanyl supply, which may interfere with xylazine test strip accuracy. More studies are needed to understand why lidocaine is being added and how it affects drug-checking reliability.

Larger studies are required to further assess xylazine’s spread and refine testing methods. Researchers advocate for increased surveillance, harm reduction strategies, and clinical awareness to mitigate the emerging risks posed by xylazine in the illicit drug supply.

Additional co-authors on the study include: Alejandro G. Montoya, M.D., Carmina Ruiz, Mariana A. Gonzalez Tejeda, R.N., Luis A. Segovia, B.S. and Lilia Pacheco Bufanda from Prevencasa A.C. in Tijuana. Morgan E. Godvin, B.A. and Chelsea L. Shover, Ph.D. from UCLA Department of Internal Medicine. Edward Sisco, Ph.D., Elise M. Pyfrom, B.S. and Meghan G. Appley, Ph.D. from the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

The study was funded, in part, by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (DA049644) and (K01DA050771) as well as the National Institute of Mental Health (MH101072).