When it comes to shopping or looking for a business location, the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce wants you to “start here.”

The chamber and its Small Business Council on Wednesday launched “Start Here,” a new public awareness campaign aimed at keeping local money in the community.

We want to “let people know that the last thing they need to do is shop for a place to shop when they can start here, at home, in Lawrence,” said Maria Martin, a member of the Small Business Council and director of Downtown Lawrence Inc.

“Start Here” is an outgrowth of earlier “buy local” campaigns backed by the chamber, but the new effort is intended to go a bit further.

“Also, Start Here is a message for Lawrence residents and companies that are considering relocating or starting a business,” she said. “It’s easy. Start here, in Lawrence.”

The campaign was kicked off Wednesday evening with a mixer and trade show at Abe & Jake’s Landing in downtown.

At the event, chamber members and others were given a chance to see advertising materials and plans to get ideas about using “Start Here” in their own campaigns.

The logo for the campaign, which is a partnership between the chamber, Lawrence businesses and The World Company, is an arrow with the words “start here.”