5 Ways to Support Small Business
As a small business owner, there are many ways I try to support other small businesses that I admire. Sometimes I feel like people in my network or friends and family are not sure how to support my small business other than booking a photoshoot, but this is far from the truth! There are many ways to show your love and support for a small business and I wanted to share some tips for you. Most of these tips take up just a little bit of time and are come at no cost to you, but offer tremendous value to the business owner.
Like, Subscribe, and Share
Many small businesses have a social media and online presence, and they will benefit tremendously from user engagement. So you can help out by liking, subscribing, and sharing a small business' social media pages and website. Look them up on Google and click on their website, believe me it helps! Post to your own social media page in support or share to a Facebook group. Anyone on the internet can do this, it takes a tiny bit of time, and it can support a small business tremendously
Skip Amazon, Try Etsy
Try shopping through platforms that connect customers with small business owners. Online platforms like Etsy, Storenvy, and Folksy are great for finding just about anything you may have on your gift lift for those special occasions. Small business owners use Amazon as well, but not everyone does and it may not be the most beneficial for some - so be sure to browse around a little before going directly to your regular shopping sites.
Review and Refer
The best gift you can give a business owner is a strong referral! Some of my best client's have been referrals and I couldn't be more grateful. A good review can go a long way and speaks to the credibility of a small business owner who probably doesn't have the marketing presence of stronger brands. So if you have purchased a product or service, be sure to leave a review of your experience! You can also ask the business owner which platform is best to leave a review, and I'm sure they will feel extremely grateful because some platforms give a better result than others for business owners. You can look up the business on Google, Yelp, Facebook, or even talk the time to send the business a client testimonial for them to use for promotion. This is a great gift, and it's completely free.
Word of Mouth
This tried and true method of spreading the word is invaluable in a time where people are consumed with social media online. We may neglect the in person touch but there are plenty of people who would love to know about a product or service who don't really use social media. So be sure to tell your friends, family, and network about a small business product or service that you love! The small business owner will appreciate it, especially if they happen to be local.
Grace and Patience
This is an important reminder that supporting a small business is not the same as supporting a well-known corporation where the CEO makes millions of dollars and has thousands of employees. Small businesses are single entrepreneurs, mom and pop shops, and your neighborhood handy man. Supporting a small business means supporting someone who is paying for college or helping a parent buy uniforms for their kid. Have grace and patience with small business owners who are more than likely trying to do their best to provide you with a great service or product, and are over the moon that you found out about them in the first place.