There Are Many Ways to Show Support for Small Businesses in Your Community

By Heather Simecek

Now, more than ever, showing support for small businesses can benefit them in the long run. Shopping at your favorite local store often is the best way to support them, but that is not always possible. You may not have the time to go, or you may not need to purchase anything from them at the moment. Whatever the reason may be, there are many other ways to support a local store, agency, restaurant, or operation without spending a dime. Here are four easy ways you can support your favorite small business this year:

Option 1: Write a Review

Sharing your experience with a company or service is so important to businesses. Leaving a review can be a deciding factor for someone else to visit the company or decide to purchase something from them. Most customers will look through reviews before making purchases, and a review that you leave could be the deciding factor for more customers to shop and support a small business. It’s easy to leave a positive review about a specific product, service, or employee to help boost the company’s rating. Common places to leave a review include Google, Yelp, and Facebook.

Option 2: Like, Share, & Comment on Posts

Social Media is essential to small businesses. Actively sharing, liking, or leaving comments can significantly impact their page and potentially bring in new customers. When scrolling across social media, take a few seconds to share a post that interests you from your favorite store or service. This helps new audiences to see their content and spread their information to potential new customers. When you engage with a post by sharing or leaving a comment, it helps a company be seen across social media by new audiences and boosts their posts to show up more often across social media in general. By taking the time to leave a comment or like a post, you are helping them be active and seen online!

Option 3: Refer a Friend

When you have a conversation with someone or come across a post on social media, think of those small businesses that you know and love and refer them to potential new customers. Word-of-mouth referrals are still the most trusted way of trying something new. A similar comment about an experience that you enjoyed or a good product can lead to friends shopping there in the future.

Option 4: Subscribe to Newsletter or Email Content

Staying up to date on local businesses from emails or a monthly newsletter supports them with the latest news, range of products, or upcoming events right to your email. When reading a newsletter, you are still supporting a local business by engaging in its content. Emails are traditionally more informative than simple posts on social media and are more customized to you!

The Importance of Supporting Local Companies

Without support from the community and customers, local business owners will continue to struggle to remain open. Taking the time to support a small business is essential. Local businesses benefit the economy, give people jobs by hiring employees, and offer goods and products to your community. It is essential to do your part to continue to support local business owners to live out their dreams daily. When you take the time to support your favorite business, you are helping them thrive and be their best! Despite our best efforts, we still have the resources to help companies to succeed. Please take a moment to show your support for a local business by giving them a chance to be heard.