Ways to Support a Small Business
Small businesses are the lifeblood of the U.S. economy. Did you know that small businesses create ⅔’s of net new jobs in the U.S? In 2019, a report showed that they account for 44% of the U.S. economy. Supporting them helps us all win! The big corporate companies tend to scoop up a large market share due to their streamlined processes and built-out sales funnels that make experiences seamless for the consumer, but the underdogs here are the little guys. It’s so important to keep local or small businesses in mind when spending your hard-earned income! Every purchase you make is contributing to something or someone, so think about what companies you might be supporting with your dollars. Here are a few ways to support small businesses.
Buy
Of course, buying is the most obvious and direct way to support a business. Consider reviewing your purchasing habits. If you typically buy certain items from big retailers, try going through your social media and finding some new small businesses to buy those same items from, or hitting up a local farmer’s market and selecting a small business you find there to buy from instead. Making a conscious effort to switch from buying from big retailers to buying from smaller companies helps keep the lights on for so many up-and-coming businesses that really depend on every sale they can get. For example, if you normally go grocery shopping at a grocery store, you can decide to go to a farmer’s market to get your eggs and produce instead. Or if you normally get clothes from big fast-fashion retailers, switch it up and try out shopping at a second-hand, thrift or vintage store instead. There are also some great online businesses using quality manufacturers to make their apparel - try choosing a smaller online boutique to support for your next workout clothes purchase!
Refer Them
This is probably one of the best ways you can help support a business - refer them! If you love a brand, don’t just keep it to yourself. Tell your friends, your family, your coworkers, or even that stranger who passed you on the street or who DM’ed you and asked “Where did you get that?” Small businesses are normally fighting tooth and nail to stay above the profit line. Their goal is always to grow their customer base and get more buyers, so every time you tell someone about a business, there’s a chance you may be helping them do that.
Support Them on Social Media
Social media is a great way to show small businesses some love - and it’s free and easy, which might be the best part! It’s even more exposure than wearing the clothes because people from all over the world could potentially see the clothes, accessories, jewelry or makeup - depending on your followers and reach. To get more eyeballs on that cute merch, rock the looks in your social media page, tag the company and maybe even throw in a caption about how much you love them.
Rock Their Looks
Show those clothing, jewelry, makeup or accessory companies some love! Wearing the items from the businesses you shop from is the ultimate promo! It puts those brands in front of anyone who might meet or see you, giving those items more exposure and more of a chance to grow.
Leave Feedback
Lastly, leave a review. Did you love that vegan candle you bought? Do you use those essential oils in your diffuser every day? Won’t stop getting compliments when you wear those cute printed yoga pants or leggings to class? Write about it! A lot of new customers go to the comments sections, the review sites, Google and Facebook reviews sections when scoping out a company. Depending on if the reviews are good or bad will sometimes make or break their decision to either make a purchase or pass. Leave a review and you might be helping that company make a sale!
