Ways that you can support small businesses right now
It takes at least 28 days to form a habit. Try including some of these ways of supporting small businesses into your days and before you know it, it’ll be second nature.
By Nicki Cawood
They say that it can take twenty-eight days of doing something regularly to make it a habit.
Supporting small businesses has never been so important and so I’m asking you to consider joining others in giving business owners a hand up. Do something every day to support a small business. If you run a business yourself, share this with your networks. You’ll know more than most how important it is.
Why We Should Support Small Businesses
There are many benefits to supporting small businesses. According to the National Federation of Self Employed & Small Businesses (FSB), approximately 5.82 small businesses are trading in the UK right now. These businesses represent a hugely positive impact on the economy. This alone should be motivation enough to shop with an independent business or use the services of a freelancer.
When you support small businesses you not only support the economy, you enable those running these enterprises to support themselves and achieve their dreams and goals.
Take a few minutes out of your day to try some of these tips below and when buying items or employing services, always consider using small businesses first.
Buy Small, Buy Local
If you have a high street full of independent shops and markets full of traders with delicious and interesting wares, this is where you should be spending your money. There are plenty of online businesses to consider too.
Choose unique handcrafted pieces for gifts, support an artist by buying something for your home, and prioritise self-employed individuals when looking for services – be this business support or something more holistic. Make it a habit to always consider shopping small and/or buying local whenever you can.
Leave Testimonials and Reviews
If you want to support your local florist or the gift shop you love online, write them a review or testimonial. Positive feedback can make all the difference when it comes to building a business reputation. Ask before you leave your review where it would do the most use, i.e. on their Facebook page, Google or somewhere else like TrustPilot.
Use Your Social Media Network
You don’t have to dig into your purse to support a business. Use your social media instead. Engage with a business page more, tell your friends and family about their service and share pictures of your favourite products. Tell the world when someone self-publishes a book, adds a new service or starts a podcast.
Make Changes to How You Shop
Make it a point to take your reusable bag into town to shop at independent shops or via online traders whenever you can. Buy gift vouchers from them to give as gifts, putting more money in the till and introducing others to what they offer. Consider freelancers for business services and self-employed sellers for everything from refillable cleaning products to skincare. Shopping around to consider small businesses will open your eyes up to a wealth of new products and services that you would miss out on otherwise.
In Conclusion
Do something every day to support a small business. Make this your new positive habit. Not only is this great karma, but it will also make a real difference to someone else. Be genuine and transparent when doing this. Don’t leave reviews for businesses you haven’t used as this is counter-productive, despite you having the best of intentions. Doing this dilutes the trust that people have in online reviews.
Make supporting small businesses your new normal. It’s a great thing to do.
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