Supporting small, locally owned businesses in your neighborhood is part of being local. It entails doing your grocery shopping locally rather than at a national chain, dining at a family-run establishment rather than a fast-food chain, and making your purchases from a local business rather than an internet company.
But how can you aid a small company without spending a dime? Spreading the word is one strategy. Share their social media updates, write a glowing Yelp or Google review, and let your loved ones know what a wonderful experience you had at the neighborhood store. Word-of-mouth advertising for small businesses can be very effective.
Advocating for small businesses at the federal level is another approach to help them. There is always space for improvement, even though the government does offer some assistance to small enterprises in the form of loans and tax advantages. Speak with your elected officials in your area and ask them to support legislation that would help small businesses.
How then can we aid small and neighborhood businesses? Shopping locally is the simple solution. Make a deliberate effort to aid neighborhood small businesses. By doing this, you contribute to the local economy as well as community building and the preservation of your town or city’s distinctive character.
There are various ways you can support a friend who is launching a new business. Promote their company, offer to assist with marketing or promotions, or even start using their services. A new business can be intimidating to launch, but with community support, it can succeed.
To sum up, supporting small, locally owned companies in your neighborhood is part of being local. By doing this, you contribute to job creation and local economic growth while also preserving your town or city’s distinctive character. So the next time you need to make a purchase, think about doing so locally. Your neighborhood will be grateful to you.