IDEAS/INSPIRATION
Simple Ways We Can Support Small Businesses Impacted by COVID-19
There are numerous ways everyone can play a part in helping local and independent businesses right now
“60 to 80% of all new jobs come from small businesses.” — U.S. Small Business Association
“For every $100 spent at local small businesses, $68 returns to the community.” — Civic Economics
“70% of small businesses are owned and operated by a single person.” — U.S. Small Business Association Office of Advocacy
The Covid 19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc on small businesses. Around 200,000 U.S. small businesses have permanently closed their doors due to the pandemic.
We can all rally together to help local small businesses in our community. All it takes is a little time and effort on our part.
Ways Our Family Helps Small Businesses
As a family, we support small businesses in our community in several ways.
- I patronize a woman-owned small beauty salon as well as a woman-owned small day spa. My daughter is presently assisting the day spa owner with her social media presence to expand her business.
- We always purchase all our family birthday cakes and baked goods from a couple of family-owned and operated bakeries and home catering services.
- Our handyman operates a one-person business and takes care of all our home improvements and repairs.
- We also frequent independently owned restaurants over the larger chain restaurants as much as possible.
Ways You Can Help Small Businesses
Here are several ways you can help support small businesses.
- Purchase gift certificates to be used at a later date.
- Order takeout or delivery directly from the website of local restaurants instead of using third-party apps, which can take up to 30 percent of the commission.
- Leave a generous tip.
- Tell your friends and acquaintances about your favorite small businesses.
- Do at least some, if not most, of your shopping at a mom-and-pop shop over Amazon or Walmart or a big box store. I prefer the personal touch afforded by the small business over Amazon any day.
- Share your favorite small business with your followers on social media and tag the business.
- Post a picture on social media with a shout-out to the business. This is an easy way to help out. When we catered from our favorite home-based catering business for a graduation party at our home, we gave them a shout-out on social media.
- Take virtual exercise classes. I took virtual yoga lessons with my instructor during the lockdown.
- Write positive reviews on Yelp for local businesses to help promote the business and spread the word.
- Purchase merchandise from the business. We purchased pottery-to-go kits from our local pottery studio and hosted a backyard pottery painting get-together for my daughter’s friends.
Final Thoughts
Since I aim to practice what I preach, I am trying to implement even more of these tips into our lifestyle.
As Anna Lappe so eloquently stated:
“Every time you spend money, you are casting a vote for the kind of world you want.”
What are some of the ways you support small businesses? Please share your thoughts in the comments.
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