5 Easy Ways to Support Small Businesses for Free

If you’re anything like me, you love the convenience of two-day shipping, groceries being delivered, and the ease of virtually any item you love being rush-delivered to your doorstep all with one press of a button. But, something strange happened over the past few months that changed my mind on how I value convenience over genuine human interaction.

To give you some context, I will share a short backstory. My mother is originally from the Philippines. She moved here a little over thirty years ago leaving behind her family and all of their traditions. This past Christmas, I wanted to do something small yet special to help lift her spirits, so I decided to purchase her a pillow with the Filipino Christmas Star. I found the perfect throw pillow on an Etsy store, and I knew she would love it. When it arrived, it came wrapped in a vintage, floral tissue paper and had a handwritten note thanking me for my purchase. Giving this small item to my mother brought her so much joy, and it made me feel so appreciative of this shop owner. It reminded me how powerful genuine human interaction can be.

In today’s busy society, we are always in such a rush. But what if we slowed down the pace of our lives even just a little? We could support our friends, families, and neighbors that own small businesses and be an ally to our communities. More than ever, we need to support small businesses and uplift women in business. There are so many ways we can support small businesses for FREE. Here are a few ways I will be showing my support, and I hope these will help you do the same:

Here are five simple ways to support small businesses for free

1. Promote a small business on your social media accounts.

When used effectively, social media marketing can be a great tool to drive traffic to your business. Even if your friend’s business is not directly a product or service you may use or need at the moment, there may be a follower of yours who does. It is so easy to share a post or create a short post for your friends in business. Use the power of social media to help them gain new customers or remind current customers to order again. For the best results, here are a few ways to promote on each platform:

• Instagram: Create an Instagram story by sharing the product or service your friend provides. For the ultimate effectiveness, try to share their business once a month. The marketing rule of 7 states that potential customers have to see an advertisement an average of seven times before taking action.
• Facebook: Share and re-post their posts showcasing their products or services. Facebook is especially effective for helping local businesses since the large majority of friends on this platform are people you know personally and live nearby as opposed to other social media apps.
• Twitter: Share on Twitter for friends who are selling goods and have the ability to ship products. Keep in mind that this platform gives a very short time for users to make an impact. Add a video or picture in order for your quick promo to stand out.

Every opportunity you have to promote a friend’s business venture, take it! This small gesture goes a long way.

2. Tap into the power of word of mouth marketing.

Use every opportunity you have to promote your friend’s small business. If you are having a conversation with a stranger at the grocery store, let them know your friend has a business that can provide a solution to their problem. Ask your friends to give you business cards and keep a few in your wallet to hand out when opportunities present themselves.

3. Provide honest feedback for your friend’s small business.

As a small business owner, you don’t have the luxury of having a large team to bounce ideas off of. Take a moment to give feedback on marketing strategies that are working or how they can improve and make necessary adjustments. If you can think of a way to improve the efficiency of a process, don’t be afraid to speak up. Sometimes, a small process change could save time and money. An outsider’s perspective can provide so much value.

Also, if you do purchase a product from a small business, make sure to take the time to leave a review on their website, Facebook page, or Etsy store. I know from my experience, I use customer reviews as a huge factor to determine if I will purchase a product. Reviews are a great tool for feedback.

4. Donate your time to help.

One of the setbacks small business owners face is the turnaround time to produce, package, and ship items. Donating even an hour of time to help with packaging or assembling items will go a long way.

Also, if you are a professional in another area (a lawyer, an accountant, social media strategist), pick one or two small businesses a year to offer consultation services. There is no greater joy you’ll get than helping others and having the peace of mind that your support and time will make a true difference and impact others positively.

5. Give encouragement to a small business owner and do it often.

When you run a small business, you are your own marketing team, the accounting department, and the manufacturer and service provider. You are wearing SO many hats, and at times, it can be exhausting. Remind your friends running small business that what they are doing is making a difference and important. Send them uplifting words and let them know they’re appreciated. A little encouragement makes a huge difference, and it will be the driving factor for many small business owners to keep going. Your support will mean so much.

Lastly, if you have the means, please consider buying ONE item from a small business this year. With online marketplaces for homemade goods, like Etsy and Facebook Marketplace, and Instagram, we can truly make a difference AND build a true human connection with the people creating the items we love.

While we can certainly enjoy the convenience of the modern-day marketplace, please consider using one of these tips to support your local small business owners. Together, we will help build each other up one small business sale at a time!

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