WAYS TO SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES

With the increasing opportunities for entrepreneurs, we are witnessing the emergence of various small businesses. We have so many people around us who are working and building their business line from the scratch. With the evolution and dynamic nature of social media, everyone is being open to a plethora of platforms where they can express their creativity through small businesses.

Due to the ever-going pandemic across the globe, many people have switched to homegrown business options. The online platform is acting as a major support system for everyone who wants to carry on their business.

It doesn’t matter what age you are, what you are selling, or what is your target audience, the internet, and social media platforms have space for every aspiring entrepreneur. 

As a consumer, or being on the other side leaves us with a little responsibility that we have to fulfill from our end. Small businesses need constant encouragement to keep the business going. If you are someone from ‘the other side’ in this scenario, then this blog will show you ways to support small businesses.

Renowned brands and companies are known for fast fashion and fast selling products. Instead of shopping from them, you can try and shop local. Local stores and brands have plenty of distinctive products to offer. If you shop local, you will not only get to buy something new but also contribute to the sales of them. Repeated purchasing from these shops will build customer loyalty and prove that their sales are causing customer satisfaction. It is important!

The e-commerce market is huge and there are so many online websites that are functioning with the aid of customers.

Here are a few ways to support online website stores-

1. Become a member of the website/ create an account on their page.
2. Subscribe to their newsletters and magazine columns.
3. If they have specialized content, read through their blogs and leave a nice comment.
4. Acknowledge the ads that pop up on your screen.
5. Add to wishlist! Use this to show that you love their products.
6. If you have ordered anything from them, leave a review once you’ve received it.
7. Share the website/product links to your contacts.

Social media platforms are the next platform providers where operating and carrying out businesses has become easy and reliable. Let's talk about Instagram since currently it is the most trending and buzzing business app.

1. The very first and basic step is to follow the business accounts that you like.
2. Always ‘like’ their posts regardless of whether you want to purchase or not.
3. It is good to leave ‘comments’ under their posts from time to time.
4. Instagram has an option to ‘save’ a particular post, believe it or not, but saving does increase the reach of that page.
5. While purchasing from the page, make sure you talk nicely with the handlers, and in case of any queries feel free to drop a text in their DMS.
6. REELS! With the new feature on Instagram, thousands of small businesses have started making creative reels to show their products and promote their brand. It takes a lot of hard work to make reels and post content consistently, hence make sure you are ‘liking’, ‘commenting’, ‘saving’, and sharing their reels so that the Instagram algorithm aids the business to gain good views and followers on the page.
7. Write a positive review once you have received the product.
8. In case your purchase is not up to the mark or has come with any defects, revert to the brand in a polite way to get it changed. Sometimes things like these happen & there is no reason to criticize them.
9. A very personal way of showing support to your favorite Instagram business is by sharing their posts on your stories. The more people see it, the more the brand is supported.
10. Try not to bargain! As you know a small business does not have daily sales or fixed sales for that matter, avoid bargaining as their profits might not be equal to the amount of hard work they put in.
11. Appreciate their packaging.
12. Reach out! Keep checking up on small business owners. There is a lot on their plate. Be considerate and reach out in any way possible.

Support is not only by purchasing from a small business. It is much more than that. It costs nothing but a little time from your day to go ahead and lend your support as a customer from the other end. These were one of the many ways that you can do to help businesses. This blog has covered local shops, websites, and Instagram but we’re sure it has given you quite a lot of knowledge and now you know what to do!

We are also a small business brand running from home and trying to balance everything. As an entrepreneur it is our responsibility too, to stand up for other businesses. B2B is also essential as it builds a good community to work with.

This pandemic has also hampered the sales of many businesses, so why wait? Go ahead and show your support!