The good news is that most cities are starting to open back up, which means stores and restaurants can welcome our families back in to eat and shop. At the same time, many of us are dealing with salary cuts, lost jobs, or job insecurity, which makes spending lots of money right now hard to do. Today I want to share a few ways you can support your favorite local small businesses WITHOUT dropping any cash.
#1: Did you know social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram only show 6% of a company’s posts to their followers? Crazy, right? If they have social media accounts, help them advertise for free by liking, sharing, commenting, pinning, or retweeting. Social media algorithms change all the time, and they often work against brands UNLESS you interact with your favorite shops (or bloggers, just sayin!) on a regular basis.
If the store, restaurant, or website is on Facebook, make sure their updates show up in your News Feed. Click here and let Facebook show you how.
#2: Write a review! Is there a certain dish at your local diner that makes your mouth water? Does your favorite local clothing store give exceptional customer service? SAY SO! Shoppers are quick to leave negative reviews when their expectations aren’t met but rarely do happy clients take time out of their day to gush about a great experience. Not only will a good review lift the shop owner’s spirits (at a time when she probably needs it most), others will see your review and be more inclined to visit the store.
#3: Donate your expertise. Are you a marketing whiz? Are you good at accounting? To survive this crisis, many businesses have had to cut operations to the bone and do everything themselves. If you have some extra time, reach out and see how you can help.
What do you think? Comment here (yes, we actually read these)!