Supporting small businesses
Every entrepreneur has to start somewhere. We all start with a business plan and a structure. We need to make the first years count as they set the tone for the future. Some businesses grow into larger companies, but no all. And while others chose to remain small, all add variety and innovation to their local communities.
2020 has not been an easy year for small business owners. So, if you ever wanted to make a statement about helping your community, this is the right time. By only making a few small changes, you can support small local business owners get through the crisis.
This does not mean you need to invest financially in a business of your choosing. There are other ways to support such as:
1. Follow and Like on social media
Social media is a very powerful tool in 2020 as everything is moving in the virtual world. Using this to support a small local business is ideal. Follow, like or share their pages in order to raise their visibility. There might be people that never heard of them and would be interested in their products.
With all the virtual movement, local businesses don’t have to be “local” anymore and could reach a larger audience online.
2. Write a positive review
Happy with your purchase? Leave a comment on their social media page or a review on their website. If possible attach photos of the product, as people like visuals and algorithms will rate your comment/review higher.
3. Recommend to friends and family
If you used them before and were happy with their products why not recommend them to your friends and family?
We are all looking for trustworthy sellers or handymen and sometimes they are hard to come by. Word of mouth is still a very powerful tool - this is how I found my mentor coach and this is the same way I found my first clients in my coaching business.
4. Leave a tip
Tips are pretty standard in hospitality venues. Why not leave one with your local butcher? Or you little corner shop? This does not need to be a huge amount, but even that extra pound or two can go a long way, if more people would do it.
5. Give bigger projects to small companies
A big project is a great gift for a small business owner. It will help them from worrying about their immediate finances. Also, big projects will require more working hours and an upfront deposit, and that can make the difference between stability and constant worry. To help you with the delegation of tasks you find more here.
6. Allow more time
During the pandemic, the majority of people are working from home, and that is not always the most productive environment. Lots of entrepreneurs are finding it hard to focus and get into a rhythm right now and are still adapting to the remote working environment. Extending their deadlines can be a good way to help them out.
If your work is not urgent, allow those extra few days, allow the buffer time and be sympathetic.
7. Extend payment deadlines or plans
Payment schedules are a standard tool business owners use to keep their contractors and service providers up to date within the finance department. Right now, small businesses are trying to keep up with regular payments although having less income. You can support them by allowing them more time to pay their invoices. For example, you might want to divide their invoice into 2 payments.
Of course, not by putting your own business at risk. But if you have a buffer you can rely on and where possible, now is the time to show up in the partnership and invest in your professional relationships.
We are all going through a very hard period, from a social, health and financial perspective, so giving a hand to our fellow entrepreneurs will prove we are human, we care and we are a supporting partner.