5 Ways You Can Support Local Businesses In Your Neighborhood

Support Local Small Businesses In Your Neighborhood B4 They Are Gone...

By Yashashree Samant

Small local businesses need our support now more than ever. Small business is defined as having less than 500 employees, which represents 99% of all U.S. businesses. Over a year ago the world came to a standstill due to the Covid-19 global pandemic. Streets were no longer bustling with energy, restaurants were without giggling tables, and shops had closed their doors. What we thought would be a week or two of staying indoors has now eclipsed the one year mark, and among many victims that this pandemic has claimed is small businesses. 

What we also understood during this year is the need and strength of togetherness. A local small business already struggles at each step of the process and with added restrictions that struggle has only surged. So as a community it is now our collective responsibility to support these local businesses, not just for their survival, but for restoring our own economy. As an individual we often question how much we can do, so D.O.B is here to offer some tips on things that can be done by each of us to protect and support local businesses.

• Talk the Talk - Local and small businesses don’t have multi-million dollar advertising budgets and viral superbowl spots. They depend on their neighborhoods and goodwill to get the word out there about their products and services. As someone who spends hours scrolling on Instagram and sifting through Twitter, you can take a minute to follow these pages, interact with their content, perhaps even give them a quick shout out or a good review about a product purchase. Spreading awareness is always the first step.

• Walk the Walk - Practice what you preach. Shout-outs and engagement on social media can only go so far. In the end it comes down to actually making the purchase. Try to find small occasions, birthdays, holidays, graduations, or maybe simply a sunday brunch - where instead of ordering delivery from multinational e-commerce websites, you instead support a local neighborhood business. Not only does that earn you brownie points but you can also get unique locally sourced produce instead of products that are available a dime a dozen. 

• Bargain Not - Unlike the big fat cat companies who have millions of dollars at their disposal, local small businesses have small margins and very little wiggle room when it comes to pricing their goods. But a good product deserves a good price. While we all love finding discounts and hot deals, paying that extra dollar at your local coffee shop or clothing store not only helps support these local businesses but also supports the community as a whole.

• Lend a Hand - Business owners always need help and consultation, whether it is to click Instagram friendly pictures or legal and taxation consulting on how to maximize profits. No matter what your trade, you can offer some hours of your time to the small business near you without charge and earn some good karma in return. Ask around and be forthcoming, everyone needs a little extra help but can often be too shy to ask. Even just an hour on the weekend helps to support these local businesses more than you can imagine.

• Be Kind - A virus on the other side of the globe changed the world as we know it. Everything that was considered normal isn’t there anymore, the only way we find our way out of this is by being helpful and generous. Overlook tiny mistakes, go the extra mile, leave a larger tip and offer a kind look to these small businesses. After all, a little goodwill can go a long way.

At D.O.B we are partnering and supporting the growth of small businesses.