6 Ways to Support Small Businesses Without Spending a Dime
You don’t have to spend money to support small businesses! There are free ways to help out your favorite brands.
When I used to own my online shop, I wanted the support of my friends and family, but at the same time didn’t want loved ones to feel pressured to support my small business financially by constantly purchasing our products or services.
And I know a lot of other small business owners who relate to this! They NEED your love!
So how do you support small businesses for free?
The List of Easy Ways to Support Small Businesses for Free
There are many ways to show your support for small businesses without spending a dime! Check out these tips for starters. If you have other ideas, please share in the comments!
Follow Them on Social Media
This is so simple and takes two seconds! Following a small business on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or TikTok is so easy. When brands have more followers this can help establish their credibility.
Show up with support on social media
Now that you’re a follower, be sure to engage! When you like, comment, or share the posts from your friend’s small business that is super helpful because it gets in front of more people.
Posts with higher engagement rates show up more often in peoples newsfeeds, so by simply liking or commenting on a small businesses post you’re helping them get more exposure!
Sharing is especially AWESOME because then all your friends & followers see the post that the small business made which helps drive traffic to their website & pages!
If you want to get really fancy with it make your own regular posts on your social media accounts about how awesome their business is!
Write reviews online
By writing a review on a small businesses website, Facebook page, or on Google, this helps build up the small businesses credibility and gain trust with future customers. Your positive review can go really far.
I know from running my online boutique that products with reviews sell way better than products without reviews. Do what you can and write a positive review if you purchase a product.
Word of mouth is so powerful
As powerful as social media is these days word of mouth still has a huge influence on people’s decisions.
If you know of people looking for something specific and can refer them to your loved ones small business that is wonderful!
Small business owners really appreciate when you send referrals their way!
Show your support by asking your small business owner friends how their business is doing
If you have a friend that owns a small business, this is one of the biggest things! Don’t be afraid to ask your friend how their business is going.
Running a business (especially as a solo entrepreneur) is hard and sometimes small business owners might need to vent or share exciting updates!
Having loved ones ask is something I know a lot of entrepreneurs struggle with. Often times when friends and family don’t ask an entrepreneur’s business they feel unsupported.
As an entrepreneur I totally get it. On the flip side, I think people tend to be intimidated by industries and topics they’re not knowledgeable on.
Your loved ones probably feel that they should automatically understand what you do for a living. SO as a loved one of the entrepreneur, you might not know what to ask.
BUT don’t be afraid to be honest and say, “I don’t really know what your business is/does, can you explain?” This is beneficial for a few reasons.
This shows that you genuinely care about your friend or family members business.
This is great practice for the entrepreneur to explain their concept to people outside of their industry.
It’s never too late to start understanding what your loved one does for a living and the kick ass business they’ve created.
It might help you better understand how to support their small business going forward.
For me, a lot of people have no earthly clue what I mean when I say, “I run conscious consumer & sustainable lifestyle blog.”
Yea, it’s not a traditional industry, but I’m always happy to explain! This has helped me refine the way I explain what my small business does and how I’m making an impact.
Show up to events, speaking engagements, and milestones
When I used to have an e-commerce shop, I also sold at craft fairs. And I always invited my friends because they are fun events. Eating, drinking, & shopping local creatives is a fun thing to do on the weekend!
But I don’t want them to feel pressured to buy things! As an entrepreneur, I’m super grateful when they showed up & stop by my booth!
The more people in your booth, the more people want to come in and see what you have to offer.
And it’s the same for other small businesses, if they’re planning an event, getting an aware, there is always a fear that nobody will show. So if you can just be present and show up that helps your small business owner friend a lot!
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MEET THE AUTHOR
Emily Waddell is the founder of The Honest Consumer. She has always been passionate about business for good and has a Bachelor degree in Social Entrepreneurship. She currently lives in Seattle where she practices imperfect sustainability. When she’s not writing, Emily enjoys supporting small businesses, clean eating, & practicing slow living. Learn more about Emily’s journey starting The Honest Consumer.
For more ethical & sustainable tips be sure to explore more conscious lifestyle blog posts, follow The Honest Consumer on social media, subscribe to our newsletter, & check out the Ethical & Sustainable Brand Directory.