As a small business, we understand the importance of community support and the collective effort needed for local businesses to thrive and expand. Small businesses are essential to every community’s growth and build a unique culture that cannot be replicated.
Most independent businesses are run by people who provide a level of quality, care and attention to detail you won’t find anywhere else. May is Small Business Month, and we encourage you to support the local businesses that build our Gulf Coast community.
Here are a few ways you can support small businesses every day:
Shop Local
Stop by local stores or check out their online storefronts to see what’s available before loading items into your Amazon cart. Purchasing gift cards for is a great way to support local businesses and introduce others to your favorite stores.
Delivery services, such as UberEATS, often charge merchants a fee to use their platform, reducing a business’ already thin profit margins. Instead, opt to carry out your meal or dine in! When choosing to eat at a local restaurant, try to leave a generous tip when you’ve received exceptional service.
Leave a Review
Leaving a review is a free and easy way to support businesses you love. A review on sites such as Facebook or Google takes minimal time and effort but has a significant impact – it increases small business’ search engine optimization and provides an added layer of credibility, encouraging others to check out the business for themselves.
Show Support on Social Media
Highlighting your favorite stores on social media is another simple yet impactful way to support local businesses. Following a shop’s pages, leaving comments, tagging friends in posts you think they’d like and sharing their accounts in community groups are great ways to help spread awareness and create engagement for the business. You may even give your favorite store a shout-out by posting about them and tagging them on your own social media account(s).
Spread the Word
Consumers trust the recommendations they receive from their friends and are more likely to remember the places people rave about. Tell your family, friends and co-workers about the businesses you love and share your personal experiences with them.
Additionally, encourage friends and family to attend local events with you or participate in Small Business Saturday. Turning events such as the weekly farmer’s market or annual food and wine festivals into traditions are fun ways to support your community and try something new!
Practice Kindness
It’s important to stay mindful of the hardships small businesses have faced in recent years. Show your appreciation and check in with business owners to see how they are doing and thank them for what they bring to your community.
As a small business ourselves, we celebrate and give thanks to YOU for supporting and helping us provide jobs in our community for the last 12 years! We wouldn’t be here without your support of JJPR. How will you support local businesses in your community?
