We're all in this together. A simple sentence that has a great impact on everyone especially during this pandemic. It helps to know that there are people who can extend a helping hand to others. Nowadays, we see many individuals and organizations doing simple acts of kindness to reach out and build up those who are in need. Because helping and supporting each other has spread like the contagious Coronavirus, we also see groups of people trying to find ways on how to support local businesses like cafes, mini groceries, pet shops, pizza houses, and boutiques. Many business owners aim to support small business owners and help them get by with the cost of pandemic restrictions. When most businesses were forced to shut down because of the spread of a dangerous virus, a negative impact on employment and economic status among countries became a serious topic. How to properly balance the economy and the people’s health safety are both important matters that the world leaders are trying to address. This is the reason why we need to come up with realistic and practical solutions on how to support local businesses.
By helping to support local businesses, we are making it possible for people to keep their jobs and many families to have a stable income. The local shop owners, startup founders, and entrepreneurs are directly affected by the pandemic because of the community quarantine and restrictions that are being enforced by the authorities. In the United States alone, many small business owners were impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic. According to the US Chamber of Commerce, a small business Coronavirus impact poll shows that 70% of small businesses are concerned about long-term financial hardship while 58% are worrying about having to permanently close. The question here is clear and simple. What can we do about it?
Image taken from Local Wander website
Strikingly is a website builder that helps empower and support small business owners, professional individuals, talented artists, and organizations with the best features and tools to run their own sites. Pandemic has changed the world in just a snap. We can no longer live a life we are used to. These changes have caused many businesses to permanently close while some were put in a delinquent situation that needed support. In times like these, we all find ways to survive and help each other. How can a small business owner or a local shop small business cope up with the new normal? What are the website features with functionality to support local businesses in the new normal? We are glad to share with you a very timely content about how we can make a great impact by doing acts of kindness to our local shops and small business owners.
7 Tips to Support Local Businesses
If you haven’t tried it yet, you can ask yourself these two questions first: How can I support local business near me? What are the small businesses near me? This way, you know exactly where to go and whom you can reach out with these tips we are going to share. Whether you are a consumer or an entrepreneur, you can definitely do something to support local businesses.
Image taken from Siam Coconut Pte Ltd.
1. Buy Local Goods
As an entrepreneur and a consumer, you can support local business by prioritizing shops and stores located near you. Buy your daily necessities at the nearest mini grocery or order freshly-baked pastries from the bakeshop in your street. Find a local shop outlet or a reseller for the clothing and footwear you love instead of going to the department store. Buying from local vendors can help retain small businesses in your community. Aside from the fact that you’re getting personalized recommendations from local shop owners, you also have peace of mind about the products and goods you bought from them. Just imagine you’re making a big difference to these people and to your community as well.
2. Promote Local Shops
Yes, you can certainly support small business owners to your customers. Let’s just say you are a cafe owner, and there’s a pastry shop in the neighboring area. You can promote the pastry shop to your customers by suggesting a perfect complement to their morning coffee. Might as well have some of the bestselling pastries available in your cafe so that your customers can enjoy it.
Another way to support local businesses near you is to promote them on your social media account. Give them a shoutout post and like their social media page. Who knows, one of your friends might give it a try. Yay!
Image taken from System 2 Coffee website
3. Leave a Positive Review/Recommendation
For local businesses that have their own website, customer’s recommendations and reviews are very important to the business operation and development. Not only that it helps them improve and provide better services to their customers, but it is another form of promotion. Honest reviews and feedback from customers can help bring another local customer to visit the shop. The word of mouth is powerful. If you want to support small business, leave an honest and positive review on their website. By providing recommendations, you are able to support local businesses near you.
4. Give a Tip to the Storekeeper
In most cases, cash is always appreciated. A compliment is good but, if you have extra cash in your pocket, give it to the store keeper who helps you pack your goods. You can also support local business owners by going above and beyond to help their employees.
5. Find Groups that Support Local Businesses
Truly, there are social groups and business organizations with the same purpose to support local businesses. Strikingly have seen many talented individuals and social organizations with a meaningful purpose to help small businesses and young entrepreneurs. Startup Youth is an example of a website that is created to help startup businesses and young business founders. This is a very good example and an ideal way on how to support local businesses. Helping business owners with the tools and resources they need.
Image taken from Startup Youth website
6. Collaborate with Small Business Owners
As an entrepreneur, you can support your local business by collaborating with local shop owners and retailers. Collaboration with other small business owners can be a mutual benefit and a success for both businesses. Combining ideas and resources that can help promote your business to a wider audience is an effective way to give both businesses a platform where customers can enjoy their products and services. If you run your own business website, you can also feature a local business by creating a blog content about its products and services.
7. Offer to Create a Web Page
If you are a web developer or designer, offer to create a website for a local shop. Some local businesses need a strong online presence but they don’t have the means to build a website. After all, you can create a website for free with Strikingly. With our easy-to-edit templates, you can choose the perfect design for an online shop, cafe website, catering business, online laundry shop, and even a mini grocery store that accepts cashless payments and delivery requests. It’s so easy to help when you’ve got what it takes.
Image taken from Strikingly website
Strikingly Website Features to Support Local Businesses in the New Normal
Strikingly has the best features you need to run your own ecommerce business especially during this pandemic. We’re getting used to the new normal adjustments. Along with the health protocols are the safety measures to avoid face to face interaction. Many people are preferring to stay at home or just go to a local shop to get what they need. Here are some cool features to help local businesses cope up with the new normal.
1. In-Store Pick-Up and Delivery
This is a safe and helpful way to serve customers. By providing flexible options on how they can get the products they purchase from your online store, you are also taking your small business to the next level. Strikingly has shipping features to make flexible options possible.
2. COD or Cashless Payment
Cash on delivery or payment using a credit card is another website feature that aims to support local businesses. This will help local businesses to cope up with the new normal and serve their customers with different options on how they can purchase online.
3. Create Coupon or Discount Code
One of the best features to help promote products to customers online. With Strikingly, local businesses can create a discount code for their customers. A discount code can be used when they shop online or visit the local store.
Image taken from Nicecream website
Together we can help support local businesses amid this pandemic. An act of kindness can go a long way. It is a domino effect when we help local businesses get by. When you buy local goods, you’re helping local shop owners and vendors. These business owners are able to pay their employees on time. Therefore, local shop employees are able to sustain their family needs. As a whole, we are all helping our community cope up with the changes that the pandemic has brought to our lives. Let us stay safe and support each other with the best practices that work for everyone.
With Strikingly, you can create a website to bring your advocacy into action. Help local shop owners keep their small businesses by creating a supportive community online. Head on to our website and sign up now.
