Small businesses make up the backbone of our community – in many cases, they are lifestyle hobbies or dreams built with passion by our neighbours. While the government is doing its part to protect the economy, there are also plenty of ways that we can help our community while staying healthy and safe. Now more than ever, it’s important to support our small businesses! Here are 15 other ways to support your local businesses:
1. Shop your local stores online! Most retailers are now offering their products on their website, even if they hadn’t been doing so previously.
2. Buy gift cards or credit for later from your favourite restaurants, stores, hair salons, spas, childcare providers and hardware store.
3. Order food for takeout or delivery – many restaurants are even offering pickup so you don’t have to go inside!
4. Check for delivery options at places other than restaurants. Your local toy store, flower shop or clothing boutique may provide delivery or pickup
5. Share local restaurant delivery menus on your social media.
6. Check with the businesses you frequently shop with. They may have altered their services to fit the temporary ‘new normal’. For example, your local cleaners now may provide a disinfecting service, or maybe a toy store is now selling homeschool supplies.
7. If you still have a steady income and the financial means to do it, continue to pay your cleaning people, hairstylist etc. They need us and we need them.
8. Check to see which of your services/providers are now being provided online. Therapists, tutoring, yoga, personal trainers, coaches, financial planners, lawyers, music classes for kids – all of these can be continued through videos or online conferencing.
9. Keep paying your memberships and subscriptions, even if they’ve been temporarily suspended.
10. If you or your child already paid for a class that was cancelled, instead of a refund, donate that lost money to the organisation.
11. Are you a website designer, developer, or a social media expert? Offer your services to local businesses that don’t have an online presence to help them sell and promote online.
12. Share it online. Because local businesses usually don’t have huge marketing efforts, their customers can help spread the word through social media.
13. Share hoarded sanitiser and supplies with local businesses.
14. Start an online contest/drawing for local business gift cards and services.
15. Just give a donation. Cash is always appreciated.