Ways to Support Local Businesses

Although a mantra already followed by many, shopping local is more important than ever to support local economies and small businesses that are feeling the economic impact of sheltering in place/self-isolation. For many, their neighbourhood is their livelihood, and with mandated shutdowns of businesses and no foot traffic, businesses, and consumers, need to find ways to show their support, and ride through this current wave of uncertainty.

Here are some tips from Sarid Layton on how you can keep things running from the quarantine comforts of home.

Send an encouraging note

It may not seem like much, but being positive about their business, or about an experience you may have had there, goes a long way to bolstering their faith in what their business will look like when they can open again. You can send them an old-school paper card and pop it in the post, or head to Google and leave a positive review.

Share your favourite small businesses with your followers

If you’re creative and social savvy, you can create a little promo post for your favourite businesses off of your own profile. On Facebook or Instagram, create a post where you talk about your experience, or show yourself using one of their products. Don’t forget to tag them in the photo and mention them in the comment. You can also use hashtags to extend the reach of your post, making it searchable for other people who may be curious about the business you’re looking to support. Remember to be following the business you are supporting so you can tag them in the photo!

Donate to local charities

Take your coffee/tea/morning beverage money and donate it to a local charity. Food banks, hospitals, shelters and other organizations that are supporting the at-risk people in our community are running at full steam. Because they’re so busy, they’re potentially missing opportunities to have fundraisers that would normally contribute to their operating costs. It may not seem like much, but that $3, $4 or $5 a day can go a long way.

Even if you’re feeling without direction, these ideas can help us focus our energies, give back to our community and help keep the community foundation so that it’s as healthy as can be when we’re ready to get back out there.