The onset of the pandemic in early 2020 signaled the start of a challenging period for small business owners across the country. From dwindling cash flows and supply chain disruptions to layoffs, small businesses faced a heap of financial challenges for the better part of two years. 

While numerous businesses succumbed to the challenges of the pandemic, many survived and now require the continued support of the community to be as successful as before the earth stood still. In this article, we’ll explore the various ways members of the local community can help small businesses recover from financial difficulties and start thriving again.

1. Start Shopping Local

While nothing beats the convenience of online shopping, consider visiting your local store next time you need to stock up on groceries or buy clothes or gifts. The reason is simple: local businesses rely on the support of the community to earn a livelihood. The more local businesses prosper, the better job opportunities they create, which can then be filled by members of the community.

2. Purchase Merchandise 

Businesses often have a host of merchandise such as T-shirts, mugs, stationery, and more which you can buy and give to individuals in your network to generate brand awareness. This is a common technique used by major corporations to familiarize their products to the public. While your local business might not have deep pockets, wearing their branded T-shirt or hat can help spread the word about their existence and motivate more people to shop from them.

3. Buy Gift Cards

One of the best ways to provide local businesses with an instant boost in cash flow is to purchase gift cards. Unlike product purchases, where businesses earn money at the end of the transaction, with gift cards, businesses receive revenue upfront. Additionally, you can purchase multiple gift cards and use them as presents for occasions such as birthdays, and anniversaries. As a result, not only will you motivate others to visit the store and help the business garner more customers, there is a good chance that individuals with gift cards end up spending more in-store. 

4. Post About Local Businesses on Social Media

Research conducted by Business 2 Community shows that 1 in 3 customers use social media as the go-to medium to find new products and services to purchase. The next time you go to a local business and have a great experience, remember to post about it on social media. There is a high chance it will motivate others on your feed to visit or order from the company. If the business is active on social media, tag them as well to make it easy for others to find their profile. 

Tips for Small Business Owners to Increase Visibility 

To remain competitive in 2023, businesses need to be visible to customers across all mediums, including social media, mobile apps, and blogs. If you haven’t already, now is the time to invest in digital marketing, increase online visibility, and create a connection with the modern customer. Here are a few ways to do just that:

• Create a Website: A website will serve as an all-in-one platform to produce products, collect customer data, and make purchases. This reduced the physical barrier for customers to travel to your store, increasing the probability of making sales while collecting crucial customer data to provide personalized experiences.

• Work with Freelancers: Whether it be designing a website or creating social media posts, there are several talented freelancers you can hire online. Keep in mind that when communicating with freelancers, it’s best to share documents as either PDF or JPG files. You don’t need to manually change formats each time — use this to convert a PDF to JPG format.

• Design a Brochure: Sometimes old-school marketing tactics are the best. Put together an informational brochure about your business and ask other local businesses if you can leave some there for customers.

Choose to Support Your Local Businesses

Support from the local community plays a pivotal role in the success of small businesses, especially during economic downturns. From shopping locally to spreading the word on social media, there are numerous ways one can help local businesses prosper. In addition, businesses need to keep up with the times by creating a strong digital presence and using the best digital tools when communicating with freelancers.