Following up on Part 1 of our quarantine edition, here are 4 more ways you can continue to support your favorite small businesses AND stay #quarantinesafe.
#5 Shop small online
Shopping small and shopping local are SUPER important all year long, even without a crazy pandemic. But platforms like etsy (and, yes, even amazon) offer an amazing opportunity for you to buy the things you want/need from small business all over the world… online. Not feeling great about waltzing down main street but also not a fan of online shopping? No problem! If you’re not a phone-phobic millennial like myself but still need to find that perfect birthday gift, just make a call. Many local retail shops that would jump at the chance to put together the perfect care package and pop it in the mail. #quarantineapproved
#6 Snap a photo or share a favorite product on social media
Have you worked with a small business in the past and just loved the product/service you got out of it? Great!! Snap a photo and post that bad boy online! Just remember to tag the business/business owner you want to brag about. For maximum effect, consider reaching out to the business owner first to see if there’s a particular hashtag they want you to use and to make sure you’re tagging their business the right way. If you do it right, this can be like a review on steroids.
#7 Collaborate with them or connect them to other entrepreneurs you know
Best part of being on quarantine lockdown? All the free time!! Think about it… as small business owners, we’re saving hours every week NOT traveling to meetings and NOT attending networking events. Both of those also have their obvious down-sides, but I’m choosing to look on the bright side (and as a self-proclaimed introvert, there’s a whole lot of bright side in all of this). SO this is a great time for all of us small business owners to tackle those back-burner projects we’ve been dreaming up for years and this could be the perfect time to reach out and make connections. The world is our oyster!!! (as long as the wi-fi holds out)
Not sure who to collaborate with? No problem! Our Inkind Family is chock full of amazing women owned businesses!! Click here to learn more and feel free to reach out to any of them!!
#8 Just ask if there’s anything you can do to help
Owning a small business can make you feel like you’re alone in the world… dramatic, but true. Think about being responsible for every decision, every email, every job, every customer, every… everything. Scary. Confusing. Isolating. Some of us have amazing support networks of fellow-business-owners to lean on, but not everyone’s so lucky. Don’t be afraid to reach out. You never know, a helping hand or an encouraging word might be just the thing they need. We're all making the extra effort to do wellness checks for our loved ones and neighbors. Small businesses appreciate the love too :D