5 ways you can help small businesses

5 ways you can support small businesses

This year, Small Business Saturday falls on 1st December. People and organisations across the U.K are doing their bit to help small businesses on their path to success . We thought we’d share our tips on how you can help too – not just for one day, but all year round!

Get social

Nobody can deny the power of social media. Bloom & Wild and Livia’s Kitchen are just two examples of businesses who have used social media to boost awareness of their brand at an extraordinary rate. Across Facebook and Twitter, Bloom & Wild share photographs from customers, positive feedback and testimonials. Livia’s Kitchen have been using Instagram and Facebook as their main channels for building their community, including regular competitions using the “like this post and tag a friend” technique. Is a family or friend starting a new business? Share their business page on Facebook, invite friends to engage with them, or retweet their latest offer. One tiny action can result in a flood of new customers.

Shop local

One of the best ways to support small businesses is to shop locally. Rather than heading to your regular shopping centre, take some time to explore your local independent stores or farmers market. You’ll be supporting your local area, often finding new and interesting products at the same time! Have you heard of FarmDrop? They connect people with producers who make a conscious effort in regards to health, animals and sustainability – check ‘em out!

Spread the word

Before social media, businesses relied on word-of-mouth recommendations to spread information about their services. Are you impressed with a new independent restaurant that’s opened? Tell your friends about it! Write a Google review so people can find it when they’re surfing the web. People are always more likely to believe recommendations from people who have actually experienced the business. Trustpilot is a great tool for leaving and finding reviews. Have you ever come across a Facebook ad and been unsure whether to trust it? Trustpilot will allow you to find honest reviews from customers who have engaged with the business.

Participate in community events

Sporting celebration parades, Saints days, or festivals, are great ways to meet with local business owners. Organisers of music festivals often use local companies to provide food and drink –  when you buy that burger and fries, you’re supporting your local community. If you’d like to know what’s happening in your local area, head over to Eventbrite or MeetUp.

Provide feedback

Improvements can only be made when people know where they’re missing the mark. If you’re visiting a new businesses and notice some Customer Feedback cards at the till, pick one up. Taking the time to provide valuable feedback for a business will allow them to improve on what they’re offering, bettering any future experiences you have with them. The routes to provide feedback are endless; email, social media, Trustpilot, Google reviews – just pick whichever method you feel the most comfortable with. Don’t forget to mention positive feedback as well.

Do you have your own special ways of supporting small businesses? Let us know on Twitter – don’t forget to use the hashtag #SmallBizSatUK! If you’re ready to take the leap and start your own business, head over to swoopfunding.com and find out how we can help you.