Nearly 4 in 10 Americans has a side hustle (source), which means that about half of everyone you know is working on growing a service or product that can support them in addition to their current job – not to mention the immense amount of Americans who are self-employed, or working for small businesses! But with so many small business owners and side-hustlers, it can sometimes feel overwhelming to support them all from a financial standpoint. But did you know that there are ways you can support side-hustlers and local businesses without spending a dime?
Below are three ways you can start supporting local businesses – without spending a dime – today!
1. Like and share their social media content.
This may be the easiest way to support a local business owner, considering that 77% of Americans are on some form of social media (source). Sharing a small business owner’s content helps them get in front of a different audience than they might normally be able to reach on their own!
2. Refer them to your friends and family! (If you like them! ;) )
Most small business owners offer a product or service that can solve a problem. Need the best haircut of your life? Let me tell you about the salon I love! Looking for someone to groom your dog? I know the best groomer out there! We naturally talk about and share what we love, and if you know someone who you love who owns a small business, don’t be afraid to talk about them to those who they might be able to help!
3. Leave positive online reviews.
The very first thing I do when I am recommended a new product or service is head straight to Google to find some reviews! If I’m looking at two similar products, and one has some mixed reviews? I’m a bit more hesitant. But if there’s a similar product with loads of amazingly awesome, 5 star reviews? You’ve got my attention, and you better believe I’ll be buying from them! Even if you’ve never used a business’s product or service, if you have a personal relationship with the business owner and can speak into things like their character, work ethic, or integrity, that is a HUGE piece of the pie for potential buyers to consider and is (dare I say) just as valuable as an excellent, quality product or service!
Use these three ideas to show a little love to the local business owners in your life - I know they’ll love ya for it!
