I’m going to do my best to avoid the C word as I’m sure you are all sick of hearing it by now!
However, there’s no escaping the fact that those of us in the small business community are understandably anxious about what the next few weeks or months will mean for us and our businesses. More than ever we will need the support of each other and those around us, so I decided to make a list of a few simple things we can all do to support small business owners through testing times.
- Make buying from independent businesses a priority – This is probably the most obvious one but it will make someone’s day! If you would normally turn to Amazon for online shopping convenience why not spend a little extra time researching to see if there’s a small business that you could order from instead. Get to know the independent businesses in your area who may be struggling at the moment and consider doing a little bit of early Christmas (the other C word!!!) shopping with them.
- Share small business promotions – We are probably going to all have a little extra time to scroll through social media so hit share, retweet, tag and comment as much as you can to help increase the reach of the post.
- Give testimonials and recommend – If you would recommend a small business owner now is the time to write a review on their Facebook page or other feedback platform they may use. Literal word of mouth is also really helpful so be sure to tell your friends and family if there’s a small business that you love.
- Don’t be too hasty to cancel bookings already made – It’s understandable that you may be looking at cutting back on certain expenses and the fact that we have no choice but to keep our distance from people at the moment will certainly add to the challenge of using the services of small businesses, but try not to cancel any bookings you already have with them if you can help it. Instead see if you can pay for the booking in advance but schedule it for a time when it’s safer to do so.
- Ask your local restaurant if they offer a take away service – If you would normally enjoy treating yourself every so often to a meal out in a lovely restaurant why not ask local restaurant owners if they can offer a take away service. You’ll have to do your own washing up but at least you can still enjoy the luxury of a meal that you didn’t have to prepare.
I was talking to the fabulous Lindsey Burden of LBB Business Coach and she said something that I think we should all remember. She said “we shall all get through this and be in a far stronger position than we thought possible” and I think this is absolutely achievable if we all pull together and step up our support of one another.
If you are a business owner who could really do with some admin support but are concerned about finances right now, please do get in touch to arrange a FREE no obligation call where we can brainstorm ideas to keep your business on track and get you through these trying times. Email me to arrange your call – info@purplefrogs.co.uk