4 Ways to Support Small Businesses (that Are Totally Free)

Shopping small is one of the best ways to support our favorite creators. But what if you don’t have the budget to patronize your favorite small businesses? With the high rate of inflation, many of us are facing increased demands on our financial resources. If you’re like the majority of Americans, you don’t have unlimited funds. While I encourage you to shop small whenever your budget permits, it’s not always possible for us to shop at local businesses for all of our needs.

Below are 4 meaningful, free ways to show love to all your favorite small businesses both during the holiday season and every season of the year:

1. Tell your friends and family about them.

Is a small business hosting a candle-making workshop you think your aunt would love? Text her the link. Repost your fave creator’s content to your Instagram story or save their Pinterest pins to your board. Small businesses rely on word of mouth and social media.

2. If you do nothing else on this list, start leaving reviews and writing testimonials.

Many people hesitate to shop at a small business because they don’t know anyone who has shopped there. Your review or testimonial can make the difference between that small business making a sale or not. If the deadline passes before you can write a review, write an email to the business owner about how much you like their product and let them know they can use it as a testimonial. Your words as a customer are priceless.

3. Tag their products.

Let the world know where you got the adorable scrunchie in the latest selfie you posted. Most small businesses don’t have a huge marketing budget. Word of mouth is so essential.

4. Comment on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Pinterest posts when you can.

Send a DM in response to stories that make you laugh, and vote in Instagram polls. Engaging with small business owners instructs the social media algorithm gods to push their posts out to more users. That helps more people to find the beautiful things this business owner creates.

You can support small businesses at any budget, even a budget of $0, with the tips above. 😉 Thank you for supporting small!