10 Ways to Support Small Businesses During COVID-19
“These are very difficult days for a lot of small business owners: they have to think about the safety of their employees first and foremost, how they’re going to pay each employee and … how they can continue to serve their customers as best they can” said Dan Kelly, President of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.
To get a sense of the potential impact COVID-19 can have on small businesses within a city, consider for a moment Seattle. Seattle had the first known case of the coronavirus in the United States and now there have been over a 1,000 cases of COVID-19 in Seattle and the surrounding area. A survey found that 60% of small businesses in Seattle are considering wage and staffing cuts and 35% of small businesses may have to close.
While the outbreak will have a negative impact to many small businesses in your community and around the world there is a way to lessen the blow to sales. You can purchase a gift certificate for a small businesses, volunteer your services or be more generous with your tips for you next order of groceries or takeout.
Here are several more ways you can help the small business you love stay alive now and after the pandemic is over.
1. Buy a gift card today
The local restaurant, bookstore or flower shop you like to frequent may offer gift cards that you can buy online. By making a purchase like this now businesses can record the revenue now which will help them to weather the storm. The business you are thinking about may not have offered gift cards in the past but they might now, so check out their website frequently and see if this is something they are offering. This is especially important for businesses that rely on foot traffic like restaurants, bars, nail and hair salons etc.). If you can’t buy a gift card see if you can prepay for future appointments or business.
2. Instead of deferring gift purchases make them now
It may not be Mother’s Day until May but why not buy mom a gift today? Similar to buying a gift card this a great way to support a small business now instead of waiting until later to make a purchase. While you are at it you buy yourself a gift too and one for your best friend, and one for your boss. You get the hint, this is an easy way to support a local business that needs your help.
3. Shop local businesses online and offline
Is there a small independent grocery store in your area that could use your patronage right now? The big guys will make it through this but smaller establishments may not have the cash reserves on hand to keep going. Many small businesses that did not previously offer delivery or pick up are offering it now. Go to the website of a local business today and see if they offer delivery and make an order. For example, after closing its store on March 16, 2020 Queen Books in Toronto let customers know on social media that they can make orders over the phone and online. Queen Books will also deliver books to customers. You don’t have to use Amazon for all of your purchases.
4. Loosen the purse strings and tip big
If you are ordering food from a local restaurant or having your groceries delivered why not offer a much bigger tip than normal? This is sure to brighten someone’s day as well as give them much needed extra cash.
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5. Get takeout or order in
Instead of cooking every night why not order in or grab takeout from a restaurant in your neighborhood. If you go onto Uber Eats or any of the popular food delivery platforms today you will notice that there are many new businesses you can order from that did not partner with a delivery platform in the past. This is a great way to keep small businesses going until the outbreak passes.
6. Maintain your subscriptions
I am sure that many of us have memberships that we are unable to use right now. If, for example you have a membership at a local gym you could maintain that membership even though you can’t use it for the time being. That will help the business see less of a disruption in revenue. If you have something like a gym subscription you can see if your gym offers classes online that you can take until you return to the gym.
7. Volunteer your services
Do you have a talent that you could lend to a small business? Perhaps you are an accountant and a small business in your area is overwhelmed right now and could use bookkeeping help. If you are in marketing could the independent bookstore you go to use your help with a social media or an email marketing campaign that gets the word out about its newly launched delivery and pick up service? There are many ways a small business could use your help. Why not reach out and ask today? What you do today will help not only in the short term but can ensure that the business you are helping is on solid footing once the outbreak passes.
8. Instead of canceling reschedule for later
You know that appointment that you made to get your hair cut? Why not leave a message with your salon or barbershop letting them know that you plan on coming in when it is safe to do so. You can also schedule services with a cleaner, painter, plumber, contractor, personal trainer, massage therapist etc. for a date in the future so they know they can look forward to your business.
9. Promote your favourite local business online
This is the time to get the word out. Leave a great review of your favourite local restaurant on Yelp, leave a Google review of that sandwich shop you like to go to. On Facebook tell your friends to buy some books to pass the time from your local bookstore. If you have been thinking about doing something like this for a while now is your time to act. Your support can help to increase sales for these businesses not only now but in the future. Encourage your friends to do the same.
10. Say thank you
If you have to leave home to make a must need purchase at a grocery store or pharmacy, make sure that you say thank you to all of the staff that are helping you during your shopping trip. Front line workers are making a great sacrifice to ensure that all of us have what we need during this difficult time. You don’t have to get too close, you can smile from a far or wave. Just a smile alone can brighten someone’s day.
We are in the is together and small acts of kindness together can make a big impact.