4 No-Brainer Ways You Can Support Small Business Owners

Oct 17

If you have a small business, you know that trying to build yourself—product, website creation/curation, marketing, social media, sales, revenue, etc.—can feel daunting and frankly, sometimes impossible. But when you find and maintain balance, create systems that work for your and your team, focus on one step at a time, stay authentic with everything you create, and lean on others in your ‘circle’ and network to support you, you’ll grow.

Although it seems second nature for others to know how to support you and your business venture, you’d be surprised how many people aren’t exactly sure how they can support small business owners or what they really need.

From the obvious—purchasing product or services—to some of the behind-the-scenes support, here are a few ways you can support someone’s small business or encourage them to support yours.

1. Be An Active Listener & Learner

If you want to support small business owners, then start by educating yourself on what it entails to be a small business! Learn about the different avenues of marketing, business-building, revenue, etc., and see if there is anything you’d naturally be good at supporting.

Listen: Ask the small business owner that you’re trying to support what they need to be successful. Then, be committed to helping in the areas that they need.
Sometimes you may want to help with something and it’s not the right time or focus area. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t help with this, but if you’re looking to be intentional, then asking (and listening to the needs/desires!) is a great first step.
Learn: You can’t support someone’s small business if you don’t know what they do. Educate yourself on the ins-and-outs so that you can not only help promote and spread the word, but that you have sufficient information to make a referral.
If you aren’t sure what the business does, it will not only be a turn-off to a potential customer but it will make it appear that the business is not sound (which is the opposite of what you want to do when trying to support!)

2. Get Active On Their Social Media

There are so many social media hacks for small business owners, from curating aesthetically–pleasing feeds to strategic product/service launches. But, one of the most effective ways a small business grows is through social media coverage and engagement.

And whether you're encouraging someone to support you or looking to support someone else, getting active on that business’ social media makes the world of a difference.

Basic Engagement: ‘Like’ posts that you enjoy and leave comments (more than just a single emoji!) to help boost organic engagement.
Re-Sharing & Stories: Re-share a story or relevant post on your ‘Stories’ and tag the company so that they can re-share it again on their page for additional exposure.
Collaborations: Offer to be a collaborator or create a post and add the small business account as a ‘Collaborator’ so that you can tap into both of the audiences for a bigger reach.
Posts & Custom Content: Create a custom graphic to help ‘shout out’ the company in a unique way.
Live Videos: Offer to go live with that page to merge audiences in something that’s more authentic and in-the-moment.

3. Post A Review Or Testimonial

One of the best ways to help a small business grow is through word-of-mouth advertising. In a highly digital world, this is still relevant—but sometimes this can be achieved through online reviews/testimonials, too!

When you work with a small business, use one of its services, or purchase one of its products, leave a review! Typically there’s a space to do this (directly on the company’s website, on a separate ‘Reviews’ section for the business, on Amazon under the product listing, or on LinkedIn, for example). However, if it isn’t obvious or you’re not exactly sure, just reach out to the owner directly to see how a testimonial can best be shared!

Sometimes there are specific places where a business wants to boost reviews (for example, Yelp or Google) and if you post a review there, it helps more than in other spaces. To be as intentional as possible, just ask!

4. Set Up A Referral System

Nothing is more advantageous for small business owners than creating a referral network. For example, a makeup artist may want to partner with a hairstylist to refer services back-and-forth for a wedding or special event. Or, a copywriter may want to work hand-in-hand with a PR specialist to help clients generate views and media placements.

If you’re a small business trying to grow, find natural partnerships and lean into them. Then, use this partnership to create referrals between you and other businesses!

If you’re looking to support small business owners. . .

Offer ways you can partner with their services or offers.
Create an affiliate code for your services (and especially for theirs!) so that you can re-share and bring other people to their business.
Refer people in your network (personal AND professional) to their services.

5. Invest Your Own Time & Dollars

This may seem silly to even bring up. . . but it’s a must! One of the biggest and most intentional ways you can support small business owners is to actually invest in them. In other words, put your money where your mouth is.

When it comes to hiring someone to take your family photos, work with the small portrait business rather than DIY’ing or hiring the commercial business. If you’re hoping to have areas of your website redone, use the small digital business rather than the larger corporation.

Making these intentional shifts is the easiest way to support someone’s small business. And don’t forget to reframe your thinking, too! Even if you don’t think you need someone’s marketing or coaching services, for example, maybe there’s something else you can purchase (a sticker, a notebook, or a re-sharing of their discount offer to someone you know who may need coaching).

The bottom line: the more you make support a priority, the more ways you’ll find to help.

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