(NC) Supporting local businesses is more important than ever. The onset of the pandemic forced many Canadians to witness the direct impact of their spending after watching numerous small businesses in their communities close their doors. Now, Canadians understand that supporting local businesses is vital in helping generate revenue that stays within their communities.
If you’re interested in supporting local and don’t know where to start, here are some small ways you can support your community today.
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Order takeout or delivery directly from the restaurant
It can be tempting to use food delivery services when looking for something to eat. But ordering directly from the restaurant – and picking it up instead of having it delivered – will put a lot more of your money into the restaurant itself, and your hometown Mom and Pop shops will thank you for it.
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Take the guesswork out of shopping local
There are plenty of tools to help us become better shoppers. An app like One Red Maple helps you find your favourite everyday items in locally owned stores, so you don’t have to turn to big box chains. They also have a browser plug-in that lets you shop any e-commerce site and real-time price and product compare between chain and local stores.
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Recommend locally owned hot spots
Word of mouth is always a great way to build trust in a business. If you enjoy an experience, talk about it. A post on your social channels or leaving a great review also goes a long way. Your peers are more likely to try a restaurant or coffee shop if they know it’s been vouched for by someone they know. It’s also a great way to support local if you don’t have a lot of disposable income to spend – words are free, after all.
Small businesses are often seen as the lifeblood of communities and supporting them in simple and affordable little steps can offer more help than we realize.
