It’s not a surprise that most small-business owners often struggle to get by, especially considering that they are to compete with other established brands and all-time market favorites. They have their work cut out for them from the get-go because their target consumers might already have trusted brands.
Aside from the obvious reasons, small businesses work with fewer resources and market capabilities compared to their established counterparts, which means that they are working at a disadvantage. That’s why it’s more important for them to receive their community’s support and patronage.
As a consumer, you have the power to give back to your community by supporting your local businesses and help them survive in this dog-eat-dog world. You might not think that your support can make a difference in their lives, but that’s everything they actually need and more.
For instance, if you’re a car owner who wants to have your vehicle window tint replaced, you can go to your local auto repair shop instead of going to one out of town. This way, you wouldn’t be hassled by traveling further just to have your car serviced and you can help your local businesses at the same time.
Of course, your community won’t burn you at the stake for not supporting the businesses of the locals because, at the end of the day, it’s still your purchasing power. No one can force you to decide otherwise. However, here are three reasons you should consider patronizing your local entrepreneurs:
To Build a Unique Community Identity
Communities filled with robust small businesses are more inviting to visitors coming from far and wide. This is because if the tourists see that the locals are supporting the businesses inside their community, they will know that these shops have something unique to offer them too.
Local businesses can also boost their individual and distinct identities that reflect on their hometown. Unlike franchises and retailers that are more or less the same no matter where you are in the world, small businesses have their own characteristics as well as values that differentiate them from all the rest.
By choosing to support the businesses of your local entrepreneurs, you can help them attract a much larger audience in the process. This can help them not only speak proudly of what your local community can offer to the world but also produce a stronger community built through emotional bonds.
To Create Local Job Opportunities
Small businesses are not only the backbones of their communities but also of the country’s economy. This is because small-to-medium-sized local businesses provide more employment opportunities than most of the corporate ones combined. And if more individuals supported local businesses, the people inside the community wouldn’t be forced to leave their hometowns to pursue better opportunities elsewhere.
Understandably, many young professionals tend to gravitate toward the big cities because they believe that’s where they can get better-paying jobs and showcase their skills. But if the businesses within their hometowns received as much patronage from their own communities, they might not need to leave after all.
By choosing to support the businesses of your local entrepreneurs, you might be able to help them create more job opportunities for the people within your community. This doesn’t mean that you should work there too, but at least you can help those people who want to stay closer to their families.
To Practice Social Responsibility
Lastly, it makes sense to support your community’s local businesses if you’re hoping to practice social responsibility. This is because small businesses nowadays are more likely to operate under more sustainable and eco-friendly processes than larger corporations do.
The local entrepreneurs understand the needs of their community more than any outsider will ever do, which means that they can function and operate their businesses better. For example, they can source their raw materials and produce from fellow business owners to reduce the need to transport products.
By choosing to support the businesses of your local entrepreneurs who practice sustainability, you can also become a more socially responsible consumer. You can use your purchasing power to patronize businesses that aim to reduce the environmental damage to commercial human activity and encourage others to do the same.
Local businesses will need all the help and support they can get from their communities to stay afloat. Unlike the industry players that can survive without your patronage, the small-business owners inside your community cannot. So, before you reach out for your go-to products at the supermarket, you should think twice about who will benefit from your support more.
