Here, we’ve listed some of the ways that you can consider helping out independent businesses in your area, whether they are based in your local high street, further afield in your community, or even just down the road from you at a nearby address.

How You Can Support Local Businesses in 5 Different Ways

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We all understand that it’s important to support your local business and to keep independent firms up and running wherever possible. But how can you support local business in your area? What can you do to stimulate their growth and give back to your community? Below, we’ve provided some answers to these questions and given a few tips on what you can do to keep companies in your local area growing and flourishing.

Five Great Ways to Support Your Local Business

Here, we’ve listed some of the ways that you can consider helping out independent businesses in your area, whether they are based in your local high street, further afield in your community, or even just down the road from you at a nearby address:

Shop Local Wherever Possible

Whenever you’re looking to purchase something, whether it’s food, clothing, or something else entirely for your family, you’ll be doing your part by choosing a small, local business or independent retailer before going to larger chains. You may even have the option of buying online from these businesses, as many now offer deliveries or pickup services as well.

No matter if you’d like fresh groceries and bread baked that hour or handmade clothing sourced from environmentally-friendly products, you may be able to find it at a local business in your area. Even if you can’t, you may be able to do some research and find locally sourced products at your nearest supermarket instead.

Enjoy Local Services and Attractions

If you’re hoping to spend a weekend doing something fun, either with your family, friends, or even by yourself, taking a look at what you can do in your local area is a great way to support local business. Nearby zoos, restaurants and takeaways, museums, leisure centres, and nature reserves (alongside a host of other services) all rely on their profits to remain in business, and the money will eventually make its way back into the local community.

Leave Reviews

Spreading the word about a great local business has never been easier than in the modern-day, and there are many websites and platforms you can choose from to leave a word or two about your experience. TripAdvisor and Google are two of the largest, and the majority of businesses will also have a presence on social media where you can leave a comment about what you liked there, or even tag yourself at that location if you’re spending the day.

Being as specific as possible in any review is bound to attract interest, and talking about the business in person with friends and family is also a good way to draw in a new set of customers and visitors.

Tip and Donate Wherever Possible

While tipping and making donations isn’t an obligation here in the UK, they are a great way to show your appreciation for services, and to help support local ventures that are committing themselves to good causes.

Offer Your Own Services

If you have a particular skill or have expertise in something you know a small, local business could need, you can always try writing to independent stores and firms and offer them your services. If you are a web designer, social media manager, or blogger with experience in writing, you may be able to help them build their online presence and gain new customers.

Other Ways to Support Local Businesses

When looking for ways to support your local businesses even further, there may also be a few methods you haven’t thought about:

• Find out which shops are offering gift cards and vouchers and give these to friends and family members as presents
• Try swapping out brands you’d usually buy for something new and independently made, such as local craft beers or honey
• Avoid cancelling meals at local pubs and restaurants at the last minute, so the staff can more easily give the table to other customers
• Consider going to the source for products and buying things such as eggs, fruit, and vegetables directly from farm shops

Why is it Important to Support Local Businesses in the UK?

For the most part, the reasons for supporting small businesses are self-evident: they make up a significant part of the UK’s economy, they create jobs and give back to local communities, and they strengthen ties in the area where they are based.

However, to really and truly understand why it’s so important to shop local and to show your support for independent businesses, these answers need to be explored. Delving deeper into these answers even uncovers a number of benefits that you may not find when shopping at larger stores:

Helping Out Your Local Economy

It’s been reported that, as of 2018, small, local businesses account for around 99.3% of the UK’s private sector businesses. They also account for 60% of all private-sector employment, which translates into 16.3 million people across the country when written into figures. This means that local businesses are creating a large number of jobs, and they’re more likely to hire people in their local area because they can more easily get there.

Money that’s generated in a particular community is more likely to stay in that community as well because people who live and work in local communities will usually shop locally. In turn, local business owners are also more likely to spend their own money in the community. This may not only be in other local shops, but also in local farms for produce, local building companies for expansion work, and local legal and accounting firms for taking care of their business.

This even has a benefit in a knock-on effect for the environment, because if a local business is sourcing their produce, products, or supplies from another company in the area, it reduces their overall carbon footprint.

Making Your Community Stronger

When you shop locally in the long term, you’re not only creating a stronger economy, you’re also helping to bond your community together and make it stronger. Local businesses in an area with a strong sense of community and identity are more likely to support each other and collaborate. This often turns into providing prizes and raffle items for schools and local charities, or even direct funding on occasion, and benefits an even greater number of people in the local area.

As businesses grow, you may even find that larger firms are in a better position to help smaller ones, further encouraging business and growth in the local economy.

You’re Guaranteed Commitment from Local Businesses

One of the greatest benefits you’ll find from shopping local and supporting independents in your community is that you can expect the staff and owners to be truly committed to what they do. As they are more likely to be locals themselves, you can expect them to be more enthusiastic about their business and to have an emotional attachment to the local area. This should spur on their decisions and drive them to make their business the best that it can be.

You’re also more likely to find that you can easily speak to owners and other decision-makers in a small, local business. They’re likely to be working on the premises themselves, meaning they can engage with clients and customers first-hand and are therefore more likely to understand their needs and wants. They’ll also understand why it’s so important to keep their customers happy, as they rely on them to keep their business going.

You’ll Likely Find Something Unique

One of the most personal benefits of shopping locally and supporting independent businesses is that you’re more likely to find something original and unique. A small, local business that is making its own products is likely to offer something completely different to chain retail and big-box stores. You may find some of your favourite products this way, and would not have had any idea they existed otherwise!

Is Your Own Business Growing?

If your business idea has taken off and your company is flourishing, you may be thinking about moving to bigger premises with all the room you need to expand and grow. We can help to make this happen, so get in touch with our team today and we’ll be happy to provide a wide variety of office spaces for you to rent across London.

Each prestigious address offers its own unique appearance, personality, and ethos, so you’re bound to find an address that suits your company culture, as well as your requirements for space. We’ll take care of all in-house functions on your behalf, and our flexible tenancies mean we’ll even help you to move to a different address, should you ever find yourself needing more room for equipment or for a new hire.

Every business starts out small and local, but with the right support, any firm could soon become a household name. Contact us and see how our rented office spaces can put you on the path to success.

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