How to support a small business when you don’t have lots of money to spend

The holiday season is coming, or rather, by the time you read this the holiday season is likely already here. Dealing with the pressure of holiday gift-giving and celebrating is stressful, especially when you want to shop your values.

For some readers of this blog, buying jewelry might not be an option this season. I understand – I have been there. And I also know that many of you are thinking about how to best support your favorite small businesses now and into the future.

A short list of ways to support your favorite small business

To help you out, I have put together my top tips of ways to help that are totally free! These are no-cost, easy, and low-stakes ways to support your favorite small businesses and they really do work. I’ll add to this list periodically, so bookmark it to return to it whenever you need something to reference:

• If your favorite maker/designer has a blog *polite cough*, leave a comment!  

• Subscribe to their newsletter

• Leave comments on their YouTube videos/subscribe to their YouTube channels. Again, *polite cough*

• Leave comments and likes on their social media posts

• Review them on Google (this really helps our small businesses look legitimate in Google searches)

• Re-post their social media posts (with attribution)

• Share their blog posts on Threads, Facebook or Pinterest

• Pin their products on your Pinterest page

• Mention your favorite small business owners on Reddit

• Tell your bosses that small businesses offer gift certificates too (that’s right, your year-end gifts don’t have to be from Amazon!)

• Tell your friends about your favorite small businesses

• Link to their website on your website (if you have one)

Why comments work

Comments on blog posts and social media posts help other people to see them – it’s an algorithm thing that really does work. Pinning and cross-posting also help to promote our businesses and having each other’s websites linked to on other sites also helps our websites get seen by search engines. 

I know that I don’t just speak for myself when I say that these small acts really do have a huge effect on our businesses. Each small action adds up to a big impact and they are just as appreciated as a purchase. I promise. I love reading your comments and questions whether I read them on my blog or on social media. They help us all to create community and conversation.

Have other suggestions? Leave them in the comments and I’ll update this list!

PS – Now let’s say that you have just a few bucks to throw their way, maybe not enough to buy their product, but you appreciate what they do, what they share, how they do it, or just want to show ongoing support. Find out if they have a patronage plan – either through their own website (usually preferable for makers and small business owners) or through Patreon.

A short and small plug – I have a tip jar! Give as little as a dollar or as much as you want. Your tips help me keep my advice newsletters and blogs free for as many folks as I can.