Buy Local, Support Local, Grow The Community
Small business Saturday is a great way to give back to your local businesses - but what about the other 364 days of the year? Should we only be giving attention to the local businesses on one designated Saturday in November? Surely not. The small businesses in our communities are what the economy thrives on, and more than ever we need to help get our economy back on track instead of watching small businesses close their doors forever.
October is National Women’s Small Business Month, which means it’s time to celebrate women-owned businesses everywhere as well as the amazing progress female entrepreneurs have made over the years. Women own 42 percent of businesses in the United States AND women-owned businesses generate around $1.9 trillion annually.
There are currently 12.3 million women-owned businesses in the US and Going Mutts Pet Services is one of them! We are a woman-owned and operated business in Lancaster County and continue to grow our pet services for the community every year. Check out 5 reasons why supporting small businesses can make all the difference in the world (and economy).
1. You can count on a personalized customer service experience. Small business owners value each and every relationship they have with their customers, which is why they will take the time to get to know their customers on more of a personal level than the big stores can. They rely not only on regular customers but new and sporadic customers as well to help them earn a profit and they rely on those customers to spread the word to everyone about their business. You can expect friendly, fast and personal customer service because small business owners need the support of their local consumers and community to continue to thrive.
2. Promoting healthy competition with lots of innovation. Keeping up with the big boys can be hard sometimes, which leads small businesses to strive to stay relevant in today's society. Although this may seem like a setback, it’s actually a positive thing, since it sparks healthy competition with larger competitors and it encourages the small businesses to keep adding unique twists on the things they offer to keep themselves different from the big stores, therefore keeping their customers coming back. Large retailers like to focus on popular items to fill their shelves, while smaller businesses have more freedom to fill smaller niches to fit a more personalized item for customers, producing less common items and more products that are innovative and new.
3. You’re supporting the community. One small business is more than you think it is because by supporting small, you’re promoting HUGE support with the community. Spending your money there helps to stimulate the local economy, keeping business booming with your local region which in turn helps to boost the community. Typically small business owners enjoy giving back to the community by participating in fundraisers or being part of special events to show their appreciation to their community for shopping with them. The support of the community works both ways when it comes to buying from and owning a small business because every purchase made from these small, local businesses helps the owner provide jobs for local people.
4. They are important for the economy. According to the World Trade Organization, small and medium sized businesses represent over 90 percent of the business population and between 60 and 70 percent of employment. Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises are responsible for more than two-thirds of all jobs worldwide and account for the majority of new job creation. By supporting small businesses, your money spent on their products and/or services helps to stimulate the local economy.
5. You can be guaranteed a more authentic and original product with quality. The big stores may have the popular items everyone is looking to get their hands on, but shopping smaller means a more unique product only found in a particular town perhaps. Most small businesses are run by people in the community, not boards or stakeholders like the larger retailers, which means you can count on getting a true original product that’s been carefully made with a detailed eye for quality.
Instead of always taking that same trip to the big store down the road that has everything that everybody else has, do some research in your community and see what local businesses are around that could profit from your business to keep communities flourishing.
One business you don’t need to do research on is Going Mutts Pet Services - because we have ALL of your pet care needs in the Lancaster area. Dog walking, pet sitting, check-ins and wedding day services can all be found with us, right here in Lancaster county. We would love to help you keep your peace of mind while helping to take care of your furry friends who are near and dear to your hearts. Drop us an email → info@goingmuttspetservices.com OR check us out on our website to fill out a contact form so we can help to create a customizable pet plan for you!
Sources:
https://www.business.com/articles/womens-small-business-month/
https://thecanoshoe.com/blogs/blog/7-reasons-to-support-small-businesses