Small Business Saturday Needs Your Support

My entire focus at work every day is local businesses. Our job at the convention and visitors bureau is to bring in people from outside the community to shop in our stores, eat in our restaurants, and visit our attractions. We're a huge part of the economic impact in our county, and it's our pleasure to do everything in our power to get people here. 

And if it wasn't for our local businesses, we'd have nothing new and different to offer those visitors. Hopefully you're not going to the same chain restaurants when you travel that you go to when you're at home. Hopefully you're trying some local restaurants with menus and specials you can't get anywhere else. Hopefully the same goes for stores and shops you won't find at home, especially this time of year when you're shopping for the people on your Christmas list.


Whether you're out and about at home or traveling today, Small Business Saturday is the perfect opportunity to look local first. Before heading to the big box stores or the brand-name places, visit a small, locally owned boutique first. Have lunch somewhere new, owned by a local entrepreneur. It's these moments of spending time and money that translate into love and care to someone living in that town, depending on you. 

And there are a lot more ways to support local this holiday season. Here's a list I put together for our work social media, just to get you started.

1. Shop in person or online from local stores.
2. Share a local business' social media posts on your page.
3. Leave positive reviews on something you've purchased there.
4. Refer friends and family when they ask for suggestions.
5. Use local businesses when you host holiday events - food, venue, decorations, gifts.
6. Attend winter markets and pop ups to keep spreading the love.

What are your favorite small business-supporting tips and suggestions?

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