It is no secret that the economies around the world are struggling. The Occupy Wall Street movement is a perfect example of people being fed up with big corporations influencing government. Whether you agree with them or not, it definitely makes one thing clear to me: Small businesses, which were once the lifeblood of our country, are the key to bringing the economy back. The American Dream cannot be lost.
What can you do to encourage people to spend their hard-earned money at your “mom and pop shop?” While you may not want to publicly align your business with any political movement, a simple thank-you to your customers is an easy way to acknowledge their choice to spend money locally. Perhaps you can offer a discount: Thank you for supporting local businesses — 10% off on [a certain day], or maybe an even larger discount for those who have a driver’s license with an address within 100 miles. Maybe even make it bigger. Thank you for vacationing in our town — 20% if you have a passport from another country.
The possibilities are endless. You would need to evaluate your business and what service or product you are offering, then decide what kind of incentive will work best for you.
You can incorporate social media into the game by asking trivia questions on your Facebook or Twitter pages, then offering discounts to those who come in with the correct response. Anything you can do to create a sense of community will help build your business and create loyalty from those who live in your neighborhood.
We at Social Sonar believe that supporting small businesses is the best way to get people back to work. We also believe that social media is one way to promote business and build community. Please download our e-book for tips on how to help your business grow in the social media world.
