Santa, Please Shop Small!

‘Small Business Thought Bubbles’ by Bearsy & the Boy

‘Small Business Thought Bubbles’ by Bearsy & the Boy

Dear Santa,

As the days become weeks and the weeks become what feels like the longest year to date, we find ourselves yet again in the midst of a lockdown. Ladies and gentlemen, introducing Lockdown 2.0. Renewed frustrations, feelings of loneliness for those single folk living alone, anxiety levels on the rise, and the ongoing uncertainty of “Will my business make it through a second lockdown?

For many businesses nationwide and worldwide, the COVID-19 pandemic came crashing down like a tonne of bricks. Staff were furloughed or sadly made redundant, sales and revenue plummeted and many store fronts that lined our high streets were forced to close. It has been a truly unprecedented time for so many people and those of us who are still receiving their usual income should, quite frankly, be eternally grateful. Those individuals placed on the furlough scheme for the interim were supported, whilst businesses who couldn’t afford to pay salaries to employees were offered the chance to retain their staff for when life returned to some semblance of normality. However, it wasn't quite so plain sailing for the self-employed. The initial introduction of March’s lockdown saw those people fighting for financial support from the government in a bid to make ends meet and carry their businesses through the challenging months ahead. The outcome? Some made it and some didn’t.

Amazon’s CEO Jeff Bezos however, is set to become the first trillionaire this year and many large corporations like his are on the path to making even more money as a result of this second lockdown, whilst small businesses are left behind. It is so important, now more than ever, to support small by shopping small if these businesses have any hope of making it through the second lockdown.

So what can you do to help? Identify those businesses local to your town and where possible, consider the following: buy a voucher to redeem when businesses are back up and running, get ahead on your Christmas shopping and buy a gift or two from a local maker, take part in an online class, purchase a take-away coffee from an independent cafe, send a box of sweet treats directly to a friend’s front door…the list goes on!

If money is more of an issue however, then take to the small screen! With all of it’s flaws and the negative connotations surrounding social media, Instagram has become a powerful tool and an incredible platform for independent businesses that rely on social engagement for their sales. You can do your bit by sharing a story, hitting ‘like’ on a post, tagging a friend in the comments section, saving the post for future reference or leaving a good review - these are all sure-fire ways for users of Instagram to discover small businesses, makers and independents and opens up their doors to a flurry of new potential customers. And what’s more, it doesn’t cost a penny! Instagram pages such as Shop Small Leam (@shopsmallleam) and Cloud Femme (@cloudfemme) are also great resources in discovering amazing local people and businesses all under one roof.

It is known to be said that when you buy from a small business, an actual person does a little happy dance and do you know what? It’s true! As an owner of a small stationery and design business, the sheer appreciation for that customer who has just clicked “Add to basket” is second to none. Immediate thoughts of “Someone wants to buy my product!” or “I have worked so hard on this and someone recognises that!” is truly one of the most rewarding feelings and I’m sure I speak for all my fellow small businesses owners when I say this!

So Santa, from us all in need of a little happy dance this year, please shop small this Christmas!

Jo x