We all know people who own or run their small-scale businesses or local setups, selling their farm-grown fruits and vegetables, crafts, home-baked goods, or even clothes. Along with the retail industry, local businesses provide legal, automotive, and manufacturing services.
Local businesses have 500 or under employees and provide goods or services to a local population, such as within a neighborhood. We have all heard that local businesses need our support and when given the option, we must buy local. But we aren’t aware of the many benefits we get by supporting local businesses.
Benefits of Supporting Local Businesses
Giving Back To Community
According to civic economics, every dollar spent on an independent business is returned 3 times to the local economy. Solid local businesses strengthen the overall economy of the community. Receiving support from the community encourages small business owners and helps create more job opportunities for people in the community, and keeps the community buzzing with tourists and visitors.
Farmer's markets are trending, and more people have started buying from them rather than from big grocery stores. It has far more significant health benefits, but it also helps encourage local businesses. Local restaurants serving only organic food also buy from farmer's markets, which benefits both businesses and the local population.
Providing Employment
Local businesses open up so many job opportunities for people living in your community. This includes your family, relatives, friends, or even you. Often they provide better wages and benefits compared to commercially operating chains.
Healthier Living
Buying and consuming local and homegrown fruits and vegetables are free from chemicals and insecticides. They are generally healthier for you and your family. You can inquire further regarding the meat, eggs, and dairy these businesses provide. You can ask whether they’re free-range and grass-fed. This can be comforting as commercially available options are not as healthy.
Strengthening Bonds with the Community
By supporting local businesses in your area, you can get to know the people who run them. They are people who live in your neighborhood. Celebrating their success together and helping them grow can be very satisfying and develops stronger bonds with the community.
Environmentally Friendly
Local stores are usually located within walking distance to residential areas and reduce land use and transport via automobiles. This contributes to reducing fuel consumption and air pollution emitted from vehicles.
Adds Unique Character to Your City
Supporting local artisans and their unique products adds character to your city. Cute local cafés, handmade jewelry stores, crafts, and other locally made items make the area set your community apart from others and attracts more visitors and tourists.
Innovative and Exclusive Products
Since local businesses have a small setup, they make limited exclusive and unique items that are not widely available in the market. So any piece of jewelry or clothing you buy from here would be like a limited edition item!
Fantastic, Personalized Customer Care Service
Knowing your consumers helps the business owners provide customized products and services for their clients. This helps improve your entire shopping experience and makes you get to know more people in your community. Since local shop owners depend primarily on the community for their income, they make an extra effort to be friendly and accommodating.
Check Local Services Network today to find a local business that provides your required service or product in your city.
