November 30 is Small Business Saturday. As a small business we are proud to have support and supply hundreds of small businesses in the Carolinas. This newsletter is to celebrate you, the small business owner, with simple ways can support small businesses, like yours.

Follow on social media and leave positive reviews
Many of the larger corporations have hundreds if not thousands of reviews and millions of followers on social media platforms. This large amount of interactions drives further engagement with their brands. By adding positive reviews and following small businesses you work with or are a customer,you help increase their online presence which can help small businesses compete in the online space, where engagement and activity is key.
 

Giving from local businesses
When you are out and about doing your holiday shopping, consider giving gifts or gift cards from locally owned businesses. While your local restaurants or shops might be well known to you, they may not be as well known to your colleagues, friends, and family. By giving people a gift or gift card from a small business you are helping that business reach a larger potential customer base.

Taking a day at your local farmers market
Take a day to grocery shop at your local farmers market instead of the grocery store. Not only are you supporting local businesses but it encourages you and your family to make a dinner together from scratch.

Highlight businesses who use local suppliers
Many small businesses put an extra emphasis on supporting other local small businesses. For example, restaurants will try and support their local farmers as suppliers, or sell a local baker’s baked goods. Gift shops, bars, and many other small businesses also do similar things to support other local businesses. When you see this community effort happening in action, highlight it, post about it, share it, and encourage the value of it.

Promote Small businesses working B2B with other small businesses
Small businesses working business-to-business is a great way to get the most bang for your buck. This maximizes the trust and business relationship experience while growing together with the other businesses in your local economy. Small businesses depend on each other to improve and grow. When you are a small business, hiring other small businesses as partners encourages economic growth in your community. Promote and encourage small businesses to work together as they are stronger working with each other than apart.
 

At Albemarle Paper Supply we love working as a small business with other small businesses because we grow with our customers as they grow. Watching that process work is a remarkable thing to be a part of. Putting forth intention to support small businesses is a great way to ensure we all continue to see growth in the years ahead.