‘Tis Small Business Season: Celebrate!
You’re Invited!
We invite you to join us in celebrating our community businesses and help them THRIVE during Small Business Season – November 1 to December 31!
When you’re doing your holiday shopping, we ask you to look local first. See if there is a local business that can offer the goods and services you are looking for.
Let’s support our local businesses, our neighbors and friends who provide jobs and give so much back to our community!
Shop Local
• Commit to spending a portion of your holiday budget at local businesses.
• Create a holiday shopping list with all the local businesses you love. Share with others.
• Purchase gift cards to use at a later date or to give as gifts.
• Take advantage of online order and curbside delivery.
Eat Local
• Frequent local restaurants.
• Dine-in or get your meal(s) to go.
• Treat yourself this holiday season and have a catered meal
• Purchase gift cards to use at a later date or to give as a gift.
• Pick gift cards to use at a later date or to gift.
• Pick a day of the week and make it your Dine Out or Take-Out Day. Take Out Tuesdays sounds great!
• Don’t forget dessert. Stop in at a local bakery/cafe/restaurant and pick up a treat.
Give Some Digital Love
• When you shop or eat local, check in at the business on Facebook to give them exposure.
• If you must order online, order through a local business.
• Post photos of food, favorite items you’ve purchased, etc. on social media.
• Share photos of favorite items you would like as a hint on social media for your family and friends (and where you can find it locally)
• Participate in local Facebook groups by recommending your favorite businesses.
• Leave a review on Facebook, Google, or Yelp of businesses you have been shopping at, dining in, etc.
Go the Extra Mile
• Over tip your servers and service providers.
• Tip your service provider in advance for future services.
• Pay it forward. Start small by buying the order behind you or offering to pay for a bill in a restaurant. Go big by purchasing gift cards to your favorite establishments and giving them as Random Acts of Kindness to people you encounter.
• Leave a nice note to your servers and service providers with your tip. Let the management know how great your experience with that person was.
• As a business owner how you can help. A kind gesture and your word-of-mouth can go a long way.
• Send local business a holiday card to brighten their day.
Think Outside the Box
Make your gift-giving extra special for someone by giving gift cards or put together experience packages using local products or items purchased through local vendors.
• Nail salons
• Hair dressers/barbershops
• Pet gifts
• Home-based businesses
• Theatre tickets/membership
• Massage therapists
• Give to local charities in honor of a loved one
• Lessons or classes for learning something
• Movie theater tickets
• Spa
• Museum or Art gallery
• “A Night Out” package with dining and hotel
• Painting classes
• Gift cards to local tattoo shop
• A certificate to the local college for a course/class and school gear!
• Personal trainer
• Gym membership
• Yoga classes
• Schedule floral bouquets for delivery for a year
• Jewelry cleaning and repair
• Car washes for a month/year
• Candy for a month/year
Get creative! Listen to where they like to shop or what they like to do. Gift cards are a great choice for the person on your wish list who is hard to buy for.
