I conducted my own survey with 100 people about how they support a friend's business. I was surprised to find out what so many people's idea of support is today. 86% of the people say support is spending money at their place of business. 9% said they will tell their other friends/ family about the business. 3% Said they like all their post on either Facebook or Instagram. 2% said they already have a business they don't need my support, "They are doing better than me."
What I found disturbing is not one person said they would tell strangers, co-workers, or classmates about the business, not one person said they would offer a donation to help out, Not one said they would purchase goods or services as a gift to give someone special from that business. Not one person said they would ask the friends/ family they told about the business to also share (spread) the information with others. Most friends and family have good intentions but they might not know what us business owners need from them as support. So hopefully this blog will act as a guide to assist in helping out a friend who wants to do more.
Here is five things you can do.
1. If you going to support your friend or family make sure you buy their goods and services at full price without looking for a discount. When a business first opens it takes an average of 3 to 5 years before the owner sees any real profit. Just because you see a lot of traffic in their establishment all that money goes back into the business and paying back whatever loans or investors needed to start up. In time when your friends business gets off the ground and they get on their feet, then they will be willing or able to offer discounts, comps, and rewards.
2. Tell any and everyone you come across on and offline. Let us look at it like this Avengers Endgame movie that was just released last month it was the most talked about movie everywhere it is not a surprise that the movie grossed over 100 million dollars its first weekend in the theaters. Many people either have seen the movie or they have plans to see it. When you tell people things like you can't wait to see it or you have your tickets already that is you supporting the movie. If you used that same energy when you are talking about your friends business more people will see it and want to know what is that place what is going on there that is making people talk about it. Now when they are in the area of the business they will stop in to see for themselves.
3. Internet with Social Media has changed the way we help businesses today. If you want to help out any business all you have to do is turn on your computer or a few taps on your phone. You could write a review plus use platforms like Yelp, Google amongst 100's of other places. If the business has an app 90% of the time its free join it with just a 10-second download. Make sure to take plenty of pictures while in the place of business post them on your social media platforms go live, write a story, tag in other friends. Let people know your experience while there you could even group live chat with Whats App. If you really what to go the extra mile for your friend or family for starting at $10 on fiveer you can have a professional design a flyer or make a video of the pictures you took at the business. After that take the flyer or video go to FB or IG and pay $10 and advertise it will blast it to at least 5000 people in the surrounding area that would have never even known the place existed for only $20 total.
4. Tell the truth find the right time and place where you could let your friend know if the business could use improvement if any. Maybe in the product line or customer service department. Sometimes the look of the place could use some work help with that. Just remember when giving advice maybe have a few solutions to throw in. As well, find a way to deliver the news to let the person understand you want to help them and not just pointing out a bunch of things that you feel they are doing wrong. Make sure you let them know what you feel are their strong qualities. Tell him or her even them what you would like more of it could be more colors, sizes, favors depending on the business. If you have any resources you think that you can use to help reach out to them or make an introduction. If you come across a deal or item that you feel can help the business tell your friend/ family immediately. The worst thing you could do is have a bad experience at their place of business and not return or spread around what happened to you instead of addressing it first. It might have been a bad day or something overlooked by the owner the best way to fix it is to bring it to their attention.
5. Make this the place to go shop for gifts, eat at for special occasions, chill at for the holidays. You know when someone is having an event of some sort and you are looking to get them a gift go to your friends business if they offer something your friend, children or co-worker might like. A lot of times when people host business lunches, Corporate parties looking for catering, maybe you are just looking for a nice place to eat always make your friend/ family's business the first option. Everyone like to go out on holidays like April fool's day, Easter, Valentine's day, father's day especially mother's day invite your friends to go to your friends/ family business they might have a bar, restaurant, a show, a trip somewhere. They might own a cleaner recommend everyone that needs to get their outfits freshen up to use their service. They could be an entertainer performing somewhere go see them. Or you could buy a gift for someone and send them to any of these places if you can't make it.
I want to support my friends and family.
If you ask me and a few other business owners this is very simple what we would want from our friends and family. We just want you to treat our company as you would a company that is famous and popular already. Talk about it brag that you went there, bring people with you. Notice things that most people overlook if we are having a sale it is not because we are in a good mood and want to be charitable it is a sign we need capital and have to liquidate our stock to keep our doors open. If we are having pre-sale support us the same way you would a Tyler Perry, Taylor Swift, Kevin Hart or Jerry Seinfeld event, you would hurry and buy the tickets as soon as they post them because you know they will sell out. Even though our events are not selling like that yet it is still the highest form of support. Most business owners have fan pages as well so to see that we have 10 likes on our post about our business and Kim Kardashian and others celebs like her our peoples never even met have over a millions likes just by saying "going to the store with this hat on" or something like that we see all the likes from our friends and family on their page, what happen to us? The support is more about the follow up when you spend some money it is a great thing but please invite others as many as you can to do the same we need it. A perfect example is this blog I started last month I asked over three hundred plus people that I know personally to join and leave a comment. Maybe about 20 people joined so far and I think its about 10 comments a week. Keep in mind it's free to join and only a three to five minute read once a week. This is an important form of support like the other things spread the word tell me what you want them to read these blogs and to keep them going comments / feedback is what's needed for any type of business to strive.
Here is 2 Businesses I would like to recommend
Lambert Treasures (since 2008) Event planners located at 2916 Frederick Douglass Blvd (154th and 8th Ave) New York N.Y 10039. Shannon and His Wife Rozzia are amazing to work with. They will take any idea you have and transform it into reality. A common misconception is that they are too expensive. When actually they can work with any budget you have. The company does events for plenty of corporate accounts and celebrities with high budgets. Most people see them on social media and want their events to be exactly like the ones done for them but with a fraction of the cost. Go in for a consultation tell them your budget and let them walk you thru a plan that will make you happy.
Kandi Shop (grand opening June 27, 2019) Soul food restaurant located at 1551 Watson Ave. Bronx N.Y 10472. Owner and head chef Monique is a native New Yorker. This great chef has catered to businesses all over the east coast for the past 20 years parties, baby showers, weddings, BBQs, corporate lunches every type of event you could think of. Now because of demand, her NYC clients have been begging her to open up a shop. It's here so make sure go and get you some "KANDI"