Supporting Fellow Business Onwers

Filed in archive Marketing on August 14, 2008

Are you supporting your fellow small business owners?

Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, Gene Krebs

Do you know who are the small business owners in your community and are you doing business with them? If you need a haircut do you go to your neighborhood chain place or do you find an independent barber that works in a small shop? Who do you buy your clothes from, your groceries, electronics, office supplies, and anything else you purchase in the marketplace?

We want people to support our business, but are we supporting others small retailers that are also struggling to survive. I know it is sometimes it is just easier to head down to the nearest big box store to get the supplies you need, but if you are not supporting other small business owners, should they support you?

I know in some cities and areas it is not easy to find smaller businesses in some sectors. In my area it is nearly impossible to purchase electronics or office supplies from smaller business as they are few and far between.

However, when you purchase from these smaller businesses not only are you doing them a favor but are they potential customers for you? In addition are they the people that will be willing to promote your business in exchange for you promoting theirs or a company that you may even be able to do a more extensive marketing network with.

Now there is going to be some people out there who just don't care about anybody else besides themselves. They want everyone to come to them but they are not willing to help out others. If this is the case then find someone else to do business with and to work with on marketing. In the long run those who want to live in their own little world will probably not have the world for long.

Support your fellow small business owners.

Score is a great resource for finding new businesses that are popping up in your area.