Hannah Deane
Community Futures North Cariboo
In our close-knit community, locally-owned and operated businesses bring a certain vibrancy to our city. We, as a community, can support our local businesses in many ways. Quesnelites can show their appreciation to local business owners with these five easy steps.
1) Recommend the business. Local business owners rely on their clients and customers to spread the word of their business, so one of the best things you can do for the owners is recommending the business to your friends and family. Say, for example, a local shop specializes in toys and games; you could recommend the business to people with children. Is your best friend on a health kick? Point them towards a local health food store.
2) Leave a review. Many businesses have their own social media sites where you can leave reviews. If you like their business, leaving a detailed review of their products or services is an excellent way to show your support. Express your appreciation to the business owner or staff. If you like what they do, tell them! A little “thank you” or a compliment about their business goes a long way. Whether in person or as a comment online, everybody appreciates a compliment.
3) Shop local. Another way to support local small businesses is shopping local when you can. Try a local farmer’s market rather than a supermarket for dinner tonight. Try an independent, locally-owned shop rather than a big department store for buying gifts, especially near the holidays! Big businesses carry a variety of goods, but choosing to visit a small or locally-owned business just once might let you discover your newest favourite store in town!
4) Nominate the business for an award. Each year, the Quesnel and District Chamber of Commerce hosts the annual Business Excellence Awards, where people can nominate and vote for their favourite local businesses. If you are happy with the business and think it deserves recognition, you can nominate them for an award. The nomination is an honour in and of itself.
5) Check out local events. Keep an eye out for other local events or celebrations in which businesses participate. Two events that come to mind are the Quesnel West Village Night Market and the local Farmer’s Market, where businesses have booths showcasing their products/services. Both are fun events for Quesnelites and are excellent opportunities to support local businesses.
Showing appreciation and support to local businesses makes our city a nicer place to live and stimulates the local economy. So get out there, Quesnel, and show some support for our ever-growing population of local businesses!
Community Futures North Cariboo operates a resource center for small businesses, providing loans, training, coaching and information services to entrepreneurs. Community Futures also provides technical and financial support for projects that diversify the economy and improve the quality of life in the North Cariboo region.
READ MORE: Community Futures brings in consultants for local businesses
editor@quesnelobserver.com
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