Have you thought about shopping local lately?

Hello guys and girls, my name is Stefan, I am an analyst at Virtono, and today we are going to talk about our beloved local businesses. That shop around the corner owned by a family from your town, or that local bar that everyone loves, they all are important to us.

So, get comfortable, get yourself some water and some snacks, and let’s get right into it.

Do you know what the foundation of our economy is?

Local businesses often times carry the weight of regional and local economies on their shoulders. They are always paying all their taxes; they are helping communities evolve and they are constantly creating jobs.

The concept of shopping small started in 2010 when American Express wanted to create a movement that encouraged people to shop locally and support small businesses.

Since then, the culture of shopping locally has evolved, and besides the culture, the businesses evolved as well, your local flower shop and even most of the small corner shops now have a website, they are competing on a whole new level, and they are trying to keep up with our corporate society.

How can you support your local businesses?

Well, for starters you can start by shopping locally more often, why buy your daily vegetables from a big super-market chain when you can buy from your local market? Remember it all begins with YOU.

Every dollar that goes into a small business, allows that business to flourish, and with it, your community will also grow.

Give a starting business a chance to succeed and promote their story to the rest of the world, remember that if you were on the other side, you would appreciate any support.

So, next time you are preparing to go out shopping remember this article and take a detour from your regular chain and go to a locally owned store.

Want some ideas of how you could shop small but still make a big impact?

Listen up:

• Instead of drinking coffee at home, go for a warm cup at your neighborhood coffee shop, you will help them, and you will have the opportunity of socializing more. You can be doing networking for your own business by just going to drink a coffee downtown.

• Design your weekly menu on products from your local farmer’s market, you may be surprised by how much your culinary experience will increase when you are cooking with fresh ingredients.

• And after a good meal everyone craves something sweet, so instead of store-bought chocolate go take a look at your neighborhood bakery, you may be surprised by what good reside there.

• If you are into fashion, take a minute to research local designers. Lately, this industry has seen a great increase in local talent, and you might be impressed. Most of the time you can find your local designer promoting their clothes on Instagram so be on the lookout for that.

• Lastly but the most important part, promote the business that you believe in on social media, take a photo, make a video, put a hashtag, and upload it on social media, it goes a far way for small businesses.

Remember that one purchase is all it takes to support a growing business and to give hope to this movement that believes in putting the value back into friends, families, and neighborhoods.

Virtono is happy to support small businesses that is why we are having a special hosting offer:

Pay only 1 Euro and get 6 months of web hosting.

We celebrate local businesses, and we want to encourage them so remember to use the code: 1EURO at checkout and you will receive our special offer for any hosting plan.