Tips for Helping Local Business
AS SEEN IN THE RED ROCK NEWS
September 11, 2020
The mornings are hinting at the coming of fall as our tumultuous 2020 enters its final quarter. With high hopes that positive recovery signs will continue, I won’t try to predict what the next three months may bring.
But it doesn’t take clairvoyance to see that Sedona businesses are fighting hard and coming back strong. Sedona’s economy depends on our small businesses and it is always important to support them.
Everyone knows the simplest way to help is to shop locally, but I was recently inspired by some amazing ideas that go a step beyond, require little effort and no money.
We have put them into a new campaign called “Five Ways in Five Days.” Each day next week, we challenge you to take one simple action to boost your favorite businesses without getting out of your chair. (Hat tip: Josh Levine at JoshLevineSpeaks.com).
Monday, Sept. 14: Start your week right by leaving a positive review on the company website or an online review site. It may be a restaurant you love or a service business that goes the extra mile.
Be sure to go to the Chamber Facebook page and post a message about what you are doing and encourage others to do the same.
Tuesday, Sept. 15: Follow a few of your favorite businesses on social media. How easy is that? You will help them boost their numbers, and you will never miss an alert about a special or a discount. You can also easily pass their news along to others in your social media circle.
Wednesday, Sept. 16: Engage with their social media posts. Add a comment, a like, or a thumbs up. Interaction is oxygen on social media, and it tends to energize others. It takes just a few seconds, and I can promise your business friends will appreciate it!
Thursday, Sept. 17: Let your Facebook, Instagram or Twitter followers know who you love. Post a brief shout out to your favorites, share a personal story about why you are supportive, and link to their website, social media or relevant hashtags. Ask people to share your post or add their own stories. Get something going!
Friday, Sept. 18: Sign up for alerts or newsletters offered by your favorites. You will never miss important news, deals or discounts. Be sure to add the “from” email to your contact lists to keep it out of your junk folder.
At the end of the week, pat yourself on the back! With just a minimum of time and effort, you will have made a big difference for your recommended businesses. These simple steps are especially crucial to local merchants, who thrive on word of mouth and usually don’t have big marketing budgets to help get the word out.
Next, get on our Facebook page and see what others are doing.
Finally, get in the habit of interacting online with your favorite restaurants, cafés or service businesses. You will soon find yourself commenting regularly and becoming an online champion. One person can make a difference, and in these challenging times, each of us has an opportunity to help Sedona thrive.
I look forward to seeing you online, cheering on your favorites!
–Jennifer Wesselhoff, President/CEO