Often times, we think we need to buy stuff in order to support a small business, and while orders are always much appreciated, there are SO many free ways to help out your favorite small businesses! As an artist, here are some of the best ways others support my business for free and they may not even realize how much they are contributing to my success!
Engage on Social Media
Social Media is where a lot of small businesses and artists find their customers! Therefore, the more reach and eyes on their products, the more likely a sale will happen.
I'm not an expert on social media algorithms, but I do know that more engagement (likes/comments/shares/etc) means your post get pushed to a bigger audience!
So, don't be shy, always give your favorite businesses a like and comment on their posts (even hitting the save button helps) And even better, give their posts a share on your story! This may be one of the most effective ways to support businesses as it increases their audience, and the best part, it's free!
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Share Your Experience or Leave a Review
Reviews are CRUCIAL. When I am going to try a new restaurant, I always check to see if they have good reviews first! I love when I get feedback from my customers, and it makes my day when they send me photos of my artwork hung up in their homes!
One of the best ways you can share your experience of working with me (whether for a commission or a piece of art you bought) is to post about it on your story and tag me, or if you're not a social media person, to show others in person :)
People trust other people's experiences, and I want to leave the best impression I can by always putting my best work forward. Here is a recent wedding venue commission I worked on! Sharing your experience whether online or in person is FREE!
Word of Mouth
I get it, not everyone is on social media, and you know what that is probably healthier! So if you are someone less likely to engage online, you can still help bring attention to small businesses by telling your friends and family!
A lot of the live wedding paintings I book are because someone told them about me, and voila free marketing! So thank you to everyone who spreads the word about your favorite businesses, you may not even realize that it resulted in a sale!
Subscribe to my Newsletter
If you have a favorite small business and they do weekly or monthly newsletters, subscribe to it!
As an artist, this is a method of communication to let my audience know what events I will be at in the upcoming months, and where I also offer discounts on my products!
Newsletters also help increase traffic to my website, as I often put direct links to pages or products within my monthly newsletter.
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I hope you learned a thing or two in this blog on how to support your favorite small businesses, and the best part is that all of these are free! Let's make 2025 a great year by lifting others up and spreading encouragement like wildfire!
- Emily Winslow