“Local is lekker” is not just a beautiful South African saying, it’s our country’s mission and a chance for positive, long-lasting change!
The shop local movement is hardly a trend – it’s a shift in lifestyle that more and more people are embracing.
If you had to communicate with an American and explain that you have been chosen as the hooker for your school’s rugby team, you will probably be rewarded with a very worried look. Let’s rather keep it local julle!
As South Africans, we should support local suppliers to invest in the future of our country so that we are able to eradicate our contribution towards the unemployment rate and boost economic growth. Supporting local businesses is also good for the environment because they often have a smaller carbon footprint than larger companies, and I’m all for going green.
Here are 5 ways that you can support your local businesses now without even spending any money:
1. Engage (Like, comment, save or share) with Local Businesses on Social Media.
2. Write a Review
3. Word of Mouth Referrals.
4. Keep them in mind for the future.
5. Refer friends and family to their business.
Why should you support local and small businesses?
The number one perk to consider for obvious reasons is that supporting local means that you care about the community that you live in. The commercial world is full of companies that all offer basically identical options. It’s hard to find anything that is entirely unique anymore.
So essentially, you’re helping bring character to the commercial world. You are giving people jobs. There’s no question that the job market is tight these days, and by shopping local, you are keeping a business open, enabling growth that leads to job creation.
Small businesses are important because they provide opportunities for entrepreneurs and create meaningful jobs with greater job satisfaction than positions with larger, traditional companies. They foster local economies, keeping money close to home and supporting neighborhoods and communities.
We in turn need to create a conducive environment, that is regulated in order to encourage the use of local products. This will not only create employment but also drive innovation and investment for local manufacturers. This often impacts global trends and ideas relating to product development and future products.
In a world where you can shop anywhere… Shop Local.
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About Sonet van Wygaard
I started working at Leads 2 Business in 2014. I was part of the Tenders Africa team and have now recently moved to Private Projects. I love every second of it!