During a crisis, there are nine things you can do to help the local economy.

Home » During a crisis, there are nine things you can do to help the local economy.

During a crisis, there are nine things you can do to help the local economy.

During difficult times, your business can be a driving force in helping the local economy prosper.

In several ways, the global health and economic crisis has changed both life and work. The staggering number of business closures has been one of the most significant of these effects.

Any crisis has the potential to devastate a local economy, creating significant financial and social hardship for residents.

1 Make the office more appealing.

Is it time to spruce up your office, storefront, outdoor restaurant seating, or other workplace? Look for decor choices that are both inexpensive and trendy at local businesses. Visit local nurseries and gardening centers to find new plants. Rather than shopping on Etsy or Amazon, buy art for your offices from local designers, artisans, and crafts businesses.

Finally, instead of going to a big-box home improvement stores, look for paint touch-ups, storage solutions, and lighting fixtures at smaller, independently-owned hardware stores.

2 Get the team some takeout.

The food and beverage service industry has been one of the hardest hit sectors of the business community. It’s possible that your neighborhood’s bars and restaurants have been forced to close or revert to in-person eating. But, however they’ve been affected, they’ve undoubtedly lost a significant portion of their normal market. Why not help them out while still rewarding your team? Treat your employees to a lunch from a nearby restaurant via curbside pickup or delivery. Sending multiple individual meal deliveries to your team members at their home offices should be no problem.

3 Get your local news by subscribing to them.

Even before the crisis, the news and advertising sectors had already suffered a number of setbacks. We can support local journalism and news sources by buying digital subscriptions to a local publication.

4 Hire people from the region.

You may still hire a full-time employee, but if you need extra hands, experience, or specialized skills for a particular project, your neighborhood may have just what you need. Many people lost their jobs this spring and are now relying on freelancing and self-employment to make ends meet.

When possible, outsource as much work as possible to local freelancers. When you shop at their new establishments, you’re also bringing more money into circulation in your neighborhood.

5 Build a local network

With marketing budgets being slashed or even eliminated entirely, many local businesses in your region are being forced to get innovative in their quest for new opportunities and buyers. Word of mouth marketing, which is often a strong organic type of marketing, will aid in the survival of struggling companies.

Joining local community-based networking sites like Algoma Marketplace or Facebook will aid this phase while also benefiting your own company. Participate in forums, answer questions, and suggest companies you’re familiar with to people who are searching for unique services or products in certain groups or places.

6 Tutors should be teachers.

Is it still possible for your schools to meet in person? Many school districts have chosen to forego in-person instruction while the crisis continues. Owing to family and health issues, some teachers have been forced to withdraw from their posts. Consider recruiting one or more of these trained educators to assist your organization in establishing a tutoring or school pod for the children of your employees.

7 Purchase gifts

The holiday season is a great time to go shopping for one-of-a-kind and meaningful presents for everyone on your list. Call and inquire about buying gift cards for holiday presents, even though your favourite shops are closed to foot traffic. Give them to coworkers and others, and allow them to go shopping when this get better.

8 Contribute to local charitable causes.

Donations to charity have taken a dive as the economy has struggled to recover its feet. As a result, local foundations and community service organizations will find it difficult to carry out their missions. Donate as much as your company can, particularly to organizations that provide vital services to people who have lost their jobs or their homes. Consider making holiday contributions in the names of coworkers and loved ones, and then encouraging them to join you in supporting the group.

9 Have positive feedback

Finally, please leave a positive comment wherever you can. For small to mid-sized companies they haven’t seen before, most customers tend to see independent reviews. Many company websites would gladly embrace and post testimonials directly on their pages. Positive feedback can also be left on sites like AMP or Yelp. Make your praise for any local business you frequent as precise as possible, and inspire others to do the same.