Benefit Local Communities with Small Business Saturday

Before the surge of corporate entities, there were small businesses. No matter where you live or are visiting, mom-and-pop shops are likely part of the town's makeup.

Small businesses are what make a place distinct. They reflect a city's atmosphere and demonstrate what hard work and passion can achieve.

Started by American Express in 2010, the annual Small Business Saturday will return on Saturday, Nov. 25.

Here are just a few reasons why participating in the day is so important.

Give back to the communities.

A vast amount of expenses are tied in to owning a business from paying to keep the location, the equipment working, the structures up to code, and the inventory stocked to paying the employees, and, hopefully, the owners themselves.

When a franchise of a bigger corporation opens in the area, people tend to flock to those stores, because they recognize the name and know what to expect. This is a reason these types of franchises generally are more financially stable than smaller, independent companies.

When you choose to buy your clothes from a local boutique or your medicine from a neighborhood pharmacy, you are giving your money directly to a person in the community, to a business that will use that money to keep itself afloat and to, hopefully, thrive, and to an owner who can better secure the jobs of his or her staffers.

Then, if you enjoyed your experience, you can continue to show your support by posting a positive review on the business's social media page or by telling your friends and family about your time there. Helping to spread the word and reaffirming the positive points of the company will draw in more customers and therefore, more revenue.

Support what makes the town unique.

Every town in America that I have visited, no matter its size, has a Walmart, McDonald's, Wendy's, Taco Bell, or a Starbucks. Chain stores are a dime a dozen. What you can get at one location, you usually can get at another.

Small businesses have the freedom to sell what items they want and decorate their shops to their liking. When you step into a local shop, you are seeing a touch of the owner's personality and creativity. When you browse their selection, you'll notice books that are hard to find, clothes with distinct designs, and knick-knacks of various forms, colors, and sizes.

When I visit a new city, I love checking out the local restaurants. Even with living in the same city for most of my life, I still find new places at which to eat. With smaller restaurants, in particular, you'll find new combinations of food, try new flavors, and enjoy a meal that's freshly made. Believe me, that last part makes a huge difference.

Become better educated about the products.

If you were to ask an employee at a big-box store where the products originate, usually he or she won't know. When you ask an employee at a small business, he or she will either be able to deliver the answer or can ask the owner.

A solid example is farmers' markets. While, yes, it can be easier to pick up your produce at the nearby grocery store, you often don't know how that piece of fruit was grown, was handled, or from where it came.

When you browse through a farmers' market, the person at the booth is either the farmer or someone close to him or her. That person can answer any questions you have about the conditions under which the food was produced and might even have a business card handy with a website, email, or phone number you can use to learn more about the farm and its products.

Local businesses support each other and members of its community.

When you support one small business, you might actually be, in turn, supporting another business.

Some companies take advantage of the resources in their own backyards. Depending on what's available in the town, a business owner might pull from local services for the company's marketing, accounting, food supplies, construction, and repairs.

Small businesses sometimes even support local artists by providing outlets through which artists and authors can display and sell their works. They also help advertise the city's events by hanging up posters and flyers.

Meet the faces that make up the community.

I served as a newspaper reporter for eight years, and an integral part of that job was, of course, interviewing people.

Through that aspect, I learned a lot about the area and the populace around me.

It's always interesting to hear where people came from, what brought them to town, and what led them to where they are now, and hearing those details about a business owner made me see that business in a different light. It would also make me feel reassured that I was not wasting my support and money, because they were going towards someone I not only know but someone I felt would wisely use the offerings.

Those shop and restaurant owners would be able to tell me about their regular customers and, if the company had been around for several years, about the customers who came in as children and now bring their own kids. The owners in those cases also commented on how amazing that was, to have that continuation in support and close relationship with that client. I remember one restaurant I visited had guest books for patrons to sign; there were at least three full ones holding up the current edition.

When the right person is behind a business, the company not only operates well, but that structure and positive attitude makes a more pleasant environment for the workers, and in turn, for the customer.

So, no matter where you are, hit the city's downtown area or local shopping strip this Saturday. Even if you feel financially tapped out from Black Friday, you might be pleasantly surprised to find an item you can afford, meet someone you connect with, or even discover a favorite new store that you can remember for future shopping.