When a friend starts their own small business management company, it can be difficult to know what you can do to help. Many people assume that the only way they can offer support is by buying products or services, but it's about more than that. There are many ways you can show your support for a small business owner, even if you're not spending money with them.
Here are some ideas on how you could support a friend's small business:
Offer free marketing
You may not know anything about marketing, but that doesn't mean you can't offer assistance in this area. Your friend understands their industry and their products and services inside and out, so they'll likely welcome someone helping them spread the word about what they do.
You don't have to be an expert at social media or create advertisements for new customers; just having someone brainstorming new ideas with them will go a long way.
Offer to volunteer
A common problem that small businesses have is that they are often run by one person, meaning that the workload can become too much at times. If you know your friend is looking for more ways to sell their products or services, then see if there's anything you can do to help them.
Even if it is just helping with smaller tasks like packaging things or taking phone calls, it can take a lot of pressure off them and make sure they stay productive.
This support is invaluable as most people don't have too much spare time on their hands. Working with others can also 'bring the friendship closer together,' so to speak – doing something nice for someone else can have positive effects on both parties involved.
Offer your time
Another way you could support your friend is by offering your time rather than your money. This could be in the form of telling friends about their brand, offering to give feedback on designs/products, helping social media posts, giving advice on how to advertise, etc.
Even if you're not a business person, having another set of eyes and ears to give advice and feedback can be really helpful.
Give honest feedback
When starting a new project or product, getting honest feedback from people you trust is important because they might spot things that others won't.
If your friend asks for your opinion on something, then tell them what you think, even if it's not what they want to hear!
Don't just say something is good/bad just because that's what they want the answer to be. Always try to be constructive with your criticism and suggest ways to improve before saying why it isn't working.
In Conclusion
There are many ways to support a small business management company besides just giving money. Consider your friend's business needs, and see if there are things you can do for them that won't cost anything but some time or effort on your part.
When somebody starts out on their own small business adventure, they need all the support they can get from those around them. Offering help is a great way to build stronger friendships as well as keep your friend's business afloat!