You are driving by the strip mall and notice your favorite store is missing. All that remains are large “closed” signs and real estate “for sale” signs on the windows. You loved this store. You visited it on a regular basis and appreciated their efforts to run a business in such a location. You even promoted this store to your family and friends. What happened, why is this store now closed? If you are like me, I will use google maps to help me find what I need. Of course there will normally be several options to get what I need, but I find myself utilizing review comments and star ratings to help me decide. In those comments or reviews, I look to see if the business appears to be locally owned and operated. Local businesses are run by real, local, hard-working individuals and families that are testing out their entrepreneurial goals and making the dive. Starting a small business cannot be easy, particularly if one wants to succeed. And a retail or food business that relies on visibility and traffic but is found typically empty will not succeed. I know that businesses, large and small rely on online reviews, comments, and discussions to help them succeed. If someone has a bad experience, let them know through your review so they can understand how to improve. If you have a great experience, let them know through your review and others will appreciate the advice. It will give business owners more confidence in their products and services. Your short review is appreciated more than you know and could very well help your beloved store keep it’s doors open for many years to come. Let’s all do our part to help small businesses get noticed!
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