Hello LGs,
Here comes the biggest, longest festive season in India!! From September to December 2024, festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi, Krishna Janmashtami, Navratri, Diwali, and Christmas bring joy and celebration, but they also offer a chance to boost our local economy. This is a great opportunity for us to connect guides and an indigenous part of our local community to get together and support our local businesses.
I thought of some ways to contribute and request that you all suggest as well:
Write reviews and add photos, edits, and the latest updates on Google Maps.
Your contribution to Google Maps: Writing reviews, adding businesses or the most recent updates and photos, and making necessary edits to Google Maps can help small businesses gain visibility.
Publishing posts on our Connect portal: Write about your favorite local shops and their festive offerings. Share these posts on our Connect platform. Let the world know about it!
Social Media Shoutouts: Use your social media platforms to give shoutouts to local businesses. Tag them and use relevant hashtags to increase their reach. If youтАЩre a vlogger, then this is a good opportunity; otherwise, consider this an addition, not necessary at all. Mouth-to-mouth publicity is still the best resource!
Support an online presence.- Try to help them manage their social media accounts if possible, and if they approach that, share tips on how to engage with customers and promote festive offers. Avoid doing it personally; just guide them, and that will be enough!
Buy local.
The simplest way to support local businesses is to buy from them.
- Festive Shopping: Make a conscious effort to buy your festive decorations, gifts, and sweets from local shops.
- Gift Vouchers: Purchase gift vouchers from local businesses to give as gifts. This ensures that the money stays within the community.
Host Market Walk Meet-Ups
I think this is an excellent way to contribute. Anyone can set up meet-ups for market walks in their neighborhood or locate such market locations, weekly bazaars, and seasonal bazaars. You can complete these alone or with a group. What we can do is:1. #### identify a nearby market, bazaar, or streetтАФa route well-known for its small businesses. Design a route that connects multiple shops.
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Encourage people to join physically or through the video call.
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As you stroll, introduce the participants to the store owners. Talk about their distinct products and narratives. (Before this, please consider the precautions mentioned below.)
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Draw attention to exclusive holiday deals and encourage customers to make purchases while you are there, or use social media for that matter.
Going a step further, using the latest trends and technology, as well as the possibility of group funding, try creating some stickers and danglers and distributing them to them to place in their shop windows, community boards, or hand over personally.
I have designed a few; if anyone needs to print or use them, do let me know.
#1: I have created these rectangular designs, which can be used as danglers or stickers.
#2: Similarly, these circular designs can be used as danglers or stickers too.
Also, I am suggesting using the following logo on the respective posts to support local and small businesses; it will show our unity and strength as one!
#3: Use it on your banner somewhere so we can see that your post is referring to supporting local/small businesses.
IMP NOTE:
Precautions to Take
While introducing local businesses to guides, itтАЩs important to be mindful of their schedules and preferences.
- Avoid Peak Hours: Try to schedule meet-ups during non-peak hours to avoid disrupting their busiest times.
- Seek Permission: Always ask for permission before organizing a meet-up at a business. Respect their decision if they prefer not to participate.
- Be respectful. Understand that some business owners might be hesitant or uncomfortable with large groups. Be respectful of their space and time.
- Communicate Clearly: Clearly communicate the purpose of the meet-up and how it can benefit their business. Transparency helps build trust.
- Limit Group Size: Keep the group size manageable to avoid overwhelming the business and ensure a more personal interaction.
By taking these steps, we can make a significant impact on our local economy and help small businesses thrive during the festive season. LetтАЩs celebrate the spirit of the festivals by supporting those who make our communities vibrant and unique.
Happy festive season!
Cheers!
so much for sharing this tip for all of us and congratulations 
