Everyone knows that Valentine’s Day is all about love. You don’t have to just reserve that love for your significant other, though. Why not show some of your favorite brands some love this Valentine’s weekend too? It’s no secret it’s been a pretty tough past 12 months for everyone, and companies appreciate your support now more than ever!
Below are a few ways you can spread the love for V-day. *Bonus: We’ve even included a few ways you can show your support without spending a penny!
Purchases You Can Make
Eat Local for Valentine’s Day
Many people plan some sort of special evening to celebrate the day of love. No matter how you are celebrating, buy your food and drinks from local establishments. Whether you are dining out or staying in, local restaurants and grocers have everything you could need for a perfect, romantic evening
Gift Cards
A classic, tried-and-true way to make sure your favorite businesses will make it through these tough times. Even if you’re not ready to shop, dine, etc. right now, buy a gift card for the future!
Merchandise
Many brands have begun offering a variety of swag and merchandise: everything from lawn signs to bumper stickers to t-shirts. These items tend to be relatively inexpensive, and are a great way to spread the word about your favorite brands! Proudly let everyone know how great your favorite companies are by repping them everywhere you go.
Gifts for Friends
Even if you do not want or need anything for yourself, how about shopping for others? If you have friends or family with upcoming birthdays, weddings, or anniversaries, get them gifts from your favorite local businesses!
Other Ways to Support
Leave a Review
Everyone these days is using the internet to determine their purchasing decisions. Leaving a positive review for a business you love can sway the minds of many others who were considering patronizing. If someone hears that you had a positive experience, they are more likely to believe that they will have a positive experience as well.
Tell 5 Friends or Family Members
In addition to spreading the word online, take word of mouth old-school and tell your family and friends about your favorite businesses! People tend to trust those close to them to make good recommendations, so your suggestion will probably hold a lot of stock with your close friends. Even recommending a business to 5 close acquaintances can make a big difference.
Engage on Social Media
Another way to help out a brand without making a purchase is to engage on their social media channels. Social media marketing is one of the major ways brands can generate new customers, so they are always looking to grow their online presence. Liking, commenting, and otherwise engaging with a brand’s posts can help them seem more “popular” and bring in more traffic.
Invite Friends to Their Social Media Pages
An even more direct way to help your favorite companies grow their social media presence is to invite your friends and family to follow them. This is simpler and less time-consuming than actually having a full conversation with an acquaintance about a brand you like, so you can do this on a large scale without putting in too much time or effort.
Share, share, share
Finally, even if you won’t be taking advantage of a particular deal or promotion yourself, share the deal with others in your circle to spread the word! Really amplify any deals your favorite brands are trying to get the word out about. These types of promotions, especially limited-time offers, tend to be huge money-makers for companies, and they really want people to take advantage of them on a large scale. Sharing these types of things is as easy as pushing a button or forwarding a message you receive to your friends!
Whether you’re looking to spend money or not, there are plenty of ways you can show love and support to your favorite businesses this Valentine’s Day! Let us know in the comments what small businesses you’ll be supporting this weekend.
