Here's how you can support small fashion startups and local businesses

This pandemic has taught us many things personally as well as professionally. One out of many has been about our consumption habits. With the whole world looking at supporting local businesses, we aren't surprised at how our shopping habits have become mindful now more than ever. Instagram rolled out a new 'Support Small Business' sticker in stories recently. This amplifies the revival of small-scale companies and we say some big personalities use this platform for the cause. If you haven't tried to support a small business yet, here is how you can do it in the easiest ways.

Making a purchase is surely the best way to directly support a company. But leaving an honest review is the next best thing to do. Most people look for what to shop for, most customers look for reviews to inform about their purchase. Leaving a comment or a review is a great way to bring your physical support online. From clothing brands to beauty startups, you can pick from a whole range of small businesses to support.

Searches for 'support local business' reached an all-time high in April 2020 in India, according to Google Trends. With platforms like Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest introducing shop and shoutout features, it's become effortless to share your favourite products and past purchases with your near and dear ones. Doing this gives them the much-needed exposure.

Follow small businesses on social media, it helps increase their visibility on your followers list. Help in boosting their business and online presence by hitting the like button. Repost or comment on their posts and tag them in your lists, collections and guides.

When you shop directly from a brand's website rather than the big box retailer, the profit goes directly to them and their employees. This helps them in making smaller labels stay afloat during challenging times. You can encourage your family members and friends by sharing your experiences with local operations. Remember to hype them up through word of mouth.

Newsletters help the organisation to share unique content with their patrons - blogs, coupons, sales, offers, updates, etc. You generally don't get to see these on social media. By signing up for newsletters, you join their community of loyalists.