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It’s been a tumultuous year thus far, to say the least. 

We’re all trying to protect ourselves and our families from COVID-19, and right in the middle of these concerns, the killing of George Floyd sparked protests and riots all over the county. 

These are not new occurrences, rather it’s cell phone videos that allow the public to see what really happens when people of color encounter law enforcement. 

However, if there were any silver lining to this injustice, it would be the spotlight placed on the Black Lives Matter movement. People from all walks of life caught a glimpse of the deadly force and outrage people of color face every day.

The spotlight on the Black Lives Matter movement prompted an increase of individuals looking to find and support Black businesses. 

Now, many people understand people of color aren’t afforded the same privileges in every aspect of life. 

For example, did you know that out of all the Fortune 500 CEOs…. only four are Black? 

And none of them are women. 

Additionally, Black businesses are on the decline in light of COVID-19. Now it is the time to unite and support each other with our massive buying power. 

African-American buying power was 1.3 trillion in 2018, with a consistent increase over the years. Let’s keep those funds circulating in our communities by supporting Black businesses when possible. 

Review Products on Social Platforms

When you run across a game-changing product or service tell everyone about it!

Social media is vital for every business because it attracts new customers. It also gives them an idea of what they can expect as a consumer. 

Companies understand everyone has some type of social media platform they visit frequently. This is why social media marketing is crucial for businesses, especially black business owners. 

Some companies take customer reviews and comments and create content for their website or social media. You see, your words are golden and can increase business exposure and credibility. 

Don’t Ask for a Discount

Admittedly, we all have a friend or an associate that’s started a business, or maybe you’ve done so yourself. One thing many business owners complain about our friends and family members wanting a discount on products or services. 

At the end of the day, running a business is hard work. There’s always something that needs to be done. It can be anything from revamping the website, down to purchasing more packing materials to make sure customers receive their package in tip-top shape.

Additionally, you’ve got to think about how people of color don’t receive the same business loans and grants that others are provided. 

The majority of the time, black business owners depend on personal savings and credit cards because they don’t have a lot of working capital. 

So, support black businesses and pay full price. They need your support, and it functions to bridge the substantial wealth gap in this country. 

Subscribe To Emails

Many business owners struggle to meet their marketing goals—no matter the gender or race. For this reason alone, make sure you sign up for their emails when you visit a black-owned website. 

It’s all support, no matter how you dress it up. 

Not only does this provide confidence for the business, but it allows you to stay in the loop for deals and savings. It’s not like the 15 emails you get from Victoria’s Secret every day. 

Real people sit down and craft these personalized emails for their client base to read.

Be Patient 

Maybe we’ve all had a bad experience when trying to support a local black business or even an e-commerce business. Unless the experience was blatantly disrespectful, be patient, and consider giving them another shot. 

Surely you’ve had a bad experience before on a Target run. However, you still make your weekly or bi-weekly visits for the essentials. It’s no different here, black businesses are inherently essential. 

So, let’s give them the benefit of the doubt and a chance to get it right. 

Tips for the Entrepreneur 

As mentioned above, we know starting and running a business comes with its own set of challenges and expectations. Overall, you have to know how to keep a cool head and productively delegate your daily tasks. Find a routine and process that works for you. 

Many business owners combine some of those intense daily tasks with CBD. It provides full-body relaxation, but also the focus and concentration needed to get things done. 

You can pop two CBD gummies in the morning, and before you know it, you’ve powered through all the emails and packed all your orders. 

Sometimes, merely thinking about everything that needs to be done can stress you out, but CBD prevents this from happening.

Things to Remember 

Supporting black businesses isn’t hard to do. You can look up hashtags such as #supportblackbusiness #buyblack #blackowned, and many more. 

You can also check out sites like webuyblack.com, officialblackwallstreet.com, blacknation.com, and iamblackbusiness.com. All of these sites showcase black business in their own special way. 

Here’s a more definitive list that will point you in the right direction of dozens of black businesses that would love and appreciate your support.