Buying gifts: Spend your money on micro
December hosts Independents’ Day, a day to celebrate soloism. It’s also Christmas month, so consider supporting soloism by buying gifts from the solo community.
The magic of micro
It’s a normal, automatic reaction to purchase from your preferred retailers at gift-buying time, but it pays to check out the offerings of micro business owners as well. Aside from receiving great customer service, you’ll be supporting the sensational soloist sector.
I try a few different places before buying from big retailers:
My family
I have some very crafty family members who make everything from jewellery to personalised Christmas baubles.
My ‘Pride’
I’m honoured to work with the most interesting clients, some of whom sell amazing products. I love doing business with people who have kindly trusted me with theirs.
My colleagues
Some of my colleagues have written books or made delightful creative products, which make ideal gifts.
Favourite store
My nearest shopping centre houses the usual national chain stores, but I always first head to a shop owned by a lovely lady who greets me warmly, gives me exceptional purchasing advice and looks forward to seeing me again.
Flying Solo directory
Who better to purchase gifts from than fellow micro business owners? I recently used the Flying Solo directory to buy the perfect book for my best friend. And the author even wrote a personalised message in the front cover!
Also, I was after a really specific gift: a non-leather, stylish, strong men’s wallet. I typed in ‘wallet’ on this page, and it came up with this business. I clicked through to the site, found a fantastically groovy wallet, and purchased it in less than a few minutes. (I don’t enjoy shopping, online or otherwise, so a lightning-fast transaction is perfect!)
Flying Solo directory tips
If you haven’t found what you want with the directory search bar, try clicking on a state and choosing an industry. You may not find what you want, but you just may!
If you’re currently listed in the Flying Solo directory, make sure you have a good tagline. The tagline for the wallet store is, “Sustainably made fashion and accessories for men and women”. The copywriter in me would’ve added a creative component to this tagline, but regardless, the descriptiveness reeled me in. Make no mistake, a good tagline will sell your business.
Although I’m not a lover of shopping, it’s a pleasure doing business with fellow micro biz owners, because I’m making a purchase that also celebrates soloism. Happy Independents’ Day!
Have you ever purchased a gift from someone in the Flying Solo community? Tell us about them in the comments below!
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