THE SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT GUIDE
“When you support a small business, you’re supporting a dream.”
– Jerry Greenfield, co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s
A little support goes a long way.
Launching my new business, Ladies Who Bluff, in the last few months has given me a reminder of just how much goes on behind the scenes when you’re building a small business and how important and valuable the support of those around you can be to help kickstart your success.
And that got me thinking about all the ways we can support the small businesses around us. From our friends and family taking the leap, to the local businesses we visit, recommend and follow.
Because supporting small business isn’t always about spending money. Sometimes, taking the time to complete an online review, share a post or simply tell someone about a business you love can make a real difference.
So, this month we’re sharing our Small Business Support Guide with some simple ways we can all help small businesses thrive and grow.
And there is even more to celebrate, Wow Studios has once again been included in the NSW Government’s Small Business Month workshop program, with four FREE virtual workshops happening throughout October.
So read on to learn more and let’s support small!
Warmly, Alysha
Owner & Creative Strategist
Wow Studios
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Exciting News – Small Business Month is Back!
Let’s Talk Branding – Simple ways we can all help small businesses thrive
Brand Education – Give them a shoutout that actually helps
Past Stories – More blogs about branding.
Feel Inspired – Collaborating with Competitors to Thrive – Real Life Stories
EXCITING NEWS
Small Business Month is Back!
And we are excited to be taking part once again!
For the second year, Wow Studios has the honour of being included in the NSW Government’s Small Business Month workshop program and this year we’re bringing you four FREE virtual workshops covering all things branding and marketing.
If you are a small business owner, you probably don’t have hours to sit through a webinar full of jargon and theory, so we are keeping our sessions short and practical. Packed with things that will actually help you with your small business branding and marketing.
Here’s what’s coming up…
What is Branding?
Hint: It’s much more than a logo!
Wednesday 7 October, 12.30pm
What actually makes a brand memorable? We break down the five building blocks of a strong brand from purpose and positioning to personality, messaging and visual identity.
5 Branding Mistakes Costing You Customers
Wednesday 14 October, 12.30pm
Your brand can influence whether someone chooses you before they ever make contact. Learn the five common branding mistakes most small businesses make and how to fix them.
The Digital Word-of-mouth Playbook
Wednesday 21 October, 12.30pm
Word-of-mouth is one of the most powerful and cost-effective ways to grow a small business. Discover how to get people talking about your business.
Personal Branding: Your Secret Weapon
Back by popular demand.
People buy from people. Learn how to build a personal brand and put your best foot forward in the business networking world. We share tips on how to create connections, build trust and present yourself authentically.
All four workshops run by Alysha are completely Free. All online and all designed specifically for small business owners.
Whether you’re just starting out, refreshing your brand or wondering how you can build a stronger marketing strategy, there will be something here for you.
Come along and walk away with fresh ideas, practical tips and a clearer plan for your brand.
View all workshops and register.
LET’S TALK BRANDING
The Small Business Support Guide
Simple ways we can all help small business thrive
We have all supported a small business by buying from them, telling our friends or liking their Facebook posts, but what more can we do to really add value.
There are plenty of ways you can support a small business that you may not have thought about and most wont cost you a cent!
Choose small when you can
Before you automatically head to the big guys, see if a small business can help. I was literally talking to my uncle just today about how most people buy their fruit and vege from grocery stores without stopping to check if that’s really where the best value lies. In many instances, skipping the supermarket and buying from a local fresh fruit and veg shop will often get you better value for money and you get the added bonus of supporting a local small business owner. It’s a win-win.
Leave That Review!
Had a great experience with a small business recently? Don’t just think it, tell them!
Reviews are incredibly powerful testimonials. They give potential customers an honest glimpse into what it’s actually like to work with or buy from a business, helping to build trust, reduce uncertainty and make that decision a little easier.
Engage With Their Socials
A like is nice and always appreciated but it doesn’t really do much for the all-important algorithm anymore. Whilst its ever changing, social platforms are always focussed on rewarding posts that keep scrollers watching and on the platform for the longest time possible so a like is great but it doesn’t actually signal that you truly engaged with or got value from the content.
To really support small businesses online, leave a heartfelt comment (one or two words or an emoji also wont trigger love from the algorithm), save their post or even better yet, share it! And if it’s a carousel post or a video, click through all the slides or try and watch the majority of the video so that the algorithm can see that you actually valued the post and the content included.
Social media is a noisy place and its tough to get genuine interactions these days so when you take the time to really interact in a meaningful way it will help their content get in front of more people and therefore more potential customers.
Recommend Them
This is a super easy one!
Next time someone asks you if you know someone who does xy or z… and you immediately think of a small business, tell them!
A personal recommendation carries a lot of weight and credibility. Your recommendation in most cases will end in a sale for that small business you appreciate.
Introduce them to someone
Here’s a suggestion people often don’t think about.
If you know a small business owner and someone that could potentially work with them or use their services, make an introduction.
You don’t need to sell anything or even do a marketing pitch, just put them in touch with a short note about why you’re connecting them and let them take it from there. You never know what might come of it.
Create User-generated Content
Bought something you love? Had a great experience?
Take a photo, create a post and tag the small business. Share it to your stories too.
Small business owners wear many hats and coming up with content is time consuming. Help by creating content they can reshare. Your real-life experience is the best marketing they could ever ask for. People are more likely to buy if they see others have had positive experiences.
Use Their Name
It sounds simple but it has a big impact.
When you’re talking to a friend about the place you ate at or the shop you bought that cute dress from, tell them the business name. The more often people hear and see the business name the more likely they will remember next time they are in need of their product or service.
Give Them Feedback
Here’s a slightly different one…
If you had a great experience, tell them specifically what made it so great. And likewise, if your experience wasn’t that great, speak up and tell them why. Small businesses can’t improve something they don’t know is an issue. Constructive feedback is incredibly valuable.
Share Their Expertise
If a small business you follow shares something you found genuinely useful, interesting or fun, share it and credit them.
If an accountant explained something you didn’t understand, chances are others don’t either. If a designer gave you some great branding advice or pointed out something you didn’t know, share it to a business friend. They might not know it either. Not only are you helping the small business but you might also share something really useful to someone else you know!
Don’t Automatically Ask For A Discount
We know it’s always nice to get a bargain because you know someone, but remember, small businesses often work on tight budgets. When you ask them to lower their price you need to remember that the price was calculated to cover their time, expertise, materials, overheads and the cost of running the business.
Paying a fair price helps them more than you could ever realise and give them a little boost knowing that those closest to them can see the real value.
And lastly, Just Cheer Them On!
Starting and running a small business is a rollercoaster. One day its amazing and products are flying off the shelves and the next day they get slugged with a huge electricity bill or a costly machine breaks.
Tell your friends just how amazing you think it is that they are following their passions and their dreams and doing something really cool. It might seem small but to a small business owner those moments mean everything.
Supporting Small Business Doesn’t Have To Be Complicated
Buy.
Review.
Recommend.
Share.
Introduce.
Encourage.
Sometimes the smallest of actions can create the biggest of ripples.
So next time you see a small business doing something you love, don’t just scroll past or think to yourself how great that was… give them a little love. You never know how it might help them!
BRAND EDUCATION
Give them a shoutout that actually helps
When you recommend a small business, a little context will make a huge impact.
Instead of simply tagging them and saying ‘Check out this business’ or ‘Go here’, tell people what they do, why you love them and who their target audience is.
For example:
“If you’re looking for a local florist, check out @business. I’ve recently bought a bunch of flowers for my Mothers Birthday and the bouquet was fantastic. They were able to source her favourite flowers and create a striking arrangement and best of all they lasted two full weeks. @Business is definitely worth checking out.”
That way, not only have you shared the business, you have created a mini testimonial, introduced what they do, why your experience was so great and what they can expect.
Those extra details take your thoughtful gesture and elevate it to a truly useful review.
LEARN MORE, CHECK OUT SOME OF OUR PAST STORIES
In 2026, it’s no longer just about have a great product, it’s about how you make people feel.
Your customers are looking for calm confidence in a sea of struggles. Connect with them and offer a little taste of joy to get their attention. From a morning coffee ritual to a home that feels more like a sanctuary, emotion is what will set you apart and make you stand out.
Leveraging off the success of past sales and the favourable experiences of your customers builds trust with your audience, enhances your online presence and creates positive engagement with your community. So, how can you go about it I hear you say. Read on as I share some great ways to build customer engagement and get your customers sharing their success stories to help you grow!
The brands people truly remember are the ones that make them feel something. That tug at their heartstrings or make them feel good about themselves. They capture imagination and build a connection with their audience.
And the good news is, emotional branding is not reserved for just the big boys with million-dollar marketing budgets. Many of the strongest emotional brands are actually small businesses because they have something larger businesses often struggle with… genuine authenticity and human connection.
FEEL INSPIRED
✨ Collaborating with Competitors to Thrive – Real Life Stories
When you run a small business, helping another one that offers a similar service might sound counterproductive. But home-based baker Jacqui Spadavecchia is among a cohort of businesswomen who have found collaboration with competitors is helping their enterprises thrive.
Small regional business owners collaborate with competitors to thrive – ABC News
CREATE THE UNEXPECTED, DELIVER HAPPINESS!
WOW STUDIOS – WE BRING YOUR CREATIVE IDEAS TO LIFE
GET UPDATES AND SPECIAL OFFERS
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Let our expertise as an award-winning Sydney branding and graphic design agency guide your business growth.
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About the Author
Alysha is a seasoned graphic designer and brand educator with over a decade of experience in marketing and design. She specializes in crafting bold, unique brand identities, and marketing collateral that gets noticed. Working primarily with small and medium-sized businesses, she partners with entrepreneurs who seek a long-term design collaborator who truly understands their brand, audience, and business goals. While she serves a wide range of industries, she has a particularly strong presence in financial services, investor relations, and the creative entrepreneurial space.
Beyond design, Alysha is passionate about educating small business owners on the power of branding. Through her blog, she shares expert insights on design, brand strategy, and proactive marketing—helping business owners stand out, build credibility, and attract their ideal customers. Her brand education work focuses primarily on guiding women entrepreneurs over 40 in understanding their competitors, defining their audience, clarifying their brand’s deeper purpose, and developing a compelling brand personality and messaging.
With a friendly, efficient, and results-driven approach, Alysha ensures her designs and branding strategies are not only visually compelling but also strategically aligned to help businesses thrive.