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August is National Black Business month, an important time to elevate the Black-owned employee businesses and Black entrepreneurs in your life and in your community. According to Lending Tree, while Black people account for nearly 13 percent of the U.S. population, only 2.4 percent of businesses in this country are Black-owned. Meanwhile, there are more white-owned businesses than there are white individuals. The number of Black-owned businesses has been on a slow and steady rise in recent years, which means it’s more important than ever to boost that momentum and lift up the Black-owned businesses that are operating. Bringing them your business and telling others about these establishments raises their profiles and shows hopeful Black entrepreneurs what is possible. Here are ways to celebrate National Black Business Month.
Leave Raving Reviews
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If you’ve been a customer or client of a Black-owned business and loved it, leave them great reviews on various platforms. You can leave them a Yelp review, a Google review, and you can even make a post about them in your neighborhood Nextdoor app. This lets other community members know how great they are. Reviews help businesses rank higher in online searches and help consumers decide where to spend their dollars, so a review means so much to a business.
Join The Black Chamber Of Commerce
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Your local Black Chamber of Commerce will have updates on events happening around the city that uplift Black-owned businesses and bring Black entrepreneurs together. Become a member so that you can stay informed on these events, connect with other business owners and further strengthen the network of Black business owners in your community.
Promote Your Friend’s Business On Social Media
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If your friend has a business, online shop or brick-and-mortar venue, promote them online. Pop into their business. Make a video highlighting all that’s great about it. Do a quick interview with the owner. Post it to all of your social media outlets. Be sure to use hashtags including #Blackbusiness #Blackowned #Blackownedbusiness and #supportBlackbusiness so that others who want to support Black businesses can find your post.
Locate Black-Owned Grocery Markets
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Instead of visiting your usual chain grocery store for this week’s food, find your nearest Black-owned market. Alternatively, you can find farmer’s markets in your area featuring Black farmers. If you’re on a budget and trying not to take on extra expenses, this is one way you can redirect the dollars you were already going to spend towards a Black-owned business.
Get Coffee From A Black Brewer
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If you sip java every morning, get this month’s caffeine supply from a Black brewer. MADAMENOIRE lists delicious coffee from Black-owned companies here. If you’re not a coffee drinker, pick up a few bags to give out as gifts or snag your preferred caffeinated beverage from these brands – many sell tea, too.
Partner With A Black-Owned Business
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Cross-promotion is always a great way to find a new customer base and share the love of your fans with another business you respect. If you are a Black business owner, find a fellow entrepreneur with a complementary business and do a week of cross-promotion. If you, for example, make jewelry, you could cross-promote with a furniture maker who makes beautiful armoires or vanities to store your jewelry on.
Dine At Black-Owned Restaurants
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If you have a date night or girls’ night on the books, find a Black-owned business to have it at. Or, host a special occasion like a birthday or anniversary party at a Black-owned restaurant or bar. This is great promotion for the venue because all of your guests will become familiar with the establishment – and hopefully become repeat customers.
Spotlight Businesses In Your Neighborhood
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If there are several Black-owned businesses that you love in your neighborhood, dedicate a week to doing daily posts about them. Each day, you can spotlight a different business with photos, videos and a testimonial from the owner.
Buy Black-Owned Wine
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Grab your vino from a Black-owned winery. MADAMENOIRE lists six Black-woman-owned wine labels and wineries here. And if you’re a big wine lover, many offer monthly subscriptions so you can keep the cases of the good stuff coming. Be sure to stock up on several, since they make great gifts, too.
Check Out This Black-Owned Business Directory
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This directory makes it easy to search for the type of Black-owned business you’re looking for. From hair dressers to cocktail bars to clothing boutiques, it’s all searchable in this directory. Just type in your zip code and find Black-owned businesses in your area. The directory also lists promotions and sales being offered by various businesses every day. And if you have a Black-owned business, you can list it here.
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