Supporting your people is actually so freaking easy. And I'm not just talking about spending money.
Listen, sometimes we need to go to Target or Amazon because it's convenient or it's what we can afford. We get that! But there are so many other ways to show up for the people in our world who are building businesses, creating things and putting their work out there. Most of them are completely free and take almost no effort.
We just have to remember to do them.
That's what we're diving into in Episode 48 of The Energy Xchange. You're probably already cheering your people on. You just need to let them see it.
Support doesn't have to cost a thing
When I say support, I mean the little stuff. Liking a friend's post. Leaving a comment. Sharing what they're doing to your Stories with a note like, "Hey, look at this really cool thing my friend's doing!" Writing a couple of sentences in a Google review.
That's it. Free. 100% free.
Nobody's expecting you to engage with every single thing they post. It's just about being intentional every once in a while and throwing your support someone's way.
Why the little things matter so much
There's this idea floating around the online business world that you'll get more support from total strangers than from the people you know. Honestly? I don't know that I believe that. I think sometimes we just don't realize how much the little things matter.
If you have a business, you know how hard it is to put yourself out there. You don't know if it's going to work. You might not have guaranteed income yet, or that outside validation that says, "Hey, what I'm doing is really something." You've got all these doubts running in the back of your head.
So when someone in your world gives you a little hype? It's just... beyond.
My example: the email I didn't ask for
A few months back, I got an email from someone I'd worked with. The subject line? "Testimonial."
That was it. Just, "Hey, thanks so much for your help. Feel free to use this anywhere."
I didn't ask for it. (And it reminded me that I actually need to put it out there!) But it was so powerful, and it meant so much.
It also made me look at the other side. I support my people. I know you support yours. We see what they're doing and think, "Oh, that's so cool. I'm so happy for them." But have we actually told them?
I'm guilty of this one. We assume people know we support them... and then we just get busy.
Why Google reviews matter more than ever
If you've got brick-and-mortar people in your world (shops, restaurants, physical businesses), you have no idea how important Google reviews are right now.
They've always mattered for credibility. But with AI changing the way people search for and discover businesses, those local search tools are more important than ever. In the land of search, they're almost more important than people's websites right now.
And there's a little psychology at play here, right? We tend to leave a review when something was completely out of this world (like eight out of five stars) or when something really, really sucks. But what about all the experiences in the middle? The shops we love. The restaurants we go to all the time. The services we recommend to our friends without even thinking about it.
We're already talking about how great these people are. Let's take 90 seconds to put that somewhere other people can find it.
What I'm doing about it
I have friends who don't even read my stuff, they just give me a like to show support. I appreciate that so much! And when I'm scrolling and see something from a friend or a business I know, I try to do the same. Sometimes I don't even read the thing... I just heart it.
But reviews? I have a list of probably 15 businesses I've been meaning to write one for. I've always supported them internally.
So now I'm making it a little more visible. On Friday mornings, right after my business admin time, I'm taking about 30 minutes to give them some external love.
Where to start this week
Got two or three minutes? Scroll through Instagram, Facebook, all the places. When you see something from a friend or a business you love, like it, throw in a comment or share it to your Stories with a little note so your whole network sees it.
Got five or 10 minutes? Go leave a couple of Google reviews. Your brick-and-mortar friends need this!
If you only do one thing this week, pick a business you're always raving about and take 90 seconds to leave them a review. Even just a couple of sentences. That's it.
A question to sit with
Who have you been cheering for in your head who hasn't heard it from you yet?
It's an effort, but it's so worth the effort. Make sure your business friends feel seen and supported this season... and always.
Ready to make your support visible?
If this one hit home, come hang out with us on The Energy Xchange. New episodes every Wednesday, for deep feelers and quiet leaders who care about the people in their world. And if you want to do me a solid, leave a podcast review or share an episode with someone who'd appreciate it :)
Catch Episode 48 of The Energy Xchange, "Making Your Support Visible," wherever you listen to your podcasts.
