Gallup Polls Say Americans Prefer Small Businesses to Big Business, 3 to 1

In Gallup Polls between 2007 and 2011, small businesses have consistently ranked three times higher in approval ratings by Americans than big business. In addition, the confidence levels of Americans regarding small businesses has continued to grow during that period. 59% responded in 2007 that they had 'a great deal' of confidence in small business, with that percentage rising to 64% providing that answer in 2011.

If you think 66% doesn't sound like a very high percentage, you're mistaken. The only agency of the 16 rated in the Gallup poll that ranked higher than small business was the military with a 78% confidence rating. Small business is number two on the list, outranking law enforcement, the President, churches, the medical system, the Supreme Court and public schools, among others. Big business came in with a 19% rating with only HMO's and Congress rated lower.

So, what does this tell us? It tells us that movements like Small Business Saturday, which encouraged shoppers to spend their money at small, locally owned establishments were not simply a marketing ploy used during the holiday season to boost traffic to smaller stores. Shoppers truly do trust and prefer the service and products offered by smaller businesses. They proved it with their over 2.8 million 'Likes' on facebook and the 100 million shoppers who turned out to back it with their dollars on the Saturday after Thanksgiving in 2011. 

Small, locally owned businesses are organizing and networking together in many locations across the country to encourage and support one another during these tough economic times. Consumers who understand the large economic impact that small businesses make on the local economy are also rallying to their support. 

Figures have indicated that dollars spent in locally owned businesses have 3 times the economic impact  on a community than dollars spent on large, nationally owned chains. Small businesses actually create and sustain more jobs than big businesses in a community. Every small business needs a local accountant, delivery services and local marketing services. Big business, on the other hand, will have their accounting done at their corporate offices, hire national marketing services and use their own national delivery services. The jobs that locally owned small businesses create aren't just the ones within the walls of their establishment; they are much more far-reaching.

I urge you to support independently owned small businesses in your local area. Just like the majority of Americans, I believe that local small businesses are the best places to shop and are the true foundation for rebuilding the American economy. And if you are a small business owner, operator, manager or an employee, get together with your fellow merchants locally to form your own network to refer customers to one another. More importantly, rather than going to major chains to shop for your everyday needs, shop from your neighbors and introduce yourself, as I am confident they will patronize your establishment and spend their hard-earned dollars with you too. 

'Shop small, shop local and keep our local economy thriving.'