Supporting small businesses is very important. Some businesses offer competitive prices, others offer better service, while another might offer integrity. It depends on what a customer needs. There are plenty of huge companies which do not need our support nor our money, but they are happy to take it whenever we give it.

Smaller companies and businesses also need profit and supporting them enables us to have a larger choice. Take book publishing companies, particularly indie and smaller ones. They will publish books from new authors or authors from far away. Supporting such companies gives us a broader choice of literature.

Here are the best ways to support them.

Purchase Books that You Have Never Heard Of

While ebooks are great and practical, nothing beats the smell and feel of a real book. Turning that paper in hand, smelling it as the pages turn, even getting a paper cut, those are all lovely book-reading experiences.

Indie publishers are bound to have books from authors you have never heard about. That being said, purchasing these books will give you an insight into another culture, another writer’s views, and importantly, not one that is being sold everywhere else. Rare things are not always better, but they can offer hidden gems and a different perspective, all of which are great things.

Purchase Books From the Company Directly

This is very important. If you buy a book from another bookstore or a large book publisher, the original publisher gets less money. If you can, purchase books directly from the indie publisher, by ordering from their site. If they have a physical store, even better, you can visit the store and actually see the books in person.

This isn’t necessary, but most book readers love spending time in bookstores. Pay attention to what is written on the cover of the book. See who the publisher is, read about them, find their site, store and support them directly.

Helping Out Personally

This does not mean donating to the publisher, but actually helping out whenever you can. Visiting their store, learning about the owners, seeing how you can help, those are the best ways to help. See whether the publisher is going to organize press events or any similar event and see if you cannot help.

Share the Books You Bought

This is another way to spread love, literally. If you have a book club, then bringing your new books and reading passages from them will eventually expose the publisher to a broader audience. This will advertise their brand, in a sense, as well as the authors.

Smaller publishers are as important if not more, as huge companies are. Support them in these ways to give yourself a broader reading choice.