Whether you’re a barber looking to spread the love and support to your fellow barbering community or you’re a consumer who’s ready to be more intentional about the way you support businesses—especially when it comes to barbering—this blog is for you.
Supporting and being loyal to black-owned barbershops might be something you already do. If this is the case, that’s awesome news—but did you know that there are things you can do to support these black-owned shops better?
In fact, sometimes supporting a shop is so much more than just giving them your business (although, yes, becoming a loyal customer at a barbershop is definitely an important way to support that business).
But here’s the thing—there’s so much more to support than just that. In fact, there are a lot of unique ways you can help the barbers in your community overcome the modern industry challenges that every barber is facing.
This blog is dedicated to helping you see other unique, impactful ways you can better support and celebrate black-owned barbershops in your community.
How to Celebrate & Support the Black-Owned Barbershops in Your Community
Remember, these ideas below are just that—ideas. There are so many more creative ways to better support and celebrate the black-owned barbershops in your community. This is just a good start.
Do Your Research
First things first, take stock of where you’re going for your barbering needs and do a little research. Are you actually supporting black-owned barbershops with your current barbershop? Is this something that’s important to you, it’s time to do your research and find black-owned barbershops in your area that you want to support and celebrate.
It’s easy to forget that a little research is necessary, but often it’s as easy as a quick google search or meeting with the owner of the shop—something that we always recommend anyway. Take a good, hard look at your current barbershop and ask yourself if it’s a fit for the type of shop you want to support.
Ask What They Need, Then Deliver
You’re already doing the legwork to meet the owner—when you do, just be straight-up and direct and ask what that shop needs to succeed. Really—transparency is always a good idea. When you meet the owner or the shop’s employees, ask them what’s missing from their support system.
Is it social media followers? Is it marketing access so they can branch out into more communities? Every business has such unique needs that sometimes, assuming can be the wrong move.
Asking directly is a great way to get the shop owners talking with you. Even if they’re hesitant at first (which, is likely a normal response), it's probable they’ll eventually share their needs with you—especially when they realize you’re looking to become a loyal customer or partner that wants you to succeed.
Share the Shop With Your Community
Tell everyone about the shops you love. Yep, it’s that simple. Share your knowledge with other people who might not be aware of these black-owned barbershops in your area. Raise awareness, talk them up, and refer your friends.
Rep Their Merchandise, Logos, & Swag
If the shop you want to support has merchandise or swag with their logo or branding on it, wear it! It’s that easy. This type of advertising is so simple but so effective. Just getting a shop’s name out there can make such a substantial difference.
Write Reviews & Share Them
Take to the internet to show your support. Make sure you leave reviews and referrals on the major platforms so you’re providing much-deserved social credibility and proof, which, in turn, will help others take the plunge and try a new shop. These types of reviews can easily be turned into positive marketing strategies for shops.
Engage & Share With Their Social Media Platforms
Liking, commenting, sharing, and engaging with a shop’s social media platforms is free, easy, and costs you almost no time at all. So, start engaging! This type of support might not feel like it’s doing much, but it’s raising awareness and can be super impactful for a shop’s reach—especially if it’s a new small business.
Become a Loyal Customer
This one might sound simple, but it’s definitely a way to support the black-owned barbershops in your area. Find the shop that you love, want to support, and can provide the services you want. Then, make it your go-to barbershop.
Recommend & Refer
If you’re a barber in the area who either does not specialize in a service or simply knows that a black-owned shop could better cater to someone needs, make sure you have a list of top-notch recommendations at hand so you can direct business to your
And this doesn’t need to apply just to services you can’t provide. Obviously, if you’re a barber, too, you’d like to make sure your business is profiting, but if you have overflow, are booked up, or need to refer anyone to another barber, make sure black-owned barbershops are high on your list of recommendations and referrals.
We hope this blog helped you kickstart your journey toward shifting the way you think about support! Let this concept guide you as you continue to celebrate and support the shops in your community, but don’t stop there. There are so many more, unique ways to be a resource, helping hand, and loyal customer to the barbershops you love—so, get creative!
For more ideas on how to support black-owned barbershops in your community, for must-know trends happening in the barbering community, and barber career-boosting support, make sure you subscribe to the National Association of Barbers right here, right now.
