Thanks Facebook
Could I have some ad credit now please!?
These are tough times for small business. Running a toy store startup on the Las Vegas strip has taught us to be resilient and look for every possible advantage as we try to get back to opening, let alone "business as usual."
Fortunately there is help, right?! Government grants like the PPP (if you get lucky), and lots of independent grants from helpful "big guys". SalesForce, Amazon and even Facebook are giving out money to help the small survive.
There is a LOT of news coverage about the disaster that has been the SBA loan roll-out during the COVID-19 crisis. However, getting funding from big business can be just as frustrating. We tried to apply for a Salesforce grant, and received no response beyond a broken application link. Kappa Toys has a dedicated Facebook following and, we had high hopes for their grant program, but this is the message we received -
We reached out in every possible way to Facebook (even using our Linkedin network), but to no avail. The burn was slightly lessened when it was revealed that the grants are $4,000 each, with $2,500 of that being in Facebook ad credit (which costs them arguably little). Still, every little bit helps - so here's our plea: Can we apply for JUST the ad credit?!
Today, with news of Facebook's newest small business initiative (Facebook Shops) just announced, the burn stings a bit more. We already spent a lot of time getting our webstore integrated with our Facebook page (thanks Bigcommerce!), but no one will see it without spending money on Facebook ads.
Has your small business received grant money from Facebook or another interesting source?
Let me know in the comments, drop in a link or just share a story - let's support each other during these tough times.
If you know someone running a small business - remember NOTHING is easy right now. We are all trying to get funding for our businesses, but customer support will be the deciding factor.
Order some yummy takeout from your favorite neighborhood restaurant, and maybe seek out a local store on Facebook to see what they are offering?!
#Facebook #FacebookShops #SmallBusiness #ShopSmall #PPP #SmallBusinessGrants