Small Business Saturday is the perfect occasion for the whole community to get out and rally support around their local businesses.
With the holidays in full swing nothing beats a day strolling shops with friends and family with the added benefit of burning off a few of those Thanksgiving calories walking around! On this day every year communities come together to celebrate and support the small businesses in their local area. By participating in the American Express sponsored Shop Small Movement local businesses receive quite a few perks including community support, great local marketing opportunities, and the high potential to reach new customers. This year on November 25th shoppers around the country will be ready to shop until they drop; but are you, the small business owner, ready for the multitude of people that will come through your door? Preparing for Small Business Saturday may feel like a daunting task, but lucky for you we’ve pulled together some great local marketing tips and strategies to help you prepare for the rush.
Advertise on Social Media
Social media is a fantastic way to advertise and provide your community with information and reminders about participating in Small Business Saturday. If you’re looking to reach specific groups of people, demographic targeting through social media ads might be a great option for you. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat are all resources that you should use to get your community excited about Small Business Saturday. Make sure to look up hashtags and use them! #SmallBusinessSaturday #ShopSmall #ShopLocal are a few popular examples. If you’re spending your time preparing on the operational side and looking for small business social media marketing help, let Welcomemat Services take care of it for you!
Post the Shop Small Logo
You should download these free Shop Small logos and use them to your advantage! Place the flyer on your storefront display, send out emails with the banner image, and change your business’s social media profile pictures to the Shop Small picture. The logo is recognizable, gets shoppers excited, and lets the community know that your business is participating in the Small Business Saturday movement. Take advantage of the free resource and buzz it brings!
Schedule Extra Staff
With the holiday and shopping season kicking into full swing, your store is sure to be busier than usual. Avoid feeling overwhelmed and causing delayed service for your customers by making sure you have enough reliable staff members scheduled to work. Having a smooth and efficient store running during such a busy day will create a great customer experience resulting in repeat customers and maybe even positive online reviews, which will bring you more customers!
Reach New Residents
New movers and new residents to your area don’t know the local gems and don’t have relationships with local shop owners. By targeting new movers around Small Business Saturday you can begin forming relationships among a group that is 5x more likely to be a loyal repeat customer. As the most technologically advanced new mover program, Welcomemat Service is a great resource to help you reach new movers in your area.
Include Special Offers for Customers
As the holiday season begins customers are shopping in bulk and therefore they are often looking for deals. Make sure that you are considering ways that you can make your customers feel special and provide the products and services that they want at a price point they’ll jump on. You may even want to share your special promotions in advanced to create a buzz before Small Business Saturday. Consider sharing through email, social media, and in your store front.
Get Ahead on Marketing
Start marketing specifically for Small Business Saturday, and start early! If you think ahead, you can send themed postcards out to shoppers in your area announcing that you will be participating in the special day, and even announce your promotions and store hours. Welcomemat Services has patented technology that can identify your ‘perfect match’ customer, and send them a promotional postcard prior to Small Business Saturday, or any event!
Collect Email Addresses
Small Business Saturday is bound to bring many new faces into your store, and you’ll want to be able to keep in touch with them. Have each customer provide you with their email address to use for future local marketing purposes like sharing store updates, special products/services, and promotions. You could even send out a thank you e-mail after Small Business Saturday to show you appreciate their support and enjoyed having them shop with you. If you want assistance keeping your email marketing consistent and beautiful, consider Welcomemat’s email marketing options for small business.
Even though Small Business Saturday is only one day of the year, you can use the occasion to build stronger customer relationships and develop loyal repeat customers for your small business. If you’re still feeling overwhelmed by the marketing tasks, know that you can always contact Welcomemat Services for support. We offer new mover direct mail programs, social media advertising, and email marketing for thousands of small businesses across the country. We’d be happy to be your turnkey marketing solution year-round.
