Small Business Saturday is almost here! As a local business owner, it’s your time to shine and make the most of this annual holiday. For 10 years now, this day has encouraged consumers to shop local to bring more holiday shopping to small businesses.
Use this guide to prepare for Small Business Saturday 2019:
What is Small Business Saturday?
Small Business Saturday was started in 2010 by American Express as a way to honor local businesses around the holiday season. This day helps boost awareness and sales for small business owners by encouraging customers to “shop small.” Participation from consumers and business owners has skyrocketed, so it’s important for business owners to be prepared.
When is Small Business Saturday?
Each year, Small Business Saturday takes place on the Saturday after Thanksgiving and Black Friday. This year, the annual day falls on November 30. The timing is beneficial for small business owners because they can benefit from all the shopping continued after Black Friday.
Why Does Small Business Saturday Matter?
According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, Americans spent a combined $12 billion at independent neighborhood retailers and restaurants in 2017. Consumers are prepared to spend a lot of money during this shopping frenzy, so it’s a great time to honor local businesses. Participating will drive brand awareness and make a lasting impression for the upcoming year. Make your business the place customers want to shop instead of big-box retailers by creating a welcoming and exciting environment.
How Should I Make the Most of Small Business Saturday?
Offer Specials and Unique Promotions:
Everyone loves a good deal! This is what makes Black Friday and Cyber Week so successful. Offering some sort of special or offer to customers shopping on Saturday will increase sales for your business. Try to make it unique by offering something that larger businesses can’t. In addition to deals, utilize incentives such as raffles and prizes. Promote other businesses in the community by partnering with them. You and the other businesses will benefit from promoting each other with increased exposure. Collaborating will help with your marketing goals, as it shows you’re involved in the community.
Use Social Media and Email to Promote:
Get people excited about the holiday by using social media and email. Spread the word that you’re celebrating Small Business Saturday and ask your customers for their support and participation. Showcase the promotions that your business will be having on that Saturday with attention-grabbing posts and emails. If you want to put money behind your marketing, run Facebook ads to increase your reach. Make sure you use hashtags to increase engagement. Some popular hashtags to use on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are #SmallBizSat, #ShopSmall and #SmallBusinessSaturday.
Get Your Website Ready:
Ensure that your website is up-to-date and mobile friendly. If your hours are different for the holidays, make sure it’s noted online. Update your website banner to showcase that you are celebrating the holiday. Making sure your website is mobile friendly is important. In today’s world, countless people look online at a company’s website before going there. During this time of year, people are always on the go and using their phones to look up information. Outdated information and a non-user friendly website can be very frustrating for loyal and potential customers.
Get Emails to Build Your List:
Use this day to leverage your email list. This is a great opportunity to build your list or start one if you haven’t already. If you have a promotion, offer or incentive going on, make customers input their emails in order to receive it. This will help your company with its long-term marketing goals.
Thank Your Customers:
Make sure to thank your customers for their support during this day. Everyone loves to feel appreciated, so make it a big deal that they showed up. You could also send an email the next day to everyone on your list, including the new emails you got. A “thank you” goes a long way and can help build long-lasting relationships within your neighborhood!
Have Excellent Customer Service:
Customer service is essential! This is the busiest time of the year for all businesses no matter the industry or size. You must have enough staff to help customers. Having friendly employees will leave a lasting impression, especially during this season. Creating an engaging and exciting experience will make your business stand out.
Use American Express’ Resources:
American Express offers free signs, email templates, web badges, posters and other marketing materials to get your business ready for Small Business Saturday. They make it easy to download these promotional materials to make your business stand out.
Here at Welcomemat, we help local businesses thrive across the nation with our integrated marketing solutions. In honor of Small Business Season, we put together a list of America’s Top 25 Best Neighborhoods for Small Businesses in 2019.
For help with Welcomemat’s digital, social and targeted direct mail marketing services, contact us today!
