Is your small business ready for the most important day of the year?
Small Business Saturday is November 28th. Consumers love this opportunity to “shop small” and it shows – they spend money that day. A lot of it.
Consider this. In 2014:
- 88 million consumers shopped at small businesses; that’s 1 out of every 4 Americans.
- Consumers spent an estimated $14.3 billion that day.
- Sales more than doubled on Small Business Saturday 2014 compared to an average Saturday.
If you run a small business — retail, hospitality, service, online — here are some suggestions to prepare you for the big day.
Pre-Planning:
- Put up marketing materials.American Express offers a suite of free marketing materials. Request them by Nov. 16 at www.ShopSmall.com (under “Promote Your Business”).
- Build your mailing list. Ask your customers to share their contact info so you can send them information for Small Business Saturday events and offers…and stay in touch year ‘round too.
- Get your website ready.Drive traffic with special offers, create a landing page of the day, and get active on social media to build excitement and awareness of the day.
Day Of:
- Expand your day. Small Business Saturday is your day, so make the most of it. If you usually open your business at 10 a.m., this is the day to open at 7 a.m. instead.
- Create a memorable experience.Your personal touch is what makes your business special, so highlight it with special activities. If you make the experience memorable, customers will think of you when looking to satisfy a need the rest of the year.
- Partner up.The right partnership can make your small business feel bigger. To do this, consider combining your marketing and promotions with a like-minded store. Offering cross-promotions will benefit you both and help everyone make the most of Small Business Saturday.
Follow Up:
- Think About the Year Ahead. Offer deals for 2016. Don’t make this a standalone event. Offer your Small Business Saturday clients discounts for products or services to be used after the holiday season ends.
- Say Thanks. Don’t discount the importance of writing thank you notes to everyone who made your Small Business Saturday special. Handwritten notes stay with your customers and separate you from your larger competitors.
Small Business Saturday was created with businesses like yours in mind, and now it’s up to you to make the most of it. Apply any of the ideas above with an infusion of your own creativity. To find more small business marketing inspiration, check out Smallbusinessrevolution.org.
