Participating in Small Business Saturday
Written by Courtney Raguso, Social Media Content Creator
Small Business Saturday is on November 27 this year and is going to be bigger than ever! It’s a holiday that lands between Black Friday and Cyber Monday that focuses on supporting local businesses to help support the community and boost the economy. Last year, spending on Small Business Saturday reached a record high of $19.8 billion. This year, over 50% of shoppers plan to participate, making it a great opportunity for small businesses. American Express started the shopping holiday back in 2010, during the Great Recession, as a way to promote local shopping to help stimulate economic growth within the community. In 2011, the senate passed a resolution recognizing the day as an official observance. Now, it’s recognized as a national holiday and is observed by all 50 states.
So, why should you participate in this holiday, and what makes this holiday so significant? As we stated earlier, it helps boost the economy. Small businesses represent the majority of business owners, from the corner store, to your favorite local restaurant, to your neighborhood comic bookshop, and everything in between! For every dollar spent at a small business, American Express estimates an average of $0.67 stays in that business’s local community. In fact, according to the New Economics Foundation, similar purchases made at chain stores vs. those made with local businesses, puts twice as much money back into the community than compared to chain stores. This is due to the fact that it helps increase real estate value and keep local money local. It’s also because small businesses pay local taxes, which helps boost the community’s libraries, schools and infrastructure. Local businesses also are more involved in the community and tend to donate more to local causes, helping make their community a better place.
When you shop small, you are also helping support the environment. Large chain businesses like Target and Stop & Shop tend to use a lot more energy to get their items on the shelves compared to their smaller competitors. Trucks have to mass ship these items across the country, and sometimes items have to even be imported and flown in, which requires even more effort. This burns more fossil fuels, which contributes to pollution and environmental damage. In addition to all this, buying local offers more diverse choices because the products and services tend to be more unique to the community, adding a sense of personality to each neighborhood.
When it comes to participating in Small Business Saturday, there are a few things you can do. One thing you can try is offering a discount! Since many larger brands participate in Black Friday and Cyber Monday, taking the attention away from small businesses, this is the perfect time to get a piece of the pie and offer customers a good deal as well. You can also try hosting a giveaway and make it a more fun and interactive experience for your shoppers. Giveaways work well because people like a little friendly competition and are an easy way to motivate shoppers because everyone likes the idea of winning something. You want to be prepared for this great opportunity, so start generating buzz now and get your store ready for the heightened traffic. One great way to get customers excited is an email blast. This tactic works well because you are reaching your customers, who already are interested, directly and are giving them a call to action. When you tell people about the discounts they can get if they shop that day or about an event you are running, they will be reminded to support your business on that special day.
Generating buzz on social media will also be very helpful in building awareness. Everyone is on social media, and you can rally in both existing and new customers. Also, using hashtags like #SmallBusinessSaturday and #ShopSmall will put you in front of everyone using that hashtag to search everything related to the upcoming holiday. Lastly, you’ll want to update your website because you’ll want to take advantage of the high traffic during the holiday season. Shoppers will be on the lookout for deals and want to support small businesses, so make sure your site is ready for these new visitors. With the holiday being less than a week away, you’ll want to start getting ready now. Contacting a digital marketing agency will help you get the job done a lot faster, so you can be on your A game Saturday. MSM DesignZ is a small business, so we get it. As fellow small business owners and online experts, we can give you just what you need to succeed.
At MSM DesignZ, we put in the time and energy required for success, so you can ensure you are using every dollar for maximum return. With over 20 years in the business, we have watched marketing evolve from traditional to digital. Whether you need a website refresh, more attractive email, or a quality online presence, we can do it all. When we take on a client, we put in 110% and treat every brand as if it’s our own. We will always continue to place our clients’ needs at the heart of our operations. From web development to social media management, we’ll work directly with you to build a personalized strategy to not only retain but also gain business. We are assisting in all areas for our clients. Visit our contact page at https://www.msmdesignz.com/contact/, and we’ll work with you to devise a custom plan that will keep your brand alive and well. We look forward to working with you!
Sources:
https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/7354-small-business-saturday-tips.html
https://www.uschamber.com/co/grow/marketing/small-business-saturday
https://blogs.constantcontact.com/small-business-saturday/