The Entrepreneur’s Guide To Small Business Saturday

How can small business owners ride this shifting wave of public opinion by using Small Business Saturday to engage their communities, find new clients and customers, and invigorate their regulars?

Keep reading to find out.

Support Your Local Small Businesses; Shop Small

Before we jump into the content about this holiday, we wanted to take this time to shout-out some amazing small businesses worth checking out on Small Business Saturday!

Here are a few businesses we met as part of the Main Street Mavericks road trip around Oregon. One thing we heard over and over on our trip was that small businesses want to help out other small businesses — it’s a large community, and everyone is in it together.

During our six days, we interviewed over 30 businesses. Here are the businesses with eCommerce shops the Main Street Maverick team thinks you should check out:

Bookstores: Sunrise Books and Treehouse Books

Food & Drinks Items: Newks Hot Sauce, Branson’s Chocolates, Bruce’s Candy Kitchen, Lovejoy Teas, Sunflower Sake

Art & Handmade Items: Bread & Badger, Basalt, WoolTown, True Lavender Collective

Small Business Saturday is specifically about making sure the holiday money stays in the community and goes directly to the families running these small businesses. Happy shopping!

The Ins & Outs of Small Business Saturday

Did you know that the Saturday following Black Friday is the second busiest shopping day of the year?

While Black Friday is still a big revenue booster for big chain companies to roll out their holiday must-haves, Small Business Saturday is equally important for the small business sector. Local businesses might participate in sales to get foot traffic, but online stores can also participate in the fun (even if eCommerce sites also get their Cyber Monday shopping holiday).

The goal is to direct hard-earned money toward brick-and-mortar small businesses in local communities.

And in recent years, consumers have answered by making shopping small and local a part of their holiday spending.

With past and future customers and clients already in the frame of mind to spend, use Small Business Saturday to boost revenue, attention, and loyalty for your small business.

How To Market Small Business Saturday: 10 Tips For Success

In all the best ways, Small Business Saturday is already a phenomenon, with local businesses teaming up for a carnivalesque experience down the main streets of America. American Express’ free advertising helps. (Some places have bouncy houses and live music and wine tastings.) Some shopping communities already have events recurring for Small Business Saturday, but what if your business is online or in a less-trafficked location?

No matter the situation and type of business you run, here are some tips for success.

#1: Start Promoting Now

People start thinking of their holiday spending at the exact moment that summer melts into fall. People start talking about Thanksgiving plans as the holidays are on everyone’s mind right after Labor Day. When you head into these prime shopping months, take advantage of opportunities to promote your participation in Small Business Saturday.

If there are events for the day, maybe create an event page, or run advertising that showcases your business story and what services you offer. Maybe include a free/exclusive item for anyone who makes a purchase over a certain amount. Promote those offers and extend your reach during the weekends leading up to Small Business Saturday.

#2: Be Yourself

Shoppers on Small Business Saturday are stoked to find deals and items for sale. However, the spirit of the event is really focused on local spending and being the antithesis of big stores. Making a relational connection to people will go a long way for your business versus merely cutting prices (which you may not be able to truly afford). Think of Small Business Saturday as a moment to tell your story. With that…

#3: Tell Your Small Business Story

There are so many reasons that your small business story is an integral part of your business, so if you haven’t thought about writing it down already, do it! Who are you? What inspired you? If you run a small business, that small business reflects your heart, your blood, your sweat, and your tears.

I’ll say it again: shoppers are relational. People want to spend money in their local communities, and they want to know how their money supports others, so tell them! Create a flyer and post your story on social media. Encourage people to come meet you and the people you employ in person. (If your business is online, you can conduct live interactions with customers during specified times through any number of social media platforms!)

#4: Utilize Social Media

Exploit is such a harsh word. But I mean it. The Small Business Saturday hashtag will be flying and consumers are on the lookout for places to spend money. Small businesses can use a program like Rafflecopter to set up rewards and incentives for following social media accounts or sharing information (in general, it is frowned upon and against terms and conditions to link giveaways to making a purchase or leaving reviews). Engage your social media followers with a countdown or highlights of the things available for sale. Introduce employees. Use social media not just for promotion but for engaging with customers and potential customers.

#5: Get Involved In The Community

Even online businesses have their niche communities. So, whether you’re in a business complex or online, there are ways to team up and help each other. Share about other small businesses on your social media pages and find ways to promote your community as a whole. (You could even invite a local celebrity to visit!)

Remember: The people shopping Small Business Saturday are locals or people online looking for a specific type of small business to support. Making it more about the community or teaming up with other businesses in the community builds your identity and expands your customer base.

#6: Be Ready

If you run a brick-and-mortar store and you are advertising a specific item, make sure you have enough in stock. If your online store is promising speedy delivery, don’t get overrun and let people down. This is about customer service and professionalism. Prepare your staff and plan ahead for emergencies.

Whatever promises you make for customers on Saturday, be ready to make those a reality or you may face a backlash and lose repeat customers.

#7: Support Local Charities

Feel-good shopping begets more feel-good shopping. If you sell pet supplies, think about pairing up with a local animal shelter or a restaurant that supports meals for those experiencing homelessness. Giving a percentage of sales to a charity or non-profit is a great way to incentivize spending, yes, but also it’s a great thing to do, period. Giving back shows what matters to you, creates bonds in your community, and increases awareness.

#8: Give Customers A Reason To Come Back

A coupon for next time or a chance to enter a drawing in exchange for their email address are options you can employ to get your customers to come back. Whatever methods you can use to help customers remember you the next time they are shopping, use them. Send everyone home with a flyer with your story and a discount; plan a special sale with invites going to all customers who make a purchase that day; issue a December coupon. These are all ways to get your information into the hands of customers and act as reminders to make a trip again.

#9: Offer Something Exclusive

It’s true: A Small Business Saturday Exclusive has that flair buyers want. Special deals only for Saturday, doorbuster discounts, a free item with a purchase, a selfie with you? No matter what you offer, make sure it’s something that fits your business, tells your story, and appeals to your customers. Whether it’s a giveaway or an offer, the allure of something rare and exclusive is hard to ignore.

#10: Make It An Event

Don’t limp into Small Business Saturday. If you aren’t excited about the holiday, you won’t be able to sell that excitement to your customers. And excitement sells. So, make Small Business Saturday an event. Make it a moment. Help make the people who come and visit you on that day feel special, wanted, and important because they are! How often does a small business get a holiday to roll out the red carpet for the people who support them? Create a tradition, a memory, and an incentive to return.