5 Last-Minute Ideas for a Successful Small Business Saturday It's not too late to make this Small Business Saturday a success for your business.
By Syed Balkhi Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by BIZ Experiences contributors are their own.
Small Business Saturday is an American shopping holiday that celebrates small businesses and it happens every year on the last Saturday of November. Founded in 2010 by American Express, Small Business Saturday is a great way to promote your small business because unlike other popular shopping days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, you don't have to compete with the big guys.
So, it's important that you take advantage of Small Business Saturday this year if you want to attract more shoppers to your business and generate more sales. But, how can you stand out on Small Business Saturday and grab the attention of shoppers?
Check out these 5 ideas for a successful Small Business Saturday.
1. Put up signage
If you want to have a successful Small Business Saturday this year, first you need to remind your customers of the shopping holiday. So, be sure to put up signage in your small business weeks before the big day to inform shoppers and get them excited about the event.
American Express even offers customizable free signage and marketing materials like decals and posters you can use to promote Small Business Saturday to your customers.
If your business doesn't have a physical location, you can "put up signage" on your website. Make sure to display your Small Business Saturday promotions prominently on your homepage and consider creating a dedicated landing page for Small Business Saturday deals.
2. Create an email marketing campaign
Email is one of the best ways to stay in touch with your customers—and it's one of the best ways to promote your Small Business Saturday deals too. With email marketing, you can send your subscribers an invitation to your Small Business Saturday event straight to their inboxes. In the email, tell customers how much they can expect to save, and use words that create urgency like "don't wait," "one day only" and "don't miss it."
3. Use social media and relevant hashtags
Your audience is on social media. In fact, according to Oberlo, 90.4 percent of Millenials, 77.5 percent of Generation X and 48.2 percent of Baby Boomers are active social media users. So, if you want to have a successful Small Business Saturday you need to be on social media too.
Start creating and sharing Small Business Saturday posts on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. To widen your reach, be sure to use relevant hashtags like #SmallBusinessSaturday, #SmallBizSat, #ShopSmall and #ShopLocal.
4. Run a giveaway
A great way to get shoppers excited about Small Business Saturday is by running a giveaway. Everyone loves winning a prize or getting a free gift so running a giveaway will give shoppers a little extra incentive to shop at your business on the last Saturday of November.
Your business could hold an online giveaway where users have to share your post in order to enter. This will help get the word out about your Small Business Saturday promotions faster. You could also run a simple raffle at your business or give away a free gift to the first 25 people that make a purchase. A giveaway is a great way to stir up excitement and turn casual shoppers into lifelong fans of your business.
5. Share the story of your business
Lastly, because Small Business Saturday is all about supporting local, small businesses, you should share your story. Sharing the story of your business will help you make connections and build meaningful relationships with your customers.
So, let your customers know how you started your business and why you started it. You can share your story via signage, social media posts, in your email newsletter and so on. Sharing your story will help your customers get to know the person behind the company and show them why they should support your business.
Make Small Business Saturday your own
Get ready to have the most successful Small Business Saturday yet. With these tips, you can attract plenty of people that are interested in shopping at and supporting small businesses like yours.
