12th The annual Small Business Saturday is just one week away on November 27, 2021. The annual holiday shopping event puts small businesses across America first and focuses on celebrating the contribution of small businesses to local economies and job creation. Sandwiched between Black Friday and Cyber Monday Small Business Saturday takes place the Saturday after Thanksgiving to encourage people to ‘Shop Small’ instead of shopping at big box stores and e-commerce stores.
If you are a small business owner or supporter of small business and want to know more about Small Business Saturday 2021 here are some details on how you can encourage local shopping.
When is Small Business Saturday 2021?
Small Business Saturday takes place on November 27, 2021, and is designed to encourage consumers to shop at small and independent stores, local restaurants, and other local independent businesses. The first event was launched in 2010 by American Express to help support small businesses struggling due to the recession, the annual holiday has become an annual shopping event sponsored by the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Small Business Association. of non-profit trade groups, government officials and municipalities.
How to Register for Small Business Saturday 2021
If you are a small business owner, you do not need to register with any organization to participate in Small Business Saturday. Participating in Small Business Saturday is as easy as following these simple steps:
Sign up for an American Express merchant profile, submit your business’s Employer Identification Number (EIN) and become part of the Shop Small campaign. This helps you access valuable local small business resources to make the most of your holiday shopping experience.
Add your business to the AmericanExpress Shop Small Map. so buyers can find your property and you’re all set. Successful Small Businesses that qualify for American Express services will not only be mapped online but will be listed in a free online small business directory..
There is also an option for people to participate in a Small Business Saturday for non-retailers where they can become neighborhood champions. Neighborhood Champions are in charge of organizing local events or promotions to encourage people and businesses about Small Business Saturday in your community.
10 Ways to Prepare and Make the Most of Small Business Saturday 2021
Small Business Saturday is all about shopping small by encouraging customers to visit local businesses and support them during the holiday season. Whether you’re a first-timer or a regular Small Business Saturday participant here are ten Small Business Saturday ideas to help you make the most of this year’s Small Business Saturday.
1. Extend Your Opening Hours
Because Small Business Saturday falls right in the middle of the holiday shopping season, you’ll need to attract customers to your business or shop to raise money for the event. Besides promoting the entrance and your products and services you will need to extend your opening and closing hours. This will help encourage people to shop longer and shop as often as possible.
2. Create a Trial Offer or Discount
Holiday shopping is all about attracting as many customers to your store as possible. You can encourage existing and new customers to buy more by engaging them with special offers, discounts, in-store events, and promotions.
3. Host an Event and Engage with Other Small Businesses
You can make the most of holiday shopping by hosting an event at your store or partnering with other small businesses to not only inform customers about the event but also encourage support of small businesses.
4. Optimize Your Website for Increased Traffic
During this season many potential customers will go online to research purchases and evaluate business offerings. One of the ways customers will search is because of the world wide web make sure you prepare your landing page with holiday-specific content including special offers to let customers know what you have to offer.
5. Stock up
Successful small businesses know that the holiday season means shopping sprees. There is nothing worse than running out of stock and having to turn customers away. To avoid losing sales make sure your store is stocked before the holidays and has the most of your sales available.
6. Support Other Events for Small Business Owners
Small Business Saturday is about showing solidarity with local small businesses and helping them grow. As a small business owner, you should consider giving a favor to other small businesses by supporting Small Business Saturday events.
7. Use Social Media to Advertise
Social media is the new mouthpiece where customers search for products, find products, and read reviews. Social media is one of the best ways to connect with your audience and drive traffic to your website and ultimately purchases. You can boost your social media marketing campaign by posting offers and promotions and advertising on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
8. Create offline local ads
Don’t forget Small Business Saturday is all about shopping local. You as a local business should also reach customers through local paper advertisements, flyers, posters, and billboards.
9. Send a Small Business Saturday Email Series
If you have an email list of customers you should consider opening an email thread to reach out to customers and let them know about special offers. This includes your work hours, whether you’re delivering goods or sending them your holiday greetings.
10. Hold a Giveaway
Giving gifts to your customers shows that you appreciate their patronage. This can go a long way in building long-term relationships with your customers that keep them coming back to your business, year after year, year after year. Consider offering samples, tokens, and freebies to add to the holiday spirit.
Create or Download Pictures for Small Business Saturday
You can create your own Small Business Saturday marketing collateral at this event or if you’re not sure how to develop your own Shop Small downloadable resources and free campaign signs to download and use for free. In addition, you can also visit American Express’ Shop Small Studio for other downloadable posters, social media posts, and other resources to promote your business and holiday shopping event.
How to Use a Small Business Saturday Logo
All American Express’ Small Business Marketing collaterals are available free of charge. AMEX provides guidelines on how to use the Small Business Saturday logo.
Photo: Depositphotos
