THREE POWERFUL STEPS TOWARD A SUCCESSFUL SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY

Can Small Business Saturday work for you or is it just another "marketing holiday"?

In 2010, American Express created Small Business Saturday and in just 4 years, it has encouraged consumers to support small businesses to the tune of 5.7 billion dollars. 

Small Business Saturday (SBS) is expected to be even greater this year as awareness has grown by over 70% with local spending at an all-time high. Make sure to get your piece of the pie... a little bit of preparation can go a long way!

3 Steps to Enjoy More Success on Small Business Saturday
 

1.  CONNECT WITH A CAUSE
Select a local charity or cause and emphasize the importance of local community support. Customers support small businesses who make an investment in the community. Consider local art/cultural, sports groups or humane foundations.Invite the local symphony or theater group to perform at your business in exchange for a donation to their organization. They'll promote the event, broadening your reach!

2.  COMBINE YOUR EFFORTS

Work with nearby businesses or your shopping center. Create a neighborhood feel with combined marketing promotions such as a drawing with prizes or awards for shopping in your network of local businesses throughout the season. Collective efforts increase visibility and foot traffic; and pooling your marketing dollars gives you exposure beyond your individual efforts.

3.  CREATE A SPECIAL OFFER
Give your customers extra incentive to shop with you on SBS. Launch a special one day offer on a featured item or total purchase to increase foot traffic. Take it one step further...encourage your customers to come back by giving them a coupon for a future purchase when they shop on SBS. 

HERE'S HOW...

COMMUNICATE

Get the word out to stay top of mind with your customers this holiday season.  Your loyal customers are your biggest advocate and will help spread the word throughout the community. But don't forget to ASK!  

• Create signage and fliers to use in your store. 
• Create a SBS banner for your Facebook page and website.
• Schedule FB posts and tweets throughout the holiday season.
• "Like", "Follow" and "Tag" your fellow local businesses to broaden your reach.
• Set up cross promotional emails with your local business network to get more exposure.
  

DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT
Offer refreshments, have extended shopping hours, music, giveaways, etc. Make Small Business Saturday a big event at your business! Show them that you value earning their hard earned dollars!

COMPLEMENTARY MARKETING

Take advantage of FREE marketing offers. Visit Small Business Saturday on Facebook for free access to marketing and promotional tools like in-store signage, e-marketing materials and other special incentives. If you accept American Express cards, easily create your own offer using the GO Social Tool.

CAPTURE NEW CONTACTS

Build your customer base. SBS is a great opportunity to build your own customer database for long-term marketing throughout the year. Be sure to capture email addresses of new customers during the holiday season.

Of course, you'll need to plan your inventory and merchandise your store relevant to your promotions and special offers, not to mention adding a little seasonal touch. Remember, small businesses are the backbone of our economy with 80 cents of every $1 spent staying within your community.
 

We hope to have ENLIGHTENED you with a few good tips for a successful Small Business Saturday this November 29. Please ILLUMINATE us with your stories, pictures and success by posting to this blog or our Facebook page. We would love to hear from you!