This national shopping holiday in the US occurs on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, usually falling somewhere between the 24th and 30th November.
What is Small Business Saturday?
Small Business Saturday was started in 2010 by American Express, to encourage people to show support to their local communities and businesses by shopping small. The beauty of Small Business Saturday is that it truly heralds the onset of the holiday shopping season. Both businesses and consumers get in the spirit by offering sales and availing themselves of sales and other incentives. It’s sort of a win-win from both sides of the aisle!
Should You Participate in Small Business Saturday?
Small businesses, of course, should participate in Small Business Saturday. However, they’re not the only ones that can partake. Corporations, big and small, as well as communities and government representatives can also participate in Small Business Saturday.
There are many roles that need to be filled for a successful Small Business Saturday. For example, organizations might volunteer to be neighborhood champions, taking on the responsibility of promoting and getting people involved.
Similarly, government representatives can play a role in organizing locations for a Small Business Weekend shopping extravaganza. Consumers, however, play the most important role of all––buying and supporting local businesses!
For a small business, participating in Small Business Saturday can prove to be very helpful for their business growth.
Below are some of the biggest benefits to participation.
Increased Brand Awareness
When a local business participates in small business Saturday shopping, it increases the awareness of their brand in the local community. Utilizing social media sites with hashtag #SmallBusinessSaturday can be a great way to market your brand, too.
Loyal Customers
Taking part in local community events can show the local people that you’re with them long-term, through thick and thin. Actively participating in Small Business Saturday shows the community that you’re planning to become a permanent presence in the area and that they can count on your products or services. This can help you build connections and collect a roster of loyal customers.
Boosted Sales
When your customer count increases, it automatically translates to more sales for your business. Additionally, simply by being a part of Small Business Saturday, people are likely to buy from your brand purely out of curiosity.
Support of Fellow Local Businesses
Even if you’re attending the Small Business Saturday event in your community as a seller, it doesn’t stop you from buying from other local businesses. Show your support to the community and help yourself in the process.
Saturday is for Shopping: But Is It Worth Your Time?
Absolutely. Even if it doesn’t translate into immediate sales, it builds relationships between your business and the locals, as well as other small businesses in the area. You can’t put a price tag on connections!
Leave a Comment
Comments (0)