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Small Business Saturday Countdown Begins

On November 29, 2014, Small Business Saturday will take place – celebrating it’s five year anniversary. Recognized as the celebratory kickoff to the holiday season and powered by American Express, Small Business Saturday boosts local economies while also bringing consumers and small business owners together. In 2013, small businesses across the country tapped the power of the Shop Small movement, which led to consumers spending more than $5.7 billion with independent merchants. This year, a greater number of communities and small shop owners are joining together to make Small Business Saturday bigger and better than ever before.

As an independent store owner, being a part of this movement is a fantastic way to not only celebrate being a small business, but also a great way to gain consumer attention. Small Business Saturday has already began running national commercials promoting this day, as well as actively gains consumer and trade press. Additionally, some fun facts from last year’s successful Small Business Saturday include:

  • Elected officials in all 50 states and Washington D.C. championed Small Business Saturday – including President Obama
  • Nearly 352,000 tweets were sent in support of Small Business Saturday in November 2013, many using the hashtags #shopsmall and #smallbizsat
  • More than 3.3 million Facebook users have “liked” the Small Business Saturday Facebook page
  • Consumers spent more than $5.7 billion as a result of the Shop Small movement in 2013

To help your business gain visibility and success this Small Business Saturday, here are five tips to support your Small Business Saturday planning.

TIP ONE:

Work with your local media to bring awareness to your store, while also bringing overall awareness to the movement of Small Business Saturday. Send out press releases, connect via social media and use hashtag #ShopSmall and #SmallBizSat to help connect this movement with your local press.

TIP TWO:

Download free resources, including marketing materials that can personalized, from ShopSmall.com.  Yep, you heard that right… FREE! Ready? Set… Go! Click here. Using these resources can help make your participation practically turn-key!

TIP THREE: 
Position yourself as a local leader in your community, becoming a go-to resource for the media and other small businesses. By actively engaging in the Shop Small campaign on a more local scale, you will bring more awareness to your store while also supporting a great cause. 
TIP FOUR:

Share interesting statistics about the impact of shopping small within your store. Get creative by framing some facts and merchandising these within your store space, also identifying the November 29, 2014 Small Business Saturday date. Don’t forget to have a sign by your check out area, as well. Another tip? Stamp receipts with a “Save the Date” reminder to Shop Small beginning as early as today!

TIP FIVE:

Begin handing out incentives or coupons now that are only valid on Small Business Saturday. Make them interesting, fun and unique or keep them basic yet worth wild, such as offering 20% off or a $5 in-store gift card. Consider also hosting in-store events, providing snacks or drinks and having a local vendor join you for the day. Another tip? Check out what past independent store owners have done at ShopSmall.com.

With Small Business Saturday just around the corner, there is no time to spare in joining the Shop Small movement to both celebrate your store and gain more store success!


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