Small Business Saturday
Small Business Saturday is a golden opportunity for small businesses to lay the foundation for year-round success. You can increase sales, increase awareness of your brand, and strengthen ties with your local community. But with so many small businesses competing for attention, it’s easy to get lost in the noise.
Your Small Business Saturday ads should reflect this feel-good factor. Help your client feel like they are involved in something positive.
Our favorite marketing ideas to make your Small Business Saturday 2022 a success.
15 Small Business Saturday Ideas
Register your business
Register for the event and prepare for the day. If you are in the US, you can register.
Find out if your local area has a list of participating businesses. Sign up to benefit from a promotion on the day or be part of a small shop map to guide customers to your store on the day.
Offer deals and discounts
Next, plan your deals. Small Business Saturday is a great opportunity to thank customers by helping them with their holiday shopping. Additionally, with strong deals and discounts, you can attract new faces to spread the word about your brand.
Link up with other businesses
On a day that’s all about community spirit, why not connect with a fellow small business? Organize joint marketing campaigns with mutual discounts or giveaways and collaborate on social media posts to promote each other’s business.
Get customers back in store
The pandemic has sent businesses online, so use this day to lure people back into stores.
The best way to connect your online customer base with your real-life store is to create an offer that connects the two. Send a QR code to loyal customers to redeem in-store. Or vice versa, offer a discount to those who sign up for your newsletter via a QR code displayed on the site.
Host an event
Create a buzz in your space while inviting your customers back to the stores. Host a function, or evening cocktail event, or hire local artists to entertain your guests.
Send email campaigns
The best way to get the word out is through email. Instead, build an email list by offering discounts. Then, stay in touch with special offers and exclusive deals. This will help build brand loyalty and encourage repeat purchases.
Use social media
Small Business Saturday is a social experience and a day of community building. So, it makes sense to promote it on social media. Remember, customers, want to feel they are doing well. Shout out their good deeds on social media is even better.
Get great graphics
When you’re feeling creative, design integrated graphics and signage for your Small Business Saturday marketing materials. By splashing out your online and real-life presence with logos, banners, and hashtags, you’ll keep your business top of mind throughout the holiday sales.
Get user-generated content
Create buzz around your brand with user-generated content. Organize a promotion or contest on social media and invite your customers to participate.
Ask for a photo of your favorite product or a short video about why they love your brand. Share any content they create with their permission.
Tell a story
Some prefer to leave the noise of deals and discounts to tell the story about their products and business.
Give back
We know Small Business Saturday is all about community, think about how you can give back. Customers want to see businesses that contribute to the betterment of their local community.
Utilize free resources
American Express does the hard work for you, offering free signs, email templates, web badges, posters, and other marketing materials to get your business name out there. There’s still time to download many of these materials, customize them, and be ready to use in minutes.
Prioritize Customer Service
Retrain your employees to make a good impression. Your ability to connect with customers and create more personalized experiences will help you stand out from the competition.
Join online groups associated with the holiday
Americans love supporting small businesses and some have started online communities to promote Small Business Saturday.
Celebrate other small businesses
Small Business Saturday is a community event, so go out of your way to celebrate other small businesses participating in the shopping day. Retweeting them and sharing their social content is a great way to show your support. They will return the favor.
