As a small business owner, you undoubtedly know that Small Business Saturday provides a valuable opportunity to energize sales and connect with your community during the holiday shopping season. However, with less than 3 months to go until the big day on November 25, 2023, planning likely feels daunting amidst your day-to-day operations.
This comprehensive guide draws upon lessons learned from small business owners across the country to provide actionable steps, creative ideas, and data-backed advice for making this Small Business Saturday your most profitable ever. Let‘s dive in!
Small Business Saturday: A Crucial Sales Opportunity
While the media spotlight shines brightest on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Small Business Saturday has rapidly grown in popularity and sales impact over the past decade:
- In 2022, an estimated 110 million shoppers spent $23 billion at independent retailers and restaurants on Small Business Saturday.
- Since 2012, reported spending on the day has grown over 24X from $5.5 billion to $23 billion.
- 66% of consumers plan to shop small and local this holiday season.
As these statistics demonstrate, Small Business Saturday presents a window of unmatched exposure and sales potential for local business owners. However, realizing success requires careful preparation and promotion.
6 Keys to Unlocking Success This Small Business Saturday
Follow these best practices from industry experts and business owners to maximize your impact:
1. Start planning early
Top-performing entrepreneurs begin strategizing 8+ weeks out. Review historical sales data to set concrete revenue goals. Analyze prior year customer demand by product to optimize inventory. Develop initial budgets for marketing activities and staffing based on projections.
[Local craft store example] Linda‘s Arts & Crafts, Tucson AZ starts planning displays and sales in September based on purchases trends the prior 3 Small Business Saturdays. This year, they ordered 40% more sewing machines after stock ran out quickly last year.
2. Promote across multiple channels
Spread the word about your Small Business Saturday happenings across your website, email database, social channels through both organic and paid approaches.
- Dedicate website real estate to a prominently displayed banner or countdown promoting your specials.
- Craft engaging social media content around supporting local shops to build buzz.
- Run targeted Facebook and Instagram ads focused on past customers driving awareness.
- Send a series of email campaigns to existing subscribers highlighting what you‘re offering.
3. Partner with neighboring businesses
Collaborating with other local merchants allows you to draw upon each other‘s customer bases for collective success. Some top partnership ideas:
Cross-promotions: Offer package deals when customers visit and make purchases at multiple neighborhood businesses.
Shop local passport programs: Encourage patrons to get stamps at each participating store to enter drawings for giveaways and prizes when completed.
Shopping events: Coordinate in-store celebrations, live music, or food trucks to turn your block or commercial corridor into a dynamic destination for shop local spirit.
4. Offer exclusive, time-limited deals
Special savings and promotional products available only on Small Business Saturday drive urgency for buyers to visit your store. Some top-performing tactics include:
- Limited-edition products or flavors
- Free gift with qualified purchase
- Contests and giveaways throughout the day
- Discount on future purchases to encourage return trips
5. Make it convenient
Today‘s time-strapped consumers value businesses that cater to their preferences for flexibility and ease. Offering accommodating policies and amenities removes friction from the buying journey.
Considerations to boost convenience:
- Extended store hours
- Order online, pick up in-store options
- Packaged promotions for easy gift-giving
- Accepting mobile payments
- Free local delivery
6. Measure performance
While the day inevitably feels like an energized whirlwind for small business owners and staff, be sure to evaluate what worked and what didn‘t across key metrics:
- Total sales $, average transaction size
- Website clicks and email open rates
- New customer sign-ups
- Foot traffic counters
- Inventory remaining or sold out
Documenting this data allows you to continually refine and improve your approach for seasons ahead.
Creative Ideas to Stand Out This Small Business Saturday
Beyond core operational preparations, think outside the box with fun activations both in-store and online to wow your community this Small Business Saturday.
In-Store Events
In-store events drive foot traffic while making shopping at your store an engaging, memorable experience this Saturday. Consider these crowd-pleasing options:
- Product demonstrations – Allow customers to touch, test and experience your products in action through live tutorials and demos. For example, a cooking supply store could demo air fryers or pasta makers using customer recipes.
- Workshops – Host themed DIY crafting workshops like creating holiday wreaths or sculpting pottery. hands-on participation deepens engagement.
- Trunk shows – For apparel and jewelry boutiques, trunk shows featuring the latest arrivals from designers allow trendsetters first access.
- Gift wrapping station – Provide the extra convenience of free gift wrapping with qualifying purchases.
- Performances – Local musical acts create festive ambiance while entertaining patrons in store.
Online Activations
Your digital platforms present creative avenues to stand out from larger retailers this Saturday. Initiate these share-worthy activations to spark engagement:
- Hashtag campaign – Invite customers to share photos inside your store or product shots on social media using a branded hashtag for reposts. Offer those featured a discount toward future purchases.
- Facebook Live Sale – Broadcast exclusive deals only available for those watching your real-time video stream commenting sold to claim.
- TikTok challenge – Issue fun user-generated content challenges tailored to your products. For example, a craft store could ask shoppers to show their DIY holiday creations.
No matter which types of promotions you elect to run this Small Business Saturday, taking an integrated marketing approach across both your physical and digital channels will maximize awareness and customer participation.
Key Takeaways
- Carefully prepare 8+ weeks out using prior years‘ data to inform sales projections, inventory planning, budgets and staffing for maximum impact.
- Spread awareness of your Small Business Saturday happenings across your website, emails, social promotions and targeted ads.
- Partner creatively with neighboring businesses to collectively bring more shoppers to your commercial corridor.
- Offer tempting, time-limited exclusive deals only available on 11/25 to fuel urgency.
- Provide convenience through accommodating policies like extended hours and BOPIS options.
- Measure performance across key metrics for future improvement.
- Consider memorable in-store events and online activations to stand out this Saturday.
By following this comprehensive small business owner‘s game plan, your store can profit from the unparalleled exposure and shop local spirit that makes Small Business Saturday a community favorite. Bring these strategies to life for your patrons, and your cash registers will ring with new and loyal customers alike this holiday season!
