Last year, Small Business Saturday saw a record 112 million shoppers, and 72% of consumers report knowing about Small Business Saturday. Make sure 100% of your town and neighboring cities know about your business by marketing yourself and increasing the support for small businesses this year. Here are five ways to maximize customers on Small Business Saturday:
- Make it an occasion: Host a community festival or shopping celebration that encompasses Small Business Saturday. Start an event with small business owners that uses local currency and takes place on Thanksgiving weekend, when families are already together. This would be a great tradition to start to bring your town together.
- Partner up: For all the small businesses in your town that participate in the local currency program, advertise for each other. Word of mouth is a terrific marketing tool. The uniqueness of small businesses makes this the perfect practice – it also builds camaraderie and partnerships in town.
- Extend your hours: This one may seem simple, but often people do not shop local because the hours are not as convenient as big box stores. Extend your hours on Small Business Saturday and throughout the holiday season.
- Tell your story: You do not have to slash prices like other stores to attract customers. People want to shop local because they enjoy supporting local families and businesspeople. Tell your story – what you do, why you do it, and how you got started. People care about the individuals behind the storefront. Use fliers and information in your shop to get your story told.
- Keep people shopping all year-round: Because Small Business Saturday has become a national holiday, it is the perfect time to bring awareness to your town and the local currency program. If you can communicate your message, if you have quality goods, and if you take advantage of these tips, you can keep people in the door all year-round, not just on Small Business Saturday.
