Some of the most essential days for sales come right after Thanksgiving. And that’s the case for Small Business Saturday 2021.
With nearly 30 % of business sales falling between Black Friday and Christmas – these holiday shopping dates are crucial for companies. So it’s no wonder that during this time, retailers offer incredibly steep discounts to entice customers to shop and kick off the holiday shopping season.
While Black Friday and Cyber Monday are two popular holiday shopping days, another important shopping day is sandwiched between them.
Small Business Saturday is perhaps one of the most important days of the year for small business sales. With the spotlight aimed at shopping local and “shopping small,” it is the single day of the holiday shopping year where small businesses are in the spotlight.
Table of Contents
History of Small Business Saturday
Small Business Saturday (SBS) began as a marketing campaign led by American Express.
The first Small Business Saturday was on Nov. 27, 2010, and its purpose was to inspire people to “Shop Small” and encourage more holiday shopping at small businesses. The campaign was so successful that not only did it have presidential support, but the Senate passed a unanimous resolution to make the first Saturday preceding Thanksgiving – the official National Small Business Saturday.
Since then, American Express has continued to use the SBS campaign to bring awareness and shopping opportunities directly to small businesses.
Since the campaign began, the company estimates that Small Business Saturday has driven over $120 billion in sales to small businesses.
While American express began this marketing initiative to focus directly on small business sales – the campaign has grown in scope. Local communities and organizations have joined the initiative to bring together events and promotions to make all small business Saturdays an event. Not only does the campaign support shopping small during the holidays, but it continues to support and encourage consumers to shop small businesses year-round.
Can holiday seasons improve your local sales? Let’s find out!
What day is Shop Small Saturday?
Shop Small Saturday is historically the first Saturday after Thanksgiving.
While the first official Small Saturday was on Nov. 27, 2010, the actual calendar date may vary.
To keep it straight, remember that the official Small Business Saturday falls after the Thanksgiving holiday, between Black Friday (The day after Thanksgiving) and Cyber Monday (The monday after Thanksgiving).
How do I participate in Small Business Saturday 2021?
As a consumer:
Consumers are the lifeblood that keeps small businesses running. They rely on sales and repeat customers to keep the doors open, so below are some ways you as a consumer can help keep these mom and pop stores open!
Shop locally owned small business
Take a walk down your city’s mainstreet, or drive around your town. You would be surprised at the amount of locally owned businesses tucked into each corner. Stop in and shop local. Try somewhere new, buy gift certificates for gifts, and pay it forward.
Shop small businesses online
Big businesses are not the only ones to have a website. Small businesses throughout the country have set themselves up in the digital market and count on online sales as much as brick and mortar shops.
Every year the number of online purchases during the holiday shopping season increases. In 2020 alone, 100 million people shopped online, and this year that number is forecast to be even higher.
Shop small business websites. Find a small business that has a product that interests you – and make a purchase!
Tag Small Businesses on Social Media
When you shop local on Small Business Saturday, give a shout-out on your social networks with #ShopSmall. You can tag local businesses on various social media platforms, from Facebook to Instagram and TikTok.
Any little bit can help, and adding these businesses into your social networks could help them gain exposure to other audiences through your connections.
Referral Discounts
Word of mouth and organic growth is still a great way for small businesses to find new customers to add to their customer base. Many small companies also offer referral discounts, so you may reap some benefits of referring.
If you know of any fantastic small businesses or solo entrepreneurs who would benefit from additional revenue – refer them to other people looking to shop local.
Skip the chain restaurants
Skip the big chain companies, and dine local during Small Business Saturday. Supporting small mom-and-pop restaurants is a great way to show them you appreciate their business within your community.
Also, if you want to gift a friend or family with a gift certificate to a local restaurant in their hometown but you are unsure of the options, check out Resy, an app that can help you find a small business restaurant in the area of your choice.
Find new small businesses
All small businesses need support, and if you want to support other companies in different locations, you can do that by using the American Express Shop Small Map will help locate small businesses within your community and beyond.
As a business owner:
Are you aware of the impact of holiday shopping on your bottom line?
For Small Business Saturday specifically, you should prepare for a busy holiday shopping season to come. If you want to give your brand a boost, here are a few ways to prepare for the holiday season and get ready for Small Business Saturday 2021.
Update your website
According to NRF data, for the first time ever, Black Friday 2021 had over 93.2 million online shoppers. These chart-topping numbers are a piece of the puzzle that your company needs to have. Make sure your website is optimized, functional, and user-friendly to get a piece of that pie before the holiday shopping season.
Make your list and check your inventory TWICE
Make sure you have your inventory in order and your website and store updated with the accurate product numbers. Popular items or services should be at the forefront and make it clear that you have the products your customers want.
Hashtags are your friend!
While consumers are using hashtags during the holidays, so should you.
Adopt #ShopSmall, and also create your own unique hashtags for this holiday season. Take advantage of social media and update your social media platforms with a holiday campaign to share new products, deals, and all the upcoming sales they should be on the lookout for.
Spend money to make money
If you want instant customers, invest in Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising.
A good PPC campaign will move your business to the top of search engine results and in front of customers looking for your particular company or product.
So take advantage of holiday shopping AKA the perfect time of the year to put your small business in front of your ideal clients.
Get Ready To Shop Small Business
The National Small Business Day and the holiday shopping season are huge for both the consumer and small businesses.
As a consumer looking to support small businesses, try to do so on the Saturday after Thanksgiving and every Saturday after that! Shop local, dine local, and support the small businesses in your community.
As a small business owner this holiday season, get your website ready, prep your inventory, and create PPC campaigns to bring in the customers.
If you need additional help with any small business marketing tactics, there is still time to hire a marketing agency for help. The Somneox marketing team is ready to help you get your business prepared for the holiday season and provide you with content, PPC, and more.
Reach out to us today to help make your holiday season bright!