Small Business Day: What You Should Know and How to Prepare

Are you ready for November? November is an important retail month, as it includes Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Small Business Saturday® (an event created by American Express). Small Business Saturday® falls between Black Friday and Cyber Monday every year and celebrates small businesses across the country.

Since this event draws support from U.S. consumers already caught up in these major shopping days and the start of the holiday shopping season, it’s an ideal opportunity for small business owners to promote themselves.

However, getting the most out of the occasion requires some preparation in marketing and promotion to encourage customers to shop small. If done right, this event can give local small businesses a great way to attract customers and potentially earn profits.

Businesses poised to start might time their opening with this November event, using the attention this day brings from potential customers to launch with a real splash.

History of Small Business Saturday®

American Express started Small Business Saturday® in 2010 to give a special boost to participating businesses that are the backbone of the American economy and each local community they support.

Since then, Amex’s idea has taken off. In 2022, the November event drove nearly $18 billion, and over 70% of customers said they’d continue to shop small during the holiday season due to its impact on their community.

This reinforces the idea that small businesses should consider taking advantage of Small Business Saturday® as much as possible. Many American consumers are ready and willing to support small businesses on this day. 

In 2023, Small Business Saturday® will fall on November 25.

Getting Prepared

While this event draws attention to small businesses generally, small business owners should be properly prepared to reap the full benefits of the day individually. We offer some tips to make the most of Small Business Saturday®.

Extend Store Hours

If your small business usually closes at 5 p.m. on Saturday, consider staying open until 8 or 9 p.m. to take advantage of the extra customers shopping small. You can also check the times of related local events for the day to know how long your business needs to remain open and ready.

Update Web Information

Many local retailers and restaurants neglect to keep their websites, blogs, and social media presence up to date. This event is a good reason to include the correct address information and hours. If you have extended hours, special promotions, or events for the day, your website and social media channels are great places to display that information.

It might also be a good idea to update your pay-per-click (PPC) keywords to improve the chance your website, online promotions, and ads appear higher in people’s searches.

Plan Great Deals

Black Friday and Cyber Monday have trained people to expect great deals, so plan to offer some of your own to get bodies through doors or clicks on your e-commerce website. You might offer discounts on products and services, give free gifts, or host other creative in-store events.

Another idea to consider is offering a free gift card with a qualifying purchase, encouraging customers to return for an additional shopping visit or pass the gift card to a potential new customer. 

Leverage Social Media

A series of social media posts can keep customers up to date and excited about small business celebrations and deals at a store and other local events. You might take the opportunity to do some advertising — perhaps on social media platforms most relevant to your business.

Consider using hashtags like #SmallBusinessSaturday and #ShopSmall to help connect to a broader community interested in the day. 

Send Marketing Emails

Sending customers emails promoting events and deals at your local store is another way to raise awareness. Like social media posts, a stream of regular marketing materials can help keep your business top of mind. Consider establishing a regular publishing schedule for communications through email, social media, and websites.       

Print Flyers and Promotions

Printing flyers and other promotional items can be a good way to get awareness and traffic for the event. Photo services and printing services can help you create a promotional calendar or mousepad for your business, keeping your image and information in front of consumers’ eyes year-round. 

The Importance of Small Business Signage

Signs can play an important role in helping raise awareness, drive traffic to your store, and make people aware of promotions, deals, and events once inside.

Outdoor signage (you can also use some solutions indoors) that may draw attention to your small business can include:

• Standard banners. These are made of materials designed for outdoor conditions, including mesh, scrim, and Tyvek.
• Full-color, double-sided banners. The eye-popping color is printed on durable, weather-resistant vinyl.
• Vertical retractable banners. These retractable banners on aluminum stands make it easy to set them up anywhere.
• X-frame banners. These are lightweight and portable — great for advertising sales and directional signage.

Other solutions can include:

• Custom flags. These come in various shapes and sizes and are good for advertising sales and specials. Teardrop sale signs are especially popular.
• Custom yard signs. These can be used to display service hours and specials, keeping your store in customers’ minds even when closed. Custom yard signs allow businesses to upload images and text (or use predesigned templates) to be used for any occasion. 
• Custom metal signs. These signs are extremely durable for long-term use and can be easily moved without damage.
• Custom magnetic signs. Small business store windows, awnings, doors, and lawns aren’t the only places to use signage. Custom magnetic signs affixed to a delivery vehicle’s side can be a moving promotion for your business, events, and deals.

Of course, you can use many of the above banner and signage solutions inside retail locations. Other great interior options include custom poster printing and announcing store specials and events. These can be laminated and foam-core mounted for a durable, professional presentation. The posters also come in various sizes for different uses and visibility, including ones as large as 36 inches by 48 inches or 40 inches by 60 inches.

Stretch fabric displays are another way to provide movable in-store marketing messages on free-standing signs, which can be custom-printed in full color on two sides.

With customized floor decals, your small business can provide readily spotted way-finding arrows and markings for shopping aisles and cashier lineups. Look for slip-resistant and durable decals to survive a lot of foot traffic.

Your small business can get more attention with quickly updated digital signage displays. They can serve up images, videos, animation, digital coupons, and more. Choosing a digital display with touch-screen technology creates an interactive experience for people and allows your small business to capture vital customer information for future promotions and sales.

Kickoff Events

When the Saturday event arrives, it’s worth considering having a kickoff event, starting the day with a splash. This might be a special breakfast or a VIP event, inviting important customers and local notables to the retail location. You can offer them food, beverages, discounts, and even freebies to show their importance to the business.

Another good practice might be to partner with another local business. For example, a candy store might partner with a party supply retailer, having someone create helium balloon shapes given with candy sales, promoting both businesses.

Keep in mind any other local events that might be worth plugging into. For example, since the holidays are coming up, many communities will have special events, like outdoor markets, tree lightings, and other holiday events. Are there ways to tap into these events that can promote them and your small business? For example, you could support an ice-carving team or provide supplies to an arts and crafts tent for kids. 

Your small business may also want to be part of the community and support a local charity, nonprofit, or another worthwhile cause. By showing people your heart is in the right place, you’ll find a warmer place in their hearts.

Take Advantage of the Event in a Big Way

The many challenges of successfully running a small business are well documented. However, the American Express Small Business Saturday® event can give small businesses and the local economy a needed sales boost and a greater profile with new and existing customers. 

By promoting yourself properly and creating truly memorable in-store activities during the event, your small business can turn every day into a profitable celebration.