marketing

Small Business Saturday 2016: 4 Ways to Win Big

Want your piece of a $16.2 billion pie? That’s what the 95 million consumers who took part in Small Business Saturday spent on Nov. 29, 2015. Here’s the exciting part: 2016 is poised to be even more profitable for businesses just like yours!

So how do you cash in on this cash cow? Here’s the scoop.

Small Business Saturday: Save the Date

Small Business Saturday falls on the Saturday immediately after Thanksgiving — in this year’s case, Nov. 26, 2016. Savvy shoppers will note that it sits between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and that is by no means an accident.

As a small business, it’s nearly impossible for you to compete with the deals that big-box stores and online giants like Amazon.com offer. Having a whole day dedicated to businesses like yours increases the chance that you get your fair shot at the big holiday bucks. It’s a time to rally your community to support locally owned businesses and make sure the mom-‘n’-pop shops aren’t lost in the shuffle!

Spread the News

Make it clear to your customers that your business will be participating in Small Business Saturday. Announce it on your website, blog and social media pages. Start making a buzz now! Announce a contest or giveaway, offer a sneak peek at some of your sales or post photos of your recently decked halls.

If you have a brick-and-mortar location, canvass the neighborhood and hit up other nearby businesses. Partnering up for a Small Business Saturday event – complete with entertainment, food and beverages – will definitely draw a crowd, and all participating businesses will benefit from the extra patrons.

Bonus: you’ll be making new contacts that could potentially drum up new business for you down the line!

Have a Gimmick

Sure, your products should sell themselves — but there’s nothing wrong with some extra shtick to get people through the door! Plenty of big stores have their own gimmicks (free collectible snow globes at JCPenney, door-busters at Macy’s, etc.), so create your own. Mystery coupons, surprise flash sales and door prizes not only give people a reason to come – they also give them a reason to stay!

Are you online-only or in the service industry? No problem! You can still run contests and promotions via your social media pages and cash in on the day’s benefits.

Make Them Come Back for More

Small Business Saturday only comes once a year, but you should always be focused on creating a customer for life. Go the extra mile. Carry a customer’s purchases to their car. Take the time to make sure they understand how to assemble a product. Better yet, assemble it for them if you have a minute. Put a little “extra” in their package before you ship it out.

Remember: Small Business Saturday is all about creating goodwill, so make your customers feel good about supporting businesses like yours. Give them a reason to keep your business at the top of their list, not just during the holidays, but every day.

Small Business Saturday is just as big for you as Black Friday is for Walmart, so go all out this year and make it the most successful holiday season on record!

Do you need some help mapping out your holiday marketing strategy? Get in touch and let Mischa Communications point you in the right direction!