small business

Why Small Business Saturday Is So Important This Year

Small Business Saturday

We’re just days away from Small Business Saturday. Hopefully your halls are sufficiently decked, and the welcome mat is just waiting to be rolled out. (If not, stop reading and get it done! We’ll be here when you get back.)

Now that the prep is finished and you have a moment to breathe, it’s time to talk about why small business Saturday is so important this year.

While 2021 wasn’t quite the horror show we endured in 2020, it certainly wasn’t without its challenges. The pandemic rolled in and out like the tide. Businesses are having a tough time retaining enough staff to operate. The West Coast is full of cargo ships waiting to be unloaded while your local grocery store is having a hard time keeping their shelves stocked.

All in all, maybe not our worst year, but far from our best. So a Small Business Saturday boost is just what we need. Here’s why.

Businesses Are Still Unsure

If small business owners thought economic conditions would magically improve at the stroke of midnight on Jan. 1, 2021, they had another thing coming. We are still very much mired in an economic downturn.

As of May 2020, nearly a quarter (23%) of small and medium businesses were closed, with minority-owned and women-owned businesses being hit disproportionally hard. By February 2021, that number was still 22%.

Small business owners still remain heavily pessimistic. Some 45% of small business owners don’t believe the health of their business is good, according to the MetLife & U.S. Chamber of Commerce Small Business Index.

A stellar Small Business Saturday is exactly what these small businesses need in order to regain their confidence and keep their heads above water.

Communities Directly Benefit From Small Business Saturday

When you place an order on Amazon, you’re helping Jeff Bezos build another rocket ship to take him and a few of his friends on a space vay-cay.

When you buy a handcrafted scarf from Betty’s Boutique, you’re helping Betty send her daughter to STEAM camp and pay for her son’s college textbooks.

And you’re helping more than just Betty. Small businesses are the backbone of a community. They create local jobs and boost the local economy. The money stays local and goes toward keeping the grass mowed at the Little League fields and patching the pothole on Sixth Street.

After the last couple years, we could all do with a better sense of community support and pride!

The Supply Chain Is Broken

Take your weekly shopping list to almost any big-box store, and we’re betting at least a couple things will be out of stock. We saw it with toilet paper in 2020; now we’re seeing it with soda, potato chips and peanut butter.

The supply chain is a wreck at the moment. And that’s going to cause a couple things to happen in the Land of Giant Retailers.

For one, discounts and deals won’t be as fantastic, because frankly, they don’t need to be. There’s little supply and a whole lot of demand, so people are going to pay the going rate, even if it’s higher than normal.

And two, the supply won’t last forever. Instead of a hundred “must-have” toys, a store might get a handful. Empty shelves are a looming reality this holiday season.

Depending on what your small business sells, this might be a good thing for you. If your product is locally produced, you have a goldmine on your hands, because your supply chain exists entirely within your community!

Happy Small Business Saturday!

Small Business Saturday means a whole bunch this year, so make the best of it. As long as you’ve properly prepared for it and understand its importance, you’re set for success!

Does your holiday strategy have a few snags? Let Mischa Communications sort it out. Let’s get started!