10 Super Easy Small Business Saturday Marketing Ideas

Small businesses, whether online or offline, look forward to festive seasons to increase their sales. This includes major events like Christmas, New Year and Halloween, etc.

However, many store owners fail to realize the importance of Small Business Saturday, a special day that is actually a fantastic way to boost sales and culminate the month on a high note.

So, what is Small Business Saturday?

It is a distinct day that allows Nationwide Shoppers to support small & local businesses by shopping. It was an initiative introduced in the year 2010 by American Express and co-sponsored by Small Business Administration.

And, when is Small Business Saturday in 2022 celebrated?

Small Business Saturday is celebrated every year on the 4th Saturday of November and it falls on the 26th of this year.

This event not only helps businesses generate extra sales but also strengthens communities through carnival-like settings and strategies. While the jump in sales happens naturally, as a business owner you can boost sales further by exploiting the following 10 super easy marketing ideas including your business website. Don't have one? Then connect with a local website developer for small business for future exploits.

 

 1. Shout-out to Your Audience

Let the people know that your business is supporting and participating in this event. Whether you are an online store owner or operate your business from a real brick and mortar premises, social media is one avenue which can offer tremendous traction. Exploit popular hashtags such as #SmallBusinessSaturday or #SmallBizSat in your Facebook posts, Tweets and Instagram Stories. If you own a website, create a special landing page and pop-up offers/blog posts using “social media on Small Business Saturday” as your title. Sounds difficult? No problem. Hire a competent search engine optimization (SEO) for a small business Saturday agency.

 

2. Press Release / Flyers

Press release in local newspapers and magazines is a great way to create a buzz around your store. If you are one of those conservative store owners, hand-outs / flyers are an excellent option. It costs less, drives home the point and your participation quickly and effectively. It is also a great platform to mention special deals, offers or distinct freebies. You can reduce the advertising cost further by designing these print materials using free online tools such as Canva. It also makes sense to optimize your Google Business Profile for enhanced visibility.

 

3. Go Traditional

Promote your Small Business Saturday via traditional advertising avenues such as local radio stations, billboards and even promotion trucks. The idea is not just to popularize the event but also declare your participation. Remember, more the buzz better the results. On the other hand online stores can hire the services of agencies that specialize in digital marketing.

 

4. Email Marketing

One of the best Small Business Saturday ideas is email marketing. This is especially true for online stores. It is effective, almost free and forces the recipients to act instantly. However, mailers need to be designed professionally. These digital email invitations need to be responsive, catchy and user-centric. Turn it into a potent tool by providing details such as discount coupons ( present and future ), offers and freebies. Engage via highly visible Call-to-Action button for a successful Small Business Saturday marketing idea.

 

5. Entice with One-day Offers or Cross-sale Discounts

One-day offers are a great way to attract local customers, especially on events such as Small Business Saturday. Incidentally, cross-sales or "Buy one, get one free" helps build a long-term relationship. Use mix & match strategy.  Remember, limited time offers are catalysts. They push customers into making quick decisions. Exploit it to the fullest. As mentioned above cross-selling and freebies are equally potent sales tools. Online store owners can search for “Google My Business Post” and exploit it for enhanced returns.

 

6. Arrange Unique Events

Arrange events which are in sync with your brand and products. A raffle, a game, or a quiz contest within the store can be a great crowd-puller. Free takeaways in the form of croissants or coffee are some of the distinct ways of forcing customers inside your shop. Of course, these offers can be tied up with “minimum purchases”. Best Small Business Saturday ideas also include inviting local reporters and bloggers.

 

7. Physical Store Dressing

Dress up your physical and even online store with complementing advertising materials. Digital shops can create attractive, dedicated pages, banners and audio/video clips while brick and mortar stores can dress up their windows and interiors with festive lights, posters, banners and trinkets. Increase staff. Allocate tasks and assignments. Turn the event into a carnival and an occasion for building long-term relationships. Remember, these are your business's foot soldiers, your real-life advertisers, and a genuine Small Business Saturday marketing idea.

 

8. Television | Local Directories - Publications Advertising

This may not be a great option for most small business owners. However, local television channels do offer massive discounts. And they are really not too expensive. Check out their advertising tariffs. Local listings in popular directories can also be exploited to create a buzz around your store. Advertise in these entertainment/leisure magazines or information directories.

 

9. Partnering | Collaborating

Form a small group of shop owners ( complementing or contrasting ) and cross-sell the merchandise. This idea is applicable to online as well as offline stores. The only requirement is additional banners and posters informing customers about this proposition. Try it! It doesn’t cost much and the benefits are surprisingly quite impressive.

 

10. Open for Longer Hours

The importance of Small Business Saturday can be demonstrated in several unique ways apart from the above. Opening up early and closing late is one of them.  

 

Conclusion -

It is quite obvious that small business owners cannot apply all the ideas. While some are suitable for offline stores there are a few which can be exploited by online businesses. Choose a couple of strategies which you think will work for your business including organic and paid promotions such as PPC ads on social media and search engines.

 

In case you are looking for some web design support or want to improve your current website conversion through Digital Marketing initiatives connect us on www.netlynxinc.com or call us on 1-888-638-5969.