You’ve probably been seeing a lot of Facebook, LinkedIn and blog posts recently regarding where people want to shop on Black Friday and throughout the holiday season.
For the past 12 years, one of the traditions in my family has been to bypass the big box stores after Thanksgiving and make a trip downtown to visit the local galleries and antique stores.
I find the experience of shopping at a Mom-n-Pop store much more enjoyable than fighting the crowds in search of the elusive bargain. Service is always pleasant and shoppers are happy. Hospitality includes hot cider, warm cookies and plenty of coffee. And yes, bargains can certainly be found.
Imagine how happy I am now that small businesses have their own day !! Small Business Saturday is a wonderful way to boost your business during the holiday season.
Here are some tips if your business can participate:
- Start your marketing efforts now. Build up anticipation for your special event.
- Send an email to your mailing list and encourage them to share it with their friends. Have a special promotion or item just for them.
- Be sure to use your Facebook and Pinterest pages to promote Small Business Saturday. Again, have a promotion just for these users. Having specific specials for each on-line marketing tool, can help you judge where you are getting the best social media ROI.
- Are you in a location near other small businesses? Take advantage of partnerships to attract new customers. Organizing a small scavenger hunt would be a fun way to introduce people to a variety of shops.
- Visit the Small Business Saturday website to download free posters and samples of social media posts.
Once things calm down, I’d love to hear how it went. Drop me an email and let me know what you thought of the American Express marketing tools and which of your promotions were successful.
For more marketing and public relations advice, contact me at 502-435-8825.