The winter holidays are on the horizon, bringing with them an energy of excitement and generosity.

But if you lead a small business, you may have another major date circled on your calendar: Small Business Saturday.

This occasion calls on community members to eschew visits to large corporations and instead explore shopping opportunities within their own neighborhoods. And since its inception in 2010, it has been a rousing success for Main Street organizations—according to American Express’s Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey, shoppers drove around $17 billion in revenue in 2023 alone.

Naturally, you won’t be the only one happily opening your doors to patrons come the holiday. As with any other sales opportunity, you’ll have to gain exposure if you want to rake in your share of those billions of dollars up for grabs. Try the following marketing strategies to distinguish yourself from the crowd and get consumers to pull into your parking lot this November 30.

List with American Express

It may come as a surprise, but this credit card company actually originated Small Business Saturday as a tactic to encourage members to swipe their cards with gusto at their local stores. They have since developed an entire Shop Small movement, which includes a Shop Small Map that helps the public find companies near them to support. If your business accepts Amex cards and meets the other credentials, you can have it featured on this map by logging in to your merchant account, going to your location page, and checking the box indicating you wish to do so. This simple action can promote your business in front of a vast amount of local consumers.

American Express also offers other tools to help small businesses prepare for this shopping holiday, including an informative analytics app and downloadable marketing materials. To explore these and more, check out the #ShopSmall Accelerator on its website.

Offer alluring discounts

Nothing attracts hungry patrons like a good deal, so consider slashing prices on certain products or services or even bundling them alongside a free gift with a purchase. Focus on your most popular offerings along with those that would best showcase your brand and its unique charm to new patrons. Then promote your get-it-before-it’s-gone deals through social media, marketing emails, physical advertisements, and other omnichannel tools to ensure that they get in front of as many eyes as possible.

To protect your revenue, though, you’ll need to proceed wisely. With any good or service you’re considering discounting, calculate your net sales for it, subtract your cost of goods sold, and divide that figure by the net sales, multiplying the resulting number by one hundred. This process will reveal your profit margin and how much wiggle room you have to reduce the price by a certain percentage or dollar amount.

Post staff content on social media

Upholding a strong social media presence across various platforms is crucial year-round for building brand awareness, but it’s especially vital ahead of Small Business Saturday, when shoppers are eager to connect with the human element behind local endeavors. And what better way to help them do so do than to post content that puts you and your staff front and center?

For example, you could upload a Q and A in which your team answers questions like “Which of our products do you use most?” or “Why do you enjoy working for a family business?” You could also film demonstrations of your products or services or give a tour of your business that delves into its history. Such content will communicate that you aren’t a cold corporate enterprise headquartered in some far-off metropolis—you’re a family that staffs your community’s neighbors and has roots in the local culture.

Post this content across various platforms, adding the hashtags #ShopSmall and #SmallBusinessSaturday. These terms are simple to search, and American Express may also share or feature posts with them to grant you even more exposure. And don’t forget to check back often to respond to any engagement, which can make your business feel even more relatable and convince curious shoppers to pay you a visit.

Optimize your website

Not all Small Business Saturday shopping occurs at brick-and-mortar stores. In fact, many consumers may prefer to support local companies via their electronic devices. So just as you should keep a clean, attractive product floor in your storefront, aim to optimize your website for simple and satisfying online browsing.

Leading entrepreneur and influencer Neil Patel recommends these housekeeping tasks to achieve this:

• Replace your navigation bar with a hamburger menu.
• Position principal functions, such as “Add to cart” buttons, in the center of the screen.
• Make your phone number and social media links easily accessible and clickable.

Be sure to incorporate links to your website on all your socials too. But don’t just direct prospective customers to your homepage—guide them to your digital store or a landing page designed for converting leads (e.g., a “Schedule Your Free Consultation” form).

Create a holiday gift guide

While you should always be promoting your products or services, go a step further this season by marketing yours as the perfect gifts. Using a graphic design tool such as Canva, write up a holiday gift guide that highlights some of your best offerings, using alluring seasonal imagery and persuasive copy that will hook your audience. Don’t forget to include your address and a miniature city map if you primarily make sales in person. Once the guide is finalized, share it on social media, in your email campaigns, and on print ads.

This tactic isn’t just for B2C retailers either. Even if you sell a good or service that doesn’t typically wind up wrapped in a bow, you should still remind your consumers of the needs you fulfill. For example, a roofer can offer protection against winter home perils like ice, while a B2B software company could highlight its ability to help make productivity a breeze for other local businesses amid hectic holiday demands. Think of what makes your offerings essential this Small Business Saturday, then work this into your promotional materials; do so successfully, and your community will happily give you their business.

TAKE ACTION:
Adopt these strategies to generate community excitement and make this Small Business Saturday more lucrative.