As you may already know, ‘Small Business Saturday’ is a holiday designed to celebrate and promote the roughly 30 million small businesses in the U.S. as a way to boost sales and remind consumers about the critical role they play in our local and national economies. It’s always the Saturday sandwiched between Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Nice year, that means Saturday, November 30th.

You may already be on board with this holiday, especially if you’ve seen it boost your bottom line. If you’ve never celebrated Small Business Saturday before, now is a great time to try (and The Bike Cooperative offers plenty of tools to help).

Small Business Saturday is on the Rise

2019 saw an increase in local shoppers by 6 million (110 million estimated in 2019 vs. 104 million in 2018), bringing an almost $2 billion increase in total amount spent ($19.6 billion estimated for 2019 compared to $17.8 billion in 2018). With this new sales-driving holiday, about 59% of small businesses now say they depend on Small Business Saturday to have a real impact on their sales goals for the year (Source)

Promote the Benefits of Customers Supporting Local Businesses

Studies show that of $100 spent at a local business, $68 stays in your local economy versus only $43 staying if spent at a large business (Source). That’s huge! This is a great talking point as you work to plan an event or sale. That means more money for trail maintenance, cycling advocacy, and incredible programs that keep cycling families coming back for more.

Nearly Two Thirds of Small Businesses Recognize the Holiday

About two-thirds of small business owners plan to offer some sort of deal, sales event, discount, or in-store promotion. With that sort of showing, you don’t want to miss out!

Here's a tip...

Use small business saturday as an opportunity to offer a special deal. If you have slow-moving inventory, consider a BOGO (Buy One Get One) option. Customers love free things – think of something you could include as a free gift with purchase on transactions over a certain dollar threshold. Then promote it with any marketing channels available!

Even though we are now in the digital age, studies show that while shoppers are online more than ever – they still want to shop locally and will spend more in the store than online. That makes Small Business Saturday a great opportunity to reach out to them and remind them and remind them how important local customers are for local businesses.

Get access to co-op marketing tools

The Bike Cooperative’s exclusive marketing tools are a powerful, affordable, and flexible way for bike shops to keep new and existing customers engaged

Learn More

Partner With Your Local Organizations to Boost Visibility

The best thing you can do is work with your local economy. Start by finding out what your community has planned already.

Get in touch with your local Chamber of Commerce and other local business organizations. There may be an event planned for Small Business Saturday – see if you can still get in on it!
Partner with other local businesses on a cross-promotion, pop-up, or special event. It could be a coffee shop, a brewery, or a local youth organization. No matter what – it pays to come together locally.
Work with a local charity to raise money and promote engagement with local customers

Tell Your Customers the Story of your Small Business

As other small businesses around the country are promoting themselves, you need to make sure your story is heard, too. Write about your story and tell why you’re in the business you’re in. Share it with customers in an email or blog post as you encourage them to shop small and local this holiday season. A personal touch and an honest story will go a long way in driving loyal customers to your store.

Figure Out a Social Media Strategy

In this era of technology advancement and constant contact, you are out of touch if you’re not promoting your business on social media. It’s worth the time to create an account on Instagram and Facebook. If nothing else, customers like to see proof that you’re a credible business with a website and social media accounts.

Even if you aren’t doing a huge sale in your store, you should still post on social media leading up to Small Business Saturday. Encourage customers to shop local, shop small, and eat local. Use these hashtags in your posts.

#SmallBusinessSaturday

#ShopSmall

#ShopLocal

It’s All About Making Customers Part of Your Community

Studies show that customers are more likely to frequent businesses they feel connected to. Brand loyalty is increasingly driven by an alignment of company values with personal values. Customers, especially younger customers, want to be part of something. They want to feel like they’re contributing to the greater good. So use this as you craft your call to action for customers to shop local on this Small Business Saturday.

By crafting a personal message, promoting your special offer, and working together with your local community, you will see the benefits of Small Business Saturday.