Do you prefer shopping at stores like Walmart and Target, or the family owned business down the street that has been in business for decades? While the growing trend in America is one stop shopping, it is important to remember those family run stores that helped build the economy to what it is today. These local businesses have supported our communities for years.
Small Business Saturday is a day that encourages people to go to those small family run stores. It helps to promote them and keep our economy strong by having a vast diversity of sizes, one-of-a-kind specialties and private label brands. This year Small Business Saturday falls on November 28, 2015.
As our lives get busier and busier it is becoming increasingly easy to try to stop at the “one-stop-shop” to get everything you need. However, this often means that you aren’t visiting the smaller stores that are family run and which have helped to keep the community strong. Seeing the struggle small business owners were facing to compete with the box stores, the Small Business Association or SBA decided that it was time to do something. They realized how shopping trends have increased on days such as Black Friday and other holiday events, and decided it was time to make a holiday for small businesses. In 2010 the organization teamed up with American Express to create what is now known as Small Business Saturday. Each year, Small Business Saturday has grown in business participation and community awareness.
The creation of Small Business Saturday has helped to increase sales for these smaller stores. They can use this day to help promote their products with sales and specials as many of the mega conglomerates do on Black Friday. This day however, is focused on helping the smaller businesses, and in turn means greater savings for customers on more days as the holidays quickly approach.
If you’re a small business owner, are you becoming a neighborhood champion who takes those extra steps to organize a community effort with other small business owners on Small Business Saturday? In 2014, 88 million people showed up in support of small businesses everywhere and spent $14.3 billion on Small Business Saturday. Will you capitalize on the day and capture email addresses to keep in touch with current and new customers? How will social media play a role in driving traffic to your store?
How will you bring customers back into your store wanting more following Shop Small Saturday? It begins with unique gifts, stellar customer service and added value services such as specialized orders, one-of-a-kind offerings and personalization of keepsake gifts, etc.
American Express is anticipating the Shop Small Business Saturday 2015 will be bigger than ever. This year on November 28 don’t forget to stop out at your local stores to see what savings they have in store for you. To see which small business owners are participating in your area, visit and stop in to support small business owners this November.
About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh based marketing consulting firm providing senior level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long term basis. Core areas of service are business development, marketing, strategic planning and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business growth.