What You Need To Know About Small Business Saturday
While many holiday bargain hunters are already planning which big box retailers they’ll pitch their tents in front of this year, many small business owners are busy firing up social media and printing out coupons to commemorate the five year anniversary of Small Business Saturday, officially launched by American Express in 2009.
But, the “Shop Small” initiative runs deeper than mere discounts and takes the hinges off of doorbuster savings. It’s been described as a “movement” because it impacts more than the cash register. Each dollar spent, tweet posted, or Instagram picture shared brings awareness to that charming little boutique on the corner with the hand sewn dresses or that coffee shop filling out the bottom of an old Brownstone, brewing organic roast and serving crepes all day.
On Saturday, November 29, 2014, being small makes you and me the tallest person in the room. This weekend, we have a unique opportunity to go out and encourage and promote small business owners who are confronting the same struggles we are and striving towards the same goals we’ve tacked to our vision boards. For these twenty four hours, we stand together with a rally of support from our neighbors and resources from American Express, and other partners such as FedEx, EventBrite, and Yelp.
And right now, you have the opportunity to download free digital and printable marketing materials and sample copy to promote your business in preparation for Saturday, as well as case studies on how other businesses, just like yours, used Small Business Saturday to achieve positive change in their businesses and communities.
We’re excited about Small Business Saturday, and we hope you are, too. We’re excited about the boost in revenue for local shops, the money shoppers will save, and the entertaining social posts sure to follow.
But what we’re most excited about is the life a vibrant small business community breathes into our neighborhoods. The boarded up building that has been transformed into a local pub and the vacant lot that’s now a community garden, all restores pride in our city blocks and illustrates remarkable gentrification as our communities embrace an eclectic mix of old and new.
Yes, Saturday is special. But, lest we forget, we can shop small every day of the year, not just that one day sandwiched between Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Every day, we can choose to support the dream of a small business owner, like you and me, and help make it a reality.
