For small businesses, a little visibility can go a long way. And there’s no better time to show off your small business or the ones in your community than Small Business Saturday.
Small Business Saturday is an annual event that takes place on the Saturday after Thanksgiving in the United States. It was pioneered by American Express in 2010 after the global recession and is now recognized all over the U.S. and the world at large.
It’s a day meant to encourage people to shop from small businesses during the holiday season – a necessary time as there are more entrepreneurs than ever but also more difficulties than ever. This year, it’ll be happening on Saturday, the 25th of November.
There are many ways that businesses can post for Small Business Saturday. Whatever method you choose, it’s a great opportunity to get the word out about your business or encourage people to shop local.
We’re big advocates for planning content in advance and extra-big on small businesses taking opportunities when they come. Small Business Saturday is one of those opportunities – a day when people are more conscious of where they shop.
But it’s not enough to just be a small business on Small Business Saturday – you need to communicate and perhaps remind your audience. Some businesses choose to set up in-store indicators and offers for customers, but social media is a more accessible way to reach a wider audience.
We’ve got you covered with ideas for your posts, featuring inspiration from some great small businesses.
Kinfield organized a campaign featuring over 30 small businesses in an easy-access directory
Kinfield, a skincare brand, created the Better Together campaign to help customers find female- and BIPOC-owned brands to shop from during the holiday season.
They included sustainable companies like Pineapple Collaborative and OUI The People. They also encouraged their audience to tag other businesses in the comments of their post.
The tagline “Shop Small, Gift with Intention” clearly communicated the goal of their project – to support small businesses.
EYO Active and Rubies in the Rubble asked customers to do the spotlighting
EYO Active, a sustainable activewear brand, shared an Instagram post asking its followers to tag their favorite small businesses for Small Business Saturday. While the brand chose an alternative path to Black Friday, they urged their audience to shop small if they were going to shop anyway on Black Friday.
Rubies in the Rubble adopted a similar strategy to EYO, with an additional benefit for its audience. Customers that shared a small business in the comments of Rubies in the Rubble’s Instagram post got a 25 percent discount. The brand also mentioned that it would be sending curated packages to handpicked commenters.
