Sales and consumer holidays compete for shoppers’ attention each year between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. These events save consumers billions of dollars each year, but small business owners know it’s no small feat to get holiday shoppers to part with their hard-earned cash.
Competing to attract holiday shoppers is hard work, but those efforts can pay big dividends. According to Finder’s Black Friday 2022 statistics, 55 percent of men and 52 percent of women planned to shop Black Friday deals in 2022, with men planning to spend $465 and women planning to spend $300 . If small business owners are worried about not being able to compete on Black Friday, they can always turn to Small Business Saturday, which encourages holiday shoppers to patronize small, local brick-and-mortar businesses. Competition may still be intense on Small Business Saturday, but the following are some strategies business owners can employ to make the most of this unique event on the holiday season calendar.
Update your website. The Small Business Administration recommends that small business owners consider a digital revamp of their websites. Although Small Business Saturday encourages people to shop in person, modern consumers often examine online deals first. Updating an outdated website or simply reviewing all the information, including product details, on the website to make sure it is up to date can help small businesses make a good first impression on holiday shoppers.
Small business promotion Saturday. Although it’s been around for more than a decade, Small Business Saturday isn’t yet the household name that Black Friday has become. Small business owners can drum up interest in Small Business Saturday by promoting the day on their social media channels. The SBA recommends that business owners encourage shoppers to take selfies and tag their businesses on their own social media accounts, which can increase engagement and potentially attract new customers.
Sell and promote gift cards. Gift cards help national retailers generate substantial revenue each year, and there’s no reason why small businesses can’t get their share of the gift card pie. Gift cards remain very popular, as a recent National Retail Federation survey found that 54 percent of participants identified gift cards as the most sought-after gift of the 2022 holiday season. Small businesses can offer discounted gift cards on Small Business Saturday and promote those efforts on their websites and through social media.
Open early and close late. Small Business Saturday, celebrated the Saturday after Thanksgiving, is a great opportunity for small businesses to start the potentially lucrative holiday season off on the right foot. The SBA urges small businesses to open early and close late on Small Business Saturday so they can take full advantage of this popular retail holiday.