By Angel Cicerone, Tenant Mentorship
www.tenantmentorship.com

Locally owned businesses are hot! Thanks to more than a decade of shop small messages and heightened pandemic awareness, consumers are better understanding the positive impact shopping small can have on their communities. So if you’re a locally owned retail or restaurant, stay out of the Black Friday fray and go all in on Nov. 25 for the holiday designed just for you!

1. Start here.

Go to the American Express website to claim your Shop Small business listing.

2. Create special offers designed to bring customer in — and return.

Deep discounts aren’t always in the best interest of small businesses, so create innovative opportunities designed to get customers in for the event and to bring them back again on a later date:

• For every $100 they spend, they get a $20 gift certificate to use later.
• On Small Business Saturday, triple rewards points to loyalty members and anyone who signs on.
• For every meal purchased, they receive a gift certificate for use on their next visit.
• Customers who pre-book December appointments get free blowouts or mini massages in January.
• Provide free gifts with purchases.
• Make a charitable donation for every purchase.
• Each customer who buys $250 in clothing, can make an appointment to come back in for a free styling session.

If you do want to discount, think about limiting sales to certain items or categories or certain parts of the day. Remember, you don’t have to put your entire store on sale or compete with Walmart to be successful. Create offers that resonate with your customers and make your store stand out!

3.  Make it a special day.

Make Small Business Saturday a festive and fun experience. Offer hourly raffles or deals, entertainment and refreshments. Hide toys or small gifts inside your store for visitors to find. Show off your personality and your store far beyond the price tags.

4.  Promote.

Promote big and promote often! Post your event on your website, send multiple emails to your database and post on social media. Change your Facebook header to a Small Business Saturday message. Create a Facebook event so people can show interest. Use plenty of in-store signage. Let people know your store or restaurant is the place to be on Small Business Saturday. And most important, deliver your personal backstory. Let people know more about you, your commitment to the community and why you love what you do. It helps customers feel good about buying from you.

5.  Collaborate and crosspromote.

If your center has a number of locally owned businesses, pull them together to make a bigger impact by crosspromoting the entire group of small businesses ready, willing and able to service customers on Small Business Saturday.

Small Business Saturday is your opportunity to bring your small business front and center as an important part of the community and one people can feel good about patronizing!