WESST Blog

If you’re a small business owner, you should consider participating in Small Business Saturday this year! 

Small Business Saturday is a special day where communities are encouraged to support small businesses during the busy holiday shopping season. A considerable amount of media attention related to holiday shopping is focused on the “door-buster deals” offered by big-box stores for Black Friday – Small Business Saturday is a way to help focus attention on America’s small businesses, and encourage people to “shop local.” According to the American Independent Business Alliance, in Albuquerque, 39% of dollars spent at small, local, independent businesses recirculate in our community. Only 13.6 percent of dollars spent at chain businesses recirculate in our community. While American Express is the national sponsor of Small Business Saturday, you DO NOT have to accept American Express or be an AmEx cardholder to participate. American Express has FREE resources, including downloadable artwork, flyers, ads, and more, available on their Small Business Saturday website. American Express also provides some great tips to help promote Small Business Saturday to your customers and the community, including:

• Sending out an email promoting Small Business Saturday before the event (AmEx has a free email template you can use)
• Posting on social media sites (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr, etc.) about Small Business Saturday, and why your store is participating
• Sending out a press release or announcement to local media about your participation in Small Business Saturday

In the holiday hullabaloo that happens this time of year, it’s great to be able to remind your customers and neighbors that your small, local business needs their support. Encourage people to shop local and support their community by participating in Small Business Saturday! More resources for small-business owners can be found on the SBA’s website.