Custom Ink’s Guide to Boosting Sales on Small Business Saturday

The end of the year is a time for spending, giving, and gifting. The holiday season is the perfect time for businesses and organizations to boost their sales or raise funds for a cause. You may have read our post on #GivingTuesday and how it’s a great day for encouraging supporters to give back—but don’t forget about Small Business Saturday^®!

Why Small Business Saturday?

Small Business Saturday helps get the word out about small businesses and, as a movement, can help small businesses in neighborhoods and communities thrive.

What is Small Business Saturday?

Small Business Saturday takes place on the Saturday after Thanksgiving–this year it’s on November 24. It was founded by American Express in 2010 and is a day dedicated to supporting small businesses and communities across the country. According to American Express, U.S. consumers have reported spending an estimated $85 Billion+* at independent retailers and restaurants on Small Business Saturday over the last eight years. So after everyone’s camped out at their favorite big box stores for Black Friday and shopped ‘til they dropped, encourage them to #shopsmall the next day.

How can you participate?

If you’re a small business owner, there’s no reason not to join the movement! It’s the perfect time to remind your community who you are and why they should give you their business. To get started, check out the Small Shop Studio on American Express’s website. It has tons of great resources for you as a business owner including downloadable promotional materials, videos, and more!

Promote your business

Let everyone in your community know that you’re participating in Small Business Saturday. Print flyers for around town, email your customers about new offerings in your store or restaurant, and share details on social media. There’s a lot of unique ways to attract new or return customers for the big day:

– Host a free breakfast for shoppers at your store
– Give away a free item to the first 20 customers
– Partner with other small businesses and make it a fun event
– Host a pop up shop

Whether you’re hosting a special event for Small Business Saturday or just hoping to attract regular shoppers, communication is key, and social media is a great tool. Write up an announcement post for your followers about Small Business Saturday. Tell them what it’s about, how you’re participating, and invite them to come shop! Share the announcement on your Facebook page, Twitter account, and Instagram feed. Each platform communicates a bit differently and has different space limits, so customize the announcement for each. Facebook is where you can share the most in-depth announcement, vs. on Twitter, where you have 140 characters, so narrow it down to the important info. On Instagram, focus on the photo, but still include a short but informative description,

Engage your potential customers throughout November by sharing regular updates on your business and Small Business Saturday. Just be mindful not to overshare–too many posts can cause people to lose interest or miss the important info. Use hashtags like #smallbusinesssaturday and #shopsmall to engage your customers during the holidays and all year long.

Customize some swag

Here at Custom Ink, we think that custom apparel and promotional gear are great ways to show off your business. It’s easy to use our design lab to add your business logo to t-shirts, hats, aprons, hoodies, and so much more.

We see lots of our customers creating custom gear to sell for their small businesses, so why not customize something special for Small Business Saturday? Whether you want to personalize super soft tees with fun sayings to sell at your women’s apparel store, or if you want to customize drinkware for a giveaway at your local restaurant, custom gear is sure to make you stand out. Below are some of our favorite fun designs to inspire your small business gear. A funny t-shirt for your taco truck or a custom mug for your coffee shop? We see a line out your door already. You could even create a trendy piece like a fidget spinner to get your customers excited to stop in.

We hope we were able to inspire you to participate in Small Business Saturday this year. And it’s not just good for business, it’s good for everyone–American Express says 90% of consumers surveyed said Small Business Saturday has had a positive impact on their community. What are your plans for Small Business Saturday? Let us know in the comments below!