Small Business Saturday Help for Local Search Results

By Haines|Published On: November 23, 2016|

It’s that time of the year! The holiday season has begun. As a business owner, you know that there isn’t a better time to make sales.

Hopefully, you won’t be missing the increasingly important Small Business Saturday.

Started in 2010 by the American Express and sandwiched between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Small Business Saturday is now a big occasion. The fact that it comes exactly a week after Thanksgiving makes it even more special.

Last year, Americans spent over $900 on average and $16.2 billion in total on Small Business Saturday, according to a Forbes report. In total, over 95 million Americans shopped on that day.

This year’s Small Business Saturday, which is scheduled for November 26^th, is expected to be even bigger. With millions of small businesses and consumers alike already preparing for the occasion, it’s definitely going to be a big day.

With that in mind, we’re sharing three quick tips to help you put your local business on the forefront and convert more sales on that day.

Plan an Event for the Day

No matter the type of small business you are in, you should consider hosting an event to help you win more customers on Small Business Saturday.

In the spirit of SBS, both retail and non-retail SMBs are encouraged to host an event that acknowledges the day.

If you’re a retail business, you can offer promotions, discounts, sneak peeks, expert advice and more.

Meanwhile, non-retail businesses can use any of the mentioned tactics or even host a bring-a-friend customer appreciation event. You’ll have the chance to thank your loyal customers and recruit new ones.

Tell Everyone about It

To get even more buyers, spread the word far and wide. You have a few options to consider:

First, you can send direct mail post cards to every household in the neighborhood or to a selected audience to generate more leads and sales.

Studies show that 39% of consumers try a small business for the first time after receiving a direct mail.

Secondly, talk about it on social media using the hash tag #SmallBusinessSaturday to drive awareness.

Lastly, use emails to reach even more potential customers.

Be Easy to Find and Contact

As the day approaches, the competition for local customers will only become stiffer. There will be more and more small businesses looking to grab the attention of local buyers both offline and online. So, you need to be very aggressive in your campaigns.

One way of doing this is to make sure that your business is easy to find and that contacting you is even easier.

To do this, ensure that your business name, physical address, and phone number are consistent and present on as many directories as possible.

It can be a time-consuming task creating and correcting your business listings for consistency, but it’s worth it. If you don’t have the time, consider using a Business Listing Management Service.