Small Business Saturday: Supporting the Local Business
Small Business Saturday: Supporting the Local Business
Small Business Saturday is a program that is to suggest people shop at small and local businesses. It started in 2010 when this event was first created. The concept came from American Express which also has a mission to globalize the use of credit cards by the small company.
As time flies, this event brings so many advantages, especially for independent retailers. Based on the data, the last year's spending reached a fantastic number. It's $23.3 billion. It also means that the number increased from the last two years that reached about 18% below the recent.
This simple idea focuses on all the potential of the local area. The workers who come from the place nearby are hired.
No job vacancy opened for people from across the city, country, or island. The operation does not require a complicated marketing technique. Black Friday already runs the shopping at big companies at malls, then the digital time, and this local economy boost.
Holiday Becomes Business Day
Workers usually take a rest on a day off. Some of them use their free time to watch a movie or just walk around the park. Some other people choose to go to the shopping center and pick something beautiful to wear. Business enthusiasts see this as a chance. If everyone outs on Holiday, then there have to be workers who are ready to serve them. The crazy thought is customers even acquiesce to pay higher.
The local business show time has come and so many shop owners gladly join. So, Holiday is not a day off, but it is the time to grow the business and expand it. Moreover, the event is held after Thanksgiving day. After people have their euphoria for big shopping, the local shop can give them a break and a fresh choice that is completely different from that of the big companies.
More on the History
Small Business Saturday is held to support the local communities. Therefore the organizations in the country declare to join. These organizations are there to perform service as neighborhood champions. They support the communities. Eleven years ago, a similar thing happened. There was a coalition that is formed to encourage people to do shopping small.
At that time the announcement was published on television and radio. The campaign ran so well that the information spread so fast. Along with the technology that was developed, the campaign was also popularized through social media and reached more people.
The responses were great seen from the number of likes on Facebook which reached 1 million (more). Another popular social media also reported a great response to the hashtag. The campaign through Twitter got 30,000 hashtag mentions.
Three years after the success in the US, the United Kingdom followed its predecessor to hold the event in their country.
Shop Small, a Big Benefit
When people buy stuff in the local business, it is just a usual buying activity for them. However, from the local business owner's point of view, it is very meaningful. The whole aspects of local business are fully supported by this activity including the profit, the existence, tax, etc.
The Service for the Business Owner
American Express is very serious about this event. They give so many services that can be used by the business owner to introduce their company wider. If the owner has difficulty in making marketing material, the credit card company provides it for free. To sum up, the exposure and the marketing materials are free.
The new support that is provided is the page. Here, the menu will guide the customers to find the products and make the local products easier to find. The business owners are also given special access to add the map to the menu.
Preparing the Next Event
This year, the event is held on November 26th, 2022. Independent retailers attend this great opportunity. If there are companies that miss this occasion and wish to join next year, they can prepare everything. Along with the whole technology development, innovation in marketing and campaign can be designed from now on. Besides Twitter and Facebook which succeeded in spreading the campaign many years ago, the recent new famous social media are ready to support publishing the next Small Business Saturday.
