4 Ways To Make the Most of Small Business Saturday 2023

The holiday season is the busiest season for retailers.

Customers love taking advantage of a good deal, and many wait for that weekend after Thanksgiving — Black Friday to Cyber Monday — to make both large and small purchases.

But for small businesses, Saturday is the big day — and this year, it falls on November 25.

Small Business Saturday began a little over a decade ago, but business owners have always understood the importance of shopping small. It creates a sense of community and supports the local economy, so take advantage of this increased awareness to increase profits.

These are the top four ways your business can make the most of Small Business Saturday 2023.

Maximize Your Local Marketing Strategy

First things first — you need to get the word out.

Make sure you’re promoting your business on the day, but also leading up to it. Small businesses can run an effective marketing campaign, even if they’re simple.

Raise awareness of any deals you’ll be promoting in the weeks before. If you have a brick-and-mortar location, include flyers with purchases and post them around the store. You can verbally remind customers, too. Face-to-face interaction boosts relationship-building, which increases profits.

If you’ve built a solid online presence, this is the perfect time to take advantage and ramp up your social media game — include hashtags to increase visibility, like #smallbizsaturday or #shopsmall. Post a countdown campaign, or reveal a new deal you’ll be promoting daily. You can also promote these deals through text message and email marketing.

And try reaching out to local media — reporters love a good story. They might be interested in how you’ve inherited your grandparents’ corner store or turned your woodworking hobby into a career.

After all, marketing really comes down to awareness — shoppers need to know about your store to buy from your store. Remember that Small Business Saturday is a marketing strategy itself, created to bring visibility to small businesses to boost local economies.

Make the most of this increased awareness (and traffic) to get your customers in your store on the big day, and beyond.

Engage Your Customers and Community

You have your customers’ attention with a standout marketing plan — seal the deal with great customer engagement.

People love to shop in-person, even with the increasing popularity of online shopping. And small businesses have the advantage of developing more personal relationships with customers, especially the “regulars.” 

Use this as an opportunity to engage your existing loyal customers, and to create new ones. Try an in-store event — host a sip-and-shop where customers can peruse your products with a glass of wine in hand, or invite a local celebrity to do a meet-and-greet and promote products (think: radio host or athlete).

Remember that many buyers save throughout the year to take advantage of sales during this weekend in particular, and they could be ready to drop some serious cash. Offer buy-one-get-one deals, bundled packages, or different discounts by the hour. And while these deals allow buyers to save money on necessary items, they may actually end up spending more.

Personalize the Retail Experience

The small business experience is a personal experience. A smaller customer base allows you to tailor the shopping experience for your customers. It’s a large part of why many choose to shop small — in fact, people are 40 percent more likely to spend more money when they consider their experience to be “highly personalized.”

Play into this angle, and amp up your customer service. Include a low-cost item as a free gift with each purchase, or a coupon for use at a later date in the season. Given the approaching holidays, try offering complimentary gift wrapping.

A personalized, handwritten note is a special touch, too. Let shoppers know how much you appreciate their business — it’s sure to increase customer retention. If you already have a relationship with them, you could also include product recommendations. This is a great way to personalize the experience, while encouraging buyers to return to your store.

Support Other Small Businesses

One of the greatest ways (and reasons) to make the most of Small Business Saturday is to support other small, local businesses.

Community is key, so get involved. Stock your store with products from other businesses, or co-host an event. Many cities organize holiday markets this time of year, too. Participating in these events is not only a great way to get in front of customers you might not otherwise reach, but to foster relationships with other business owners that will benefit everyone throughout the year.

And because it’s the season of giving, consider donating a percentage of profits to local organizations — especially ones that are important to you and your customer base. Like coupons, customers may actually end up spending more if they know that some of their money is going to a cause they believe in. Everyone wins. (This is also a perfect way to prepare for Giving Tuesday!)

Get Your Business Ready for Small Business Saturday 2023

The busiest retail season is quickly approaching, so make sure your business is ready to go. Make the most of this increased awareness and traffic, and create a fun (and beneficial) shopping experience for you and your customers.

So if you haven’t yet taken advantage of Small Business Saturday, 2023 is your year!

For more tips on how to prepare your retail business for the holiday rush, check out our Retailers' Guide to Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and the Holiday Season.