Launched in 2010 by American Express, Small Business Saturday aims to put focus on shopping at small businesses the Saturday between Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The 2014 #shopsmall event claimed to generate over $14.3 billion in sales at locally owned independent small businesses.
Getting Behind #ShopSmall
American Express does a solid job promoting this one-day event in offering help guides, materials and more to the local businesses. It also gets high level support and awareness through campaigns in social media and traditional marketing like radio and print. There is little doubt that #ShopSmall gets big support.
Radio spots encouraging consumers to get out, shop the day away at participating businesses and even grab a bite to eat when your all shopped out at a local independent restaurant have been running this week. There is no doubt that shopping local with the businesses that are an integral part of our communities pay many benefits, but you can do more than just spend your money with them.
Nothing says love like comfort food. Show your love when you #ShopSmall on #SmallBizSat, Nov 28. pic.twitter.com/28Wa19IwrE
— Shop Small (@ShopSmall) November 25, 2015
Leave Your Local Business An Online Review
You shopped, you ate, you received great service and you should make one more effort to positively impact that business, write an online review. While your cash spent that day will absolutely benefit that business, your online review can help that business acquire new customers in the coming days, weeks and even months.
Many small businesses suffer from a lack of online reviews on the main review sites like Google, Yelp and many others. We know, we help those that realize this challenge start to do something about it everyday.
The power of a business getting their first online review is a big deal. It breaks the seal and makes it easier for the next consumer to not be the only one leaving a review. It goes leaps and bounds to give future prospects an idea of the type of service or product they can expect from this small business.
Be the first if you can! Leave a review.
Give Them Your Money, Then Give Them 5 Minutes
I’d suggest you do this on Small Business Saturday on November 28th:
- Shop local, eat local.
- Use your smartphone while shopping to take a photo or two of the businesses you visit, write a few notes on the service your received, what stood out to you and what you liked.
- Write a few reviews that night. Tell your friends, family or whomever you were shopping with that they should do the same.
Reviews, The Gift That Keeps On Giving
Enjoy your time shopping on Saturday and I think you are awesome for supporting local owned businesses. I’m thankful and excited to work with thousands of them as they use our platform to get customer feedback and online reviews. But if you really appreciate them, it’s more than money that can show that. Write them a review online and help them serve more customers (you’re helping other local consumers too!), gain more business and thrive in your neighborhood or city. Your gift of a review will keep on giving for months to come.
