5 ways to capitalize on Small Business Saturday

Small Business Saturday, the Saturday after Thanksgiving, is a day dedicated to helping the 36.2 million small businesses across the United States gain exposure and inspiring communities to shop local. With the holiday season right around the corner, Small Business Saturday offers the perfect opportunity to boost visibility and attract new customers before the year’s end. To help you capture the momentum, here are five ways to make the most of the day.

Refresh your marketing skills

An important part of standing out during Small Business Saturday and the holiday season is knowing how to market your business. Refresh your marketing skills with resources like the Small Business Administration’s Marketing 101 Guide, Hootsuite’s guide to social media marketing and Verizon Small Business Digital Ready’s online marketing courses to stay up to date on strategies and trends that can help you reach new customers and make a lasting impression. Additionally, stay ahead of the curve by creating a marketing plan and promoting your business early to ensure your brand stands out and builds lasting connections.

Optimize your website’s SEO

Word of mouth and referrals are great ways to attract local customers, but relying on these tactics alone means you may miss out on consumers outside your immediate network. By reviewing your website and enhancing its visibility through search engine optimization (SEO), you can ensure your small business is easy to find when shoppers search for products or services like yours. Additionally, boost your visibility on Google Search and Maps by ensuring your business is verified on Google. This lets you easily update important details like hours of operation, location and other information that customers rely on to find you.

Engage in local partnerships

Increase your sales and impact in your community by partnering with other small businesses on holiday marketing efforts, in-store events or even shared retail space. Collaborating with fellow entrepreneurs and local businesses allows you to expand your reach and attract new customers, all while strengthening your connections in your community. Not sure where to start? Explore Shopify’s small business collaboration ideas to find the option that works best for your business.

Start a gift card program

For many shoppers, a big part of the holiday season is buying gift cards for loved ones they can’t quite find the right gift for. If you don’t already have one, creating a gift card program, especially ahead of Small Business Saturday, is a great way to capture sales from customers who want to support your business but aren’t sure what to buy. Additionally, launching a gift card program helps encourage repeat visits and increases brand visibility.

Offer exclusive deals

Small Business Saturday is all about creating community and forming connections that build long-term support. Show new and existing customers that you appreciate their business by offering holiday sales and discounts. When creating a sale, it’s important to understand your margins and bottom line. Use Shopify’s Discount Pricing Strategies and Square’s Guide to Discounts That Protect Your Bottom Line to ensure your promotions remain profitable for your small business.