First,
some basics.
1.
Get web ready
Don’t forget the easy stuff. Make sure your address and contact info is correct on your website and all your social media profiles. You’d be surprised how many small businesses forget to update all their accounts as their business evolves -- and busy shoppers might not know you’ve opened a new location or have new hours.
Don’t forget the easy stuff. Make sure your address and contact info is correct on your website and all your social media profiles. You’d be surprised how many small businesses forget to update all their accounts as their business evolves -- and busy shoppers might not know you’ve opened a new location or have new hours.
And
while you’re at it, review your site as if you were a customer, ensuring that
all promotions are prominently displayed and that your payment process is
working properly. You should do these checks regularly -- and an annual holiday
sales event like Small Business Saturday is as good a prompt as any.
2.
Utilize free resources.
American Express is doing the hard work for you, offering free signs, email templates, web badges, posters and other marketing materials to get your business’ name out there. There’s still time to downloadmany of these materials and get them customized and ready to use in minutes. Next year, see if you’re eligible to order the full suite of materials (you might even be able to get on the initiative’s Shop Small map).
American Express is doing the hard work for you, offering free signs, email templates, web badges, posters and other marketing materials to get your business’ name out there. There’s still time to downloadmany of these materials and get them customized and ready to use in minutes. Next year, see if you’re eligible to order the full suite of materials (you might even be able to get on the initiative’s Shop Small map).
3.
Extend your hours.
If you usually close at 5 p.m. on Saturdays consider staying open til 8 or 9 p.m. Check out the events going on in your town that night and plan accordingly, so you can make the most of the foot traffic, suggests marketing software company Vertical Response. And if you change your hours for the shopping event make sure to tell shoppers on social media and on your website.
If you usually close at 5 p.m. on Saturdays consider staying open til 8 or 9 p.m. Check out the events going on in your town that night and plan accordingly, so you can make the most of the foot traffic, suggests marketing software company Vertical Response. And if you change your hours for the shopping event make sure to tell shoppers on social media and on your website.
4.
Prioritize customer service.
Re-train your staff to make a good impression. Your ability to connect with customers and create more personalized experiences can help you stand out amongst competitors. According to a 2016 study, although people continue to shop online -- nothing beats an in-store experience, so make sure yours is one to remember. Run through scenarios that might occur at your store during a busy weekend and give your staff the tools they need and the words to say to solve problems and help customers who might not have visited your store in a while.
Re-train your staff to make a good impression. Your ability to connect with customers and create more personalized experiences can help you stand out amongst competitors. According to a 2016 study, although people continue to shop online -- nothing beats an in-store experience, so make sure yours is one to remember. Run through scenarios that might occur at your store during a busy weekend and give your staff the tools they need and the words to say to solve problems and help customers who might not have visited your store in a while.
Let's
make some deals -- and promotions.
5.
Plan incentives
Give people reason to come to your store or your events. Shoppers in Oakland County, Michigan have a chance to win $5,000 thanks to a special promotion that lets shoppers text photos of their receipts. Consider your own in-store incentives, such as raffles, collecting contact information for your own upcoming events and promotions throughout the year.
Give people reason to come to your store or your events. Shoppers in Oakland County, Michigan have a chance to win $5,000 thanks to a special promotion that lets shoppers text photos of their receipts. Consider your own in-store incentives, such as raffles, collecting contact information for your own upcoming events and promotions throughout the year.
6. Don’t compete with the Big Boxes.
You
might be tempted to slash prices ‘Black Friday-style’ -- but don’t. Doorbusters
might work for major retailers like Walmart and Target, but that doesn’t mean
your small business should do the same. Marcus Lemonis, the host
of CNBC’s The Profit, advises small business to stay away from
Black Friday-style deep discounts. Instead, remember your market is coming to
you for a different reason -- to support local businesses.
Get
connected.
7.
Join forces
Work together with neighboring shops to give shoppers more reasons to visit. In South Dakota, Downtown Sioux Falls offers a number of deals, freebies and experiences throughout the town -- such as free cups of espresso and a special art market -- encouraging shoppers to make a day of the sales event and explore the downtown.
Work together with neighboring shops to give shoppers more reasons to visit. In South Dakota, Downtown Sioux Falls offers a number of deals, freebies and experiences throughout the town -- such as free cups of espresso and a special art market -- encouraging shoppers to make a day of the sales event and explore the downtown.
By
joining forces with other merchants, you’ll likely get free promotion
throughout the city, simply for registering as a participating business. Find
out what your local community has planned and be part of it. Those
relationships can help you throughout the year.
8.
Invite a local celeb or official
Last year, President Barack Obama dropped into a local bookstore on Small Business Saturday and even shopped at a local popsicle shop in our nation’s capitol. While not all shops can get the president into their store, consider inviting other local officials who might make your shop into an impromptu photo opportunity. (Elected officials in all 50 states championed the day last year, so you have a ready audience.) And don’t forget other local notables, such as local authors, creatives and even pageant winners who might be flattered and excited to drop by if you make them feel welcome and special.
Last year, President Barack Obama dropped into a local bookstore on Small Business Saturday and even shopped at a local popsicle shop in our nation’s capitol. While not all shops can get the president into their store, consider inviting other local officials who might make your shop into an impromptu photo opportunity. (Elected officials in all 50 states championed the day last year, so you have a ready audience.) And don’t forget other local notables, such as local authors, creatives and even pageant winners who might be flattered and excited to drop by if you make them feel welcome and special.
9. Join online groups associated with the holiday.
Americans
love supporting small businesses and some have even started online communities to
help promote Small Business Saturday. Go to meetup.com and do searches with terms
such as “small business meetup groups,” and “Small Business Saturday groups” in
your area. It’s free so get joining to connect your name and business with
motivated, enthusiastic people.
10. Celebrate other small businesses.
Small
Business Saturday is a community event, so go out of your way to celebrate other small businesses participating
in the shopping day. Re-tweeting them and sharing their social content is a
great way to show your support. It’s likely, they’ll return the favor too.
11. Support local charities.
Customers
love knowing where their money’s going -- especially if it is for a good cause. Bubbly Paws, a dog grooming and retail
spot in Minnesota, had big success on Small Business Saturday last year thanks
in part to promotions and partnerships with other local shops, but also because
it dedicated a portion of its sales to a local dog charity. The company saw a
major uptick in sales and found that customers were motivated to shop and happy
to know their money would help dogs in need as well as their community.
12. Don’t be left out.
Even
if you have a product or service that doesn’t necessarily fall under the
“holiday shopping” category, don’t hold back. In Staten Island, even exterminators are
using big shopping day to offer discounts and promotions. By associating with
the shopping event, companies can benefit from some of the free marketing
happening online and in local media.
Amplify your message.
13.
Utilize social media -- and hashtags.
Tell your store’s story on social media. Document your preparation for the big day and get your customers rooting for you. Take photos of your displays to whet appetites and on Saturday share images of your fastest selling products and the ways excited customers are enjoying your store.
Tell your store’s story on social media. Document your preparation for the big day and get your customers rooting for you. Take photos of your displays to whet appetites and on Saturday share images of your fastest selling products and the ways excited customers are enjoying your store.
And
don’t forget to add specific event hashtags to accompany
your posts: #SmallBizSat, #ShopSmall and #SmallBusinessSaturday. In 2015, more
than 241,000 posts across
Facebook, Instagram and Twitter were sent in support of the sales events, so
make sure you’re part of those conversations -- and those searches after the
day is over.
14.
Update your advertising.
Go Digital Marketing recommends small businesses update their PPC (pay per click) keywords to make sure their company name hits the top of customers’ searches. Change the keywords to reflect your most up-to-date offers and promotions, as well as your location.
Go Digital Marketing recommends small businesses update their PPC (pay per click) keywords to make sure their company name hits the top of customers’ searches. Change the keywords to reflect your most up-to-date offers and promotions, as well as your location.
15. Reward check-ins.
To
get customers to spread the word about your small business to their friends,
ask them to check-in through
social media. Offer discounts or promotions for those who show they’ve checked
in on a platform like FourSquare, Yelp or Facebook. A 2015 Nielsen
study found that 83 percent of people surveyed found they trust
the recommendations of their friends.
16. Promote small business selfies
Ask
customers to take photos of themselves enjoying Small Business Saturday and
have them post the photos to their social accounts and tag your store. To keep
the Small Business Saturday momentum going, select the most creative, most
liked or most fun photos to win a special prize afterward -- one the winners
can only get by returning to your store later in the holiday season.
17.
Make your website mobile-friendly.
According to a Kissmetrics study, 78 percent of mobile searches seeking information on local businesses result in a purchase. With that said, make sure your website is mobile-friendly so Saturday’s shoppers who can’t make it to the actual store are able to buy your products on their smartphone.
According to a Kissmetrics study, 78 percent of mobile searches seeking information on local businesses result in a purchase. With that said, make sure your website is mobile-friendly so Saturday’s shoppers who can’t make it to the actual store are able to buy your products on their smartphone.
Make
it a can’t-miss destination event.
18.
Hold a kickoff event.
Start off the day-long shopping phenomenon with a kickoff event. Invite VIP customers and even local notables to your store, offering them snacks, beverages, and a special discount or freebie to show your customers they are special and get them excited for the day.
Start off the day-long shopping phenomenon with a kickoff event. Invite VIP customers and even local notables to your store, offering them snacks, beverages, and a special discount or freebie to show your customers they are special and get them excited for the day.
19.
Offer a scavenger hunt.
Make Small Business Saturday and adventure. Cities from Anchorage, Alaska to Fruita, Colorado are offering scavenger hunts this year -- getting people to celebrate their towns and do some shopping in the process. A scavenger hunt can incentivize customers to explore their towns -- and discover stores like yours. AMEX offers a free templatefor this to get you started.
Make Small Business Saturday and adventure. Cities from Anchorage, Alaska to Fruita, Colorado are offering scavenger hunts this year -- getting people to celebrate their towns and do some shopping in the process. A scavenger hunt can incentivize customers to explore their towns -- and discover stores like yours. AMEX offers a free templatefor this to get you started.
20.
Become a holiday tradition.
Combine Small Business Saturday with other festive events going on in your city. Boulder, Colorado is holding an ice sculpture demonstrations and visits with Santa during Small Business Saturday. Working your way into families’ traditions ensures customers return again and again for memories -- and likely some shopping along the way.
Combine Small Business Saturday with other festive events going on in your city. Boulder, Colorado is holding an ice sculpture demonstrations and visits with Santa during Small Business Saturday. Working your way into families’ traditions ensures customers return again and again for memories -- and likely some shopping along the way.
21.
Think beyond Saturday.
Although it’s important to utilize Small Business Saturday to boost sales and drive traffic -- but your thinking should go beyond this day of shopping. Stores in Alexandria Virginia plan to offer random acts of holiday cheer, a series of deals that are available throughout the holiday season, past Nov. 26.
Although it’s important to utilize Small Business Saturday to boost sales and drive traffic -- but your thinking should go beyond this day of shopping. Stores in Alexandria Virginia plan to offer random acts of holiday cheer, a series of deals that are available throughout the holiday season, past Nov. 26.
After
the holiday season has ended, take stock of what worked and what didn’t.
Chances are, many of these strategies can be repurposed beyond the holiday
season, allowing you to strengthen the relationships you created with customers
and partners all year long.
Full Article: Click Here
Shared by: LY
No comments:
Post a Comment