You should probably jump on board with Small Business Saturday because in this case, being a band wagoner is a good thing.
What started as an American Express campaign grew into a national holiday. Say WHAT? Yep, you heard us right. Small Business Saturday was started by American Express on November 27, 2010. In 2011, it became a national holiday and was recognized by President Obama and the U.S. Senate. You could say it’s kind of a big deal.
Small Business Saturday has come a long way since its start and is being embraced by business owners and consumers alike. In 2014 Small Business Saturday brought in over $5.9 billion in 2014 with 88 million consumers participating last year, up 14.9% from 2013.
It takes place the Saturday after Black Friday and is a perfect opportunity to show support for local businesses around your community and to get those unique and thoughtful gifts for mom and grandma.
There are 23 million small businesses in the country, a number that has increased by 49% since 1982.
Yes we know, gasp. Now we know you may be asking, “Why are small businesses important?” Well, don’t you fret, we have a very logical answer.
Small Businesses Have Created 8 Million Jobs
Not only have small businesses created an abundance of jobs, they account for 54% of U.S. sales, while also giving back to your local community. If you spend $100 dollars at a local business, $68 of that goes back to your local economy versus the $43 from larger businesses. Don’t get us wrong we love ALL business. We encourage you to recognize the power you have as a consumer. You’re basically Beyoncé.
Have we convinced you yet? It really is a win-win. Last year, 88 MILLION shoppers took part in the “Shop Small” movement. (They made #ShopSmall happen). Not only is it one of the biggest shopping days of the year, but it’s also a great chance to extend your marketing efforts using what us available on Small Business Saturday. There are dedicated social media pages, communities and events all centered around helping small and medium sized businesses succeed.
Small Business Saturday gives small and medium sized businesses a chance to be heard. Big companies pump billions into promoting themselves for Black Friday and Cyber Monday making it easy for smaller businesses to get lost in the fray. Small Business Saturday gives them a chance to stand out and be heard all while encouraging consumers to shop and support these local businesses.
In 2014, nearly 3,000 individuals and organizations signed up to become “Neighborhood Champions.” These champions united their communities to participate in Small Business Saturday. You can become a champion, too, you know; we promise it’s easy!
On November 28, we want you to be part of the 93% of Americans that support small businesses. Trust us, it’s a #SQUAD you’ll want to roll with.
Join the movement by participating in Small Business Saturday and showing some love to your local community.
Check out other ways to improve your business on our blog!
*TradeOn is a reputation management tool that helps small businesses to create a better experiences everyday by directly listening to customers. How do we do it? Each customer completes a fivequestion survey that directly reports back to the business owner rather than publicly displayed all over the internet. This allows business owners to make internal adjustments or even complement the consumer for their feedback to help make the customer experience successful.
