When Is Small Business Saturday?
Right between Black Friday and Cyber Monday lives Small Business Saturday, a day when small businesses are celebrated and discovered by shoppers all over the country. During one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year, with the heaviest foot traffic, it is a great opportunity for small retail businesses to put their best foot forward, win new customers, and gain traction among their larger peers.
Small Business Saturday, however, doesn’t have to be exclusive to retail businesses. If you are a B2B company that caters to small businesses – such as a supplier or manufacturer – you, too, can capitalize on Small Business Saturday and show appreciation for your small business clients.
B2B Strategies for Small Business Saturday
When companies are planning strategy and allocating resources for Small Business Saturday, small B2B firms are often overlooked as targets – but there are definite benefits to making them a priority. Below are three ideas that could result in increased revenue and stronger relationships with your small business clients.
- Offer discounts for small business clients. Small Business Saturday is a great time to show how much you value your small business clients, through deal offers. Many businesses are preparing for a high volume of sales during Small Business Saturday and other contemporaneous holiday shopping events. If you are a manufacturer or supplier, offer your clients a discount if they order in bulk to prepare for Small Business Saturday or if they order their holiday offerings through you.
- Support your clients’ Small Business Saturday offerings. Leading up to and during Small Business Saturday, you can show your appreciation at low or no cost by simply lending your support. By purchasing their goods or services, for example, giving them a positive referral, or showing up to an event they are hosting. You could even offer them a special promotion, such as offering to cover ad placement for their Small Business Saturday event when they place a larger order with you.
- Check with your local chamber of commerce to see what larger events you may be able to participate in on Small Business Saturday. If you can attend a community event, it could be a great way to celebrate small business growth and also to network with current and potential small business clients.
Small Business Resources
If you are a small B2B business yourself, you may be wondering what resources are available to help you celebrate your own business on Small Business Saturday. Below are a few of our favorites:
- Dun & Bradstreet Resources – Here, you can find out about the basics of business credit and what your Dun & Bradstreet scores and ratings mean, as well as other essential information that can help you make sound financial decisions for your small business. Learn about the benefits of leasing versus buying equipment, what a line of credit is and how to get one, how to write a business credit policy, and more.
- Small Business Administration – The Small Business Administration supports a range of small business initiatives that help small businesses all over the country grow and thrive. Here, you can find information not only about Small Business Saturday but about National Small Business Week, National Veterans Small Business Week, the Emerging Leaders Initiative, lending and policy initiatives, and more. Find out what resources and initiatives may apply to your organization.
- American Express – As the founders of Small Business Saturday, American Express has a huge variety of Small Business Saturday and year-round resources, from ready-made and customizable promotional materials to event-planning checklists and fliers to ideas and inspiration. The “Shop Small Studio,” as they call it, is regularly updated with new templates and marketing collateral to help you participate to the fullest in Small Business Saturday.
Whether you are celebrating your own small business or supporting your peers, Small Business Saturday brings measurable economic benefit to the communities that participate. Help the small businesses in your network grow and thrive on November 30, 2019.