The Saturday following Thanksgiving, or Small Business Saturday, is November 26. It’s simple to choose the large box store or online merchant over the mom-and-pop store in the era of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. But SBS sponsors want you to remember the little local stores. Small businesses can learn about branding and improve it on this day by collaborating with micro-influencers or developing an online presence, for example.
What is Small Business Saturday
Customers are drawn to larger corporations and frequently ignore small enterprises, which can have more detrimental effects on the local economy than would first appear.
In the last half-century or more, the growth of shopping centers and big-box merchants like Walmart and other retailers have irreparably damaged Main Street, making it critical to recognize the significance of patronizing regional small businesses.
After all, small business owners who take the risk of pursuing their ambitions are an excellent example of the spirit of enterprise and entrepreneurship that we should be honoring.
Politicians frequently discuss the need of supporting Main Street versus major corporations and the difficulties that smaller company owners frequently confront. The Saturday after Thanksgiving, on which Small Business Saturday is conducted, coincides with the busiest shopping days of the year.
Small Business Saturday History
Surprisingly, American Express, a U.S. company with $37 billion in revenue in 2018, began Small Business Saturday in 2010. (Yes, the majority of tiny shops do accept credit cards.) Five years later, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) signed on as a co-sponsor. Many small companies now open their busiest shopping season in large part thanks to SBS.
The overall reported expenditure among American consumers who claimed to have visited independent stores and eateries on the day hit a new high of almost $17.8 billion, according to the 2018 SBS Consumer Insights Survey.
Through Small Business Saturday events, the SBA, Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP), and American Express strive to increase traffic and sales to America’s 30 million small companies.
America’s small business owners can get assistance from the U.S. Small Business Administration, which was established in 1953. It is an independent federal agency created to support, advise, help, and safeguard the interests of small business concerns, preserve free enterprise, and strengthen the overall economy of our country.
The SBA offers small businesses, among other things, advocacy, access to capital, business development, and government contracting. Perhaps most importantly, the SBA provides established small businesses and new entrepreneurs with free counseling and low-cost training in more than 1,800 locations.
Small Business Saturday Activities
Make some local purchases
Given that there would be discounts on typical Christmas goods, many customers choose large box stores on Black Friday. Small businesses occasionally offer a wide range of comparable discounts, but without the marketing budget to advertise the deals, they are frequently left out in the cold. If you intended to buy a TV during the holiday season, call your neighborhood electronics store to see if they are currently running any specials.
Speaking of It
Sharing our daily lives with friends on social media is wonderful, but occasionally, telling them about a great offer from a big-box retailer or an e-commerce powerhouse can feel like advertising. With small businesses, it’s different: Rather than boosting the earnings of some corporation, you can relax knowing that you’re assisting a neighbor in their endeavors.
Establishing Small Business Habits
Even though Saturday is only one day, you are now familiar with the shops in your neighborhood. Don’t wait another year to pay us another visit! Small businesses require year-round support from us in order to succeed.
