Small Business Saturday 2018: The Ultimate Guide for Small Business Owners

Situated between the long lines of Black Friday and the seemingly-minute-long online deals of Cyber Monday, is a relatively new holiday which glorifies the small businesses: Small Business Saturday.
This national holiday, which was first celebrated in 2010, calls to attention the importance of shopping at the small businesses that serve as the backbone of the American economy and our local communities. Each year, Small Business Saturday draws crowds to main streets across the country with great deals on unique products and services, events that encourage shopping locally, and unique experiences that introduce you to commonly valued neighbors.
While this holiday is designed to help draw customers to local small businesses, it can be challenging for business owners to plan events, decorate their stores, and market their offers. This guide will explain how to make your Small Business Saturday a success, whether you’re a small business owner who is participating for the first time or a seasoned Small Business Saturday veteran who’s looking for some fresh ideas.
What Is Small Business Saturday?
Small Business Saturday is an annual holiday that celebrates small business and encourages consumers to shop locally at the start of the holiday shopping season. The holiday aids small businesses by drawing attention to their importance in our economy. It also helps customers who want access to unique products and experiences in their community, and local economies that benefit from successful small businesses.
When Is Small Business Saturday?
Small Business Saturday is on November 24, 2018.
In 2019, Small Business Saturday, will take place on November 30.
This annual holiday falls on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, a day after Black Friday, and two days before Cyber Monday. Placing Small Business Saturday on this weekend, which marks the start of the holiday shopping season ensures that consumers keep local businesses in mind as they buy gifts.
How to Register for Small Business Saturday
As a small business owner, you don’t need to register with any organization to participate or market the holiday at your place of business.
That said, American Express offers free resources and marketing materials geared toward small business owners. You can create custom flyers, social media assets, signs, and more with your brand name and American Express branding on the website’s Small Business Saturday hub. There are also offers materials on how to host Small Business Saturday events like pop-up markets, food festivals, welcome stations, and more.
How to Have a Successful Small Business SaturdayDepending on various factors including your business’s offerings, the amount of space in your store, and your customer base, there are a number of ways for you to have a successful Small Business Saturday. You could host an event for customers, offer a special deal, advertise on social media, or try another themed idea of your own creation to draw in customers and assert your business as an exemplar of how to do Small Business Saturday right.
When choosing which strategies you want to employ, consider your bandwidth and limitations, whether an idea will increase sales or build customer loyalty, and if it will further your brand. Below are a few ideas for Small Business Saturday success that you could use at your business.
Participate in Small Business Saturday EventsA successful Small Business Saturday should start with finding out if other local business organizations or small businesses already have events planned. These events could draw additional attention to participating small businesses like yours.
To get started, check with your local business alliance, Chamber of Commerce, and Local First organization to see if they have anything planned for the day. If you’re not connected with them already, simply Google your town or county’s name along with “business alliance,” “Chamber of Commerce,” and “Local First,” and check their upcoming  events or news section to see if they have a Small Business Saturday event planned.
We here at BSBD know the importance of Small Business Saturday and small businesses all year long! So make sure to follow us all week long as we highlight our favorite and local small businesses so you can find something perfect for that someone on your list, or just find a great local cause to get behind!
In addition to checking with these organizations, ask other small business owners if they’re doing anything special for Small Business Saturday. If none of these groups or businesses are hosting an event, it may be time to take matters into your own hands.