Making the Most of Small Business Saturday

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Everyone knows Black Friday, and the chaos that ensues with massive chain stores and companies offering great deals on their products, and often times in limited quantities.  Cyber Monday has become a newer “holiday” where online retailers offer similarly attractive sales, coming the Monday after Thanksgiving.  Lesser known, but possibly more important, is Small Business Saturday, which occurs on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, which is November 30th this year.

 

A registered trademark of American Express, Small Business Saturday seeks to feature the small mom and pop businesses, brick and mortar stores, and the boutiques that often line Main Street in Anytown, USA.  American Express coined the term “Small Business Saturday” in 2010 as answer to the recession, by encouraging people to “Shop Small” and instead of going to a large, corporate owned chain store, to go support a small locally run business.

 

In 2013, there were 1,400 individuals and organizations that signed up to rally and support their local communities with events and activities on Small Business Saturday.  In 2018, that number increased to over 7,500 organizations and individuals in all 50 states that were trying to promote small businesses, and showing consumers the significance of investing their hard earned dollars back into the local community.

 

Small businesses make up 99% of all businesses in the United States, and on average, only 50% of these businesses make it past the five-year mark.  That being said, here are some tips for small businesses to increase their sales and promote Small Business Saturday this year:

  1. Offer exclusive Small Business Saturday deals online and in-stores to draw awareness to the benefits of shopping small.
  2. Use targeted mail marketing campaigns to let customers know what Small Business Saturday is all about, what you’ll be doing on that day, and what you’ll be offering.
  3. Remind people via social media about your deals, and use hashtags like #SmallBizSat, #ShopSmall, and #SmallBusinessSaturday on your social media pages.
  4. Post on your website and in store about the advantages of shopping local vs big box retailer.
  5. Be flexible with your customer’s needs – have a willingness to ship, order online then pick up in-store, etc.

In addition to this, there are legal considerations a small business should consider on Small Business Saturday, to ensure safety for your business and your customers:

  1. Ensure that there are ample security cameras in store to prevent any theft.
  2. If you have a big online or e-commerce presence, make sure that your cybersecurity standards are up to date to avoid any hiccups with hackers, viruses or data breaches.
  3. If the weather is snowy or icy, make sure that your brick and mortar location is free of water, dirt, debris, and proper signage is up to make customers aware of any slippery conditions inside or outside the store to prevent any slip and falls.
  4. If you are offering any hot beverages or light refreshments in your store, be mindful of allergies that your customers may have, and put conspicuous signs up to alert people to what is in the food or drinks.
  5. Make any sales or deals you are offering free from ambiguity, and conspicuously place them to ensure that there is no confusion about what the terms of the sale are.

#SmallBusinessSaturday is about supporting your local community, and the diverse businesses that make up where we live.  Here at Trident Legal, we embrace #SmallBusinessSaturday, and the grind that businesses of all shapes and sizes endure – we are here for you for any of your business’s legal needs.

By Jeremy Siegel

This content is for general educational purposes only and does not to provide any specific legal advice. By using this Site you understand that there is no attorney-client relationship between you and Trident Legal.  This information should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state.

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