Small Business Administration Deputy Administrator Marie Johns reminds shoppers in an op-ed for the Washington Post today not to spend all their holiday gift dollars at the big box stores on Black Friday or online shopping on Cyber Monday. In between them is the American Express-inspired Small Business Saturday, November 24. Is your business doing what it can to take advantage of the opportunity to get new customers in the door this weekend?
With free tools and materials available for download, it's not too late. Here are some ways you can still get in on the event:
- If your business accepts American Express, you qualify to download free customized in-store signage, online banners, and templates for social media or email from American Express Shop Small.
- Even if you don't accept American Express, a Shop Small poster and other free marketing materials are available for download here.
- Waste no time writing your own Tweets or Facebook posts to promote Small Business Saturday to your community. Grab ready-made social messaging here.
- Glean tips from small businesses who successfully took advantage of the event last year. Their stories are here.
- Enter here by December 14 to win $100 in free Twitter advertising credits, a special offer from Twitter in honor of Small Business Saturday.
- Follow and write Tweets that use the hashtag #SmallBizSat and #ShopSmall to find special offers and to see other small businesses' strategies for engaging with customers this weekend.
For more ideas check out this short Small Business Saturday digital marketing guide from Local Corporation, with tips on being found and thinking social.
Share your plans for Small Business Saturday with Yahoo! Small Business Advisor Readers in our comments or with the Twitter hashtag #ProfitMinded.