Another import from the US after Black Friday, Small Business Saturday aims to support and promote small business.
I hadn’t actually heard of “Small Business Saturday” until I saw the American Express advertisement on TV. I asked around and found that very few of my friends had heard of it either, so I find it a tad ironic that the whole promotion to promote (if you follow me there) really should be promoted better! I wonder who appointed the marketers for Small Business Saturday? Also ironic that American Express are promoting a campaign to spend more at small businesses, but many small businesses do not accept American Express due to the exorbitant fees that they charge.
In truth, I guess it’s a great idea in principle . More and more of us are bemoaning the loss of small independent shops on our High Street that are often just filled with betting and charity shops. We need to vote with our feet and support our local stores, businesses and restaurants.
Businesses’ also need to ensure that they target and engage with their local market and provide incentives for their local customer base to spend in their local community.
It was interesting to read a Sage UK survey ahead of Small Business Saturday that explained 75% of small businesses are failing to use social media to engage with their local customers. According to Sage “Our research shows that local custom is the lifeblood of the majority of small businesses, but many are failing to harness the opportunities to grow that base online,”
Start now and advertise incentives on Facebook and twitter for Small Business Saturday. Here’s the link to get involved https://smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com/
