Economic Development
Small Business Saturday
Small Business Saturday
November 24th marks the ninth annual Small Business Saturday, a day to support the local businesses that create jobs, boost the economy and preserve neighborhoods around the country. Small Business Saturday (SBS) was created in 2010 in response to small business owners’ most pressing need: creating more demand for their products and services.
A total of 1.5 million Facebook users, 130 public and private organizations, and 41 elected officials declared their support for SBS last year. More than 100,000 small businesses downloaded SBS marketing materials, 10,000 businesses signed up for free Facebook advertising that ran on SBS, and around 200,000 consumers registered their American Express cards to receive $25 statement credits when they shopped at a small business on SBS. American Express is the founding sponsor of Small Business Saturday.
How to Promote Your Business
Go old school: You can download our 8.5×11 flyers to post in your store window and at your counter.
Go online: Make sure both customers in the store and people visiting your website can easily find your social media platforms – display a flyer with all your platforms and the urls, and make sure you link prominently from your website.
If you are a Chamber member and you don’t have a website (or you don’t have a website that is easily updateable) you can use your listing in our online Business Directory as a de facto website. Speak to a Chamber representative about how to enhance your listing for free by calling 978.353.7600.
Members can also use our Member News section to list Small Business Saturday (or any day) specials, deals and discounts throughout the year.
If you would like information about how to become a Chamber member and access these exclusive services, please call us at 978.353.7600.
Advertising, PR and Marketing
Small Business Saturday will be supported with national advertising and public relations highlighting the importance of supporting small businesses and driving consumers to shop there on November 26th. You will be able to download printable point-of-purchase and store-front marketing materials to let consumers know that you operate a local, independently-owned small business.
Plan ahead – if you will have deals or discounts, make sure you have good quality photos of the items, and share them with your followers. Ask your followers questions about their shopping plans, and what their strategies are for the best deals (great insights into what your customers are thinking!) Use the Insights data that Facebook provides your business page to see what the most popular posts are, and who your audience is.
How Consumers Get Involved
Learn more about this effort by visiting the www.facebook.com/smallbusinesssaturday. Join the 1.5 million people who “like” Small Business Saturday on Facebook. You can also give a shout-out for your favorite local shops and restaurants and encourage those in your social networks to shop at small businesses on November 25th.
Most of all, I encourage you to do some of your holiday and everyday shopping at small businesses, especially on Small Business Saturday.
Whether you are a small business owner or a consumer, please join the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce and participate in the seventh annual Small Business Saturday.
This kit includes promotional flyers, posters, logos, and sample social media posts.
Gift Local gift cards
Shop Local. Buy Local. Support Local.
A great way to support Small Business Saturday is by visiting one of our participating Gift Local vendors. Gift Local is the official gift card for North Central Massachusetts. These cards are redeemable at over 55 area location from restaurants and retail, to entertainment and lodging, there is something for everyone. When you give a Gift Local Card as a gift you are not only supporting local small businesses in the community, but you are also giving the recipient the gift of choice. For more information on Gift Local visit www.GiftLocalMass.com
Membership Application
