This article was updated on November 9, 2022.
With the holidays right around the corner, people everywhere are trying to find the best deals for all of the items on family and friends’ wish lists. Fortunately, there’s an entire day dedicated to the smaller, local businesses that neighbors frequent every day: Small Business Saturday. Whether your business has actively promoted Small Business Saturday in the past or not, what’s clear is that Small Business Saturday is far from small: American consumers spent an estimated $23.3 billion at independent retailers and restaurants on Small Business Saturday in 2021.
With tens of billions of dollars being spent in a single day, it’s important to make sure your small business doesn’t go unnoticed. This year, Small Business Saturday lands on November 26th. Here at Nextdoor, we want to make sure you’re prepared – and that neighbors remember to visit you for their holiday shopping or dining needs.
We’ve curated some tips to make this Small Business Saturday a successful one:
#1 Make sure your business has a presence on Nextdoor
Neighbors are probably already looking for your business on Nextdoor. Make sure you have an official presence by creating your free Business Page that includes your address, phone number, and business hours. Update your business description to include any pertinent information about special offerings or different business hours you will have on Small Business Saturday. If you’re running any online specials through your website, denote when they will become available.
#2 Gather recommendations from customers
In the weeks leading up to Small Business Saturday, identify satisfied customers and ask them to leave a recommendation on your Business Page. Your recommendations show up on your Business Page and enable more neighbors to find you through search results. If a neighbor hasn’t visited your business yet, the ability to read through recommendations from customers may be just what it takes for them to give you a try. If your business is new to Nextdoor, or is just establishing its online presence, garnering positive reviews is crucial to appear legitimate and trustworthy. The more happy customers you have raving about your business, the more likely you will be to attract new business. Keep in mind, you need at least one recommendation to begin showing up in neighbors’ searches.
#3 Create a Nextdoor Ad to promote special discounts or deals available on Small Business Saturday
Do you plan to offer a BOGO deal? Will you be giving something away for free with a minimum purchase? Run an ad that overlaps Small Business Saturday so neighbors see your deal and know they can visit you and celebrate the day with a special promotion. Don’t forget to target the neighborhoods that are closest in proximity to your business so they take notice and drop by.
#4 Drive foot traffic into your store or visits to your website for the duration of the season
Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday kick off the holiday shopping season. Create weekly ads with a new offering each week for the remainder of the season to drive traffic to your business. For example, create your ad for Small Business Saturday one week before the big day and target the neighborhoods closest to your business. The day after Small Business Saturday, promote your ad again. Then, a week later, create and promote another ad with expanded targeting to include more neighborhoods.
#5 Promote, Promote, Promote
Whatever you do, don’t take the hubbub leading up to Small Business Saturday as an excuse to post less regularly on your social channels. Your small business depends on the support of your neighbors and local area residents, and reaching them should remain a strong priority even during hectic times. Keep your messaging strong and consistent, post about any promos or deals your business has to offer, and engage your audience. With more Americans participating in Small Business Saturday every year, don’t let the opportunity to reach new audiences slip away.
Small Business Saturday is a day your small business shouldn’t miss. It presents the unique opportunity for local businesses to interact with their communities and showcase their offerings while also encouraging local spending. And with the busiest shopping period of the year fast approaching, sites like Nextdoor can help ensure your business is ready to welcome both new and regular customers.
Don't let your local business be in the shadows of another shop this holiday season. Use Nextdoor to connect with your community for Small Business Saturday.
Claim your free Business Page to get started on Nextdoor. For resources on how to use Nextdoor to stay connected with your local customers, pertinent news affecting businesses, and more, follow us at @nextdoorbusiness on Facebook.
