Support Berkshire Retailers During #ShopLocal Month
Small Business Saturday is November 30, 2024. As everyone gears up for the holiday season, now is a perfect time for business owners and residents alike to consider ways to make the most of #ShopLocal Month.
WAYS TO PARTICIPATE IN SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY
If you’re a small business owner, check out this link and the following resources to help you make the most of the biggest shopping weekend of the year.
Collaborate with your neighbors. Work with other businesses near you to cross-promote, such as offering customers a small discount with a receipt dated that day from the business next door, and vice versa. Share the collaboration on social media in advance of the day, or even collaborate all month or through the holiday season. If you work together to host your own event, this Small Business Saturday event planning checklist could help you get organized.
Offer something special. Small Business Saturday is all about celebrating what makes small business unique. Contests, raffles, and demos are all great ways to get people excited about your business. This can be an easy way to build an email list or social media presence, too, so don’t be shy about asking people to sign up for monthly communications and weekly social engagement. You might even offer a one-time discount for signing up for your e-newsletter.
Tell people about it. Promote your participation in Small Business Saturday on social media. Use #shopsmall and #shoplocal and follow @shopsmall on Instagram for ideas. You can also put up signage in your windows. Tell your customers about any deals you’ll be offering or fun things happening at your business in advance, and then share pictures and videos on Small Business Saturday to remind people to stop in.
Make it an experience. Offer your customers an unforgettable experience during their visit, giving them a reason to come back again and again. Maybe offer an incentive to tell a friend, offer an in-store only discount code, or celebrate the day with a special in-person-only treat.
WAYS TO SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES
We hope all Berkshire residents will patronize small businesses for holiday shopping lists. Here are some ideas to get you started.
Shop local. (Obviously!) Skip the big box and chain stores and buy your weekly groceries from a local grocer, your books and games from your local bookstore, and unique gifts at any one of our dozens of boutiques. (Find ideas here.) Neighborhood hardware stores can help you winterize your home or tackle an improvement project. Local restaurants and cafes can keep you fueled for your day of shopping, and their offerings are far more nutritious than anything snacked on from a drive thru. The few extra bucks you might spend will be well worth the exchange for quality.
Support BIPOC and Immigrant-owned Businesses. Just like shopping small, supporting businesses owned and run by people of color and immigrants is vital to the success of those businesses and helps the entire community, too. The Berkshire Black Economic Council is a non-profit committed to supporting the Black business community in the Berkshires – check out their Berkshire Black Business Directory here. These resources can give you some idea of where to shop to show support: MassLive and NewEngland.com.
Champion your neighborhood. This American Express resource has some ideas for ways to get involved with Small Business Saturday promotion and support. You can also go about this on your own by checking in with your neighborhood shops and markets and asking if they need volunteers to prep for the big shopping weekend.