Free Webinar to Be Held on Nov. 10th to Help Small Business Owners Prepare for Customers to “Shop Small” on the Most Important Shopping Day of the Year
Ewing, NJ – NJ Small Business Development Center at the College of New Jersey (NJSBDC at TCNJ) wants local residents and businesses to participate in Small Business Saturday (November 26), a day in which every shopper can support their local economy and the small business owners who provide the majority of economic growth. Small Business Saturday, now in its seventh year, plays a key role in driving consumer traffic and growing revenue for independent businesses during the important holiday retail season. NJSBDC at TCNJ (https://sbdcnj.com) is Mercer County’s leader in delivering no cost business counseling and training programs to high growth enterprises and small businesses.
Why is Small Business Saturday Important?
This annual day honors and celebrates the hardworking women and men who are creating jobs and fueling the economy in their local neighborhoods. According to the 2015 Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey, approximately 95 million Americans shopped on Small Business Saturday last year, spending an estimated $16.2 billion at independent retailers and restaurants, up 14 percent from 2014 1. Supporting small companies allows for money to stay local, increased employment and the preservation of a community’s unique culture.
“Our center provides small business leaders with access to counseling services, capital to grow or start their business, professional development and a connection to other business owners in Mercer County, ” said Lorraine Allen, regional director of NJSBDC at TCNJ. “In order for these entrepreneurs to operate profitable businesses they need customers. Small Business Saturday is an excellent way for local residents to support these businesses and for independent business owners to showcase the myriad of products and services they offer year round.”
How Small Business Owners Can Prepare
Start now by reaching out to prospects and existing customers via email and social media to let them know you will be participating in Small Business Saturday. Be sure to provide them with incentives to “Shop Small.” For brick and mortar retailers create in-store promotional marketing materials alerting your customers to the shopping opportunities or specials that will be available on November 26 only. Most importantly, focus on creating a welcoming atmosphere, especially for families, and always aim to provide top-notch attentive service.
Service providers such as contractors, salons/barbers, accounting firms, law firms and IT services, among others should also consider leveraging Small Business Saturday by partnering with other companies to create unique buying opportunities. For example, a hair salon and nail salon could partner to create a special bundle of services to cross promote. The possibilities are endless when you work with other businesses.
Get the Marketing Help You Need
If you are a small business owner in Mercer County and want marketing advice, please join our FREE LIVE interactive webinar on November 10, 2016 at 7pm ET titled, “Marketing Strategies to Maximize Sales Opportunities on Small Business Saturday”
Click here to register: https://shopsmall2016webinar.eventbrite.com
You can also call NJSBDC at TCNJ office at 609-771-2947 to request counseling or sign-up online here: http://sbdc.tcnj.edu/services/established-businesses/counseling/
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About NJSBDC at TCNJ
NJ Small Business Development Center at The College of New Jersey (NJSBDC at TCNJ) is an accredited member of the ASBDC-NJ network, a network of 12 small business development centers throughout the State of New Jersey.
The NJSBDC at TCNJ provides free and confidential small business management counseling and low-cost comprehensive training workshops to assist the small business communities in greater Mercer County.
For more information about counseling services and training visit https://sbdcnj.com
About Small Business Saturday
November 26th is the seventh annual Small Business Saturday. Dedicated to supporting local businesses that create jobs, boost the economy, and preserve neighborhoods around the country, Small Business Saturday was created by American Express in 2010 in response to small business owners’ most pressing need: getting more customers.
Consumers are being asked to join in on making the day bigger than ever for small businesses by sharing their experiences on social media. Anyone can join the conversation and spread the Shop Small message to their family, friends and online followers by using the hashtags #ShopSmall, #SmallBizSat, #ShopMercer and #DineSmall. Learn more about Small Business Saturday at https://www.americanexpress.com/us/small-business/shop-small/
1 Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey by National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) and American Express. (November 30, 2015, November 30, 2014). Based on consumer self-reported data and does not reflect actual receipts or sales.