What Is Small Business Saturday, and Why Celebrate?

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), small businesses represent 99.9 percent of all U.S. businesses. Representing the majority of U.S. businesses, small businesses are integral to the national economy. Perhaps more crucial, however, is the role small businesses play in your own local community. As a small business ourselves, we know firsthand that the impact of small businesses on local communities is not small at all.

During 2020, small businesses have been hit hard by the pandemic. While it may be easier to shop through large corporations like Amazon, local businesses need your support now more than ever. In fact, lots of small businesses have adapted during the pandemic to make shopping local easier and safer than ever before.

Sugar to Salt, a local restaurant in Traverse City, MI, has adapted to the pandemic by adjusting their business model to only support to-go ordering and catering. They have done this without sacrificing the quality of their food or the presentation!

Luckily, there’s a holiday dedicated specifically to small businesses. Like Prime Day or Black Friday, Small Business Saturday should be recognized nationwide as a day to support our communities. And sometimes, a purchase is not even necessary to help a local business.

This year, Small Business Saturday falls on November 28. In this blog, we’ll talk more about the importance of Small Business Saturday and methods – financial and otherwise – you can use to do your part.

The Importance of Small Business Saturday

Roughly 68% of money spent at small businesses stays within the local economy, compared to the 43% of money spent at larger businesses. Only half of small businesses stay open for longer than five years. Think about what that means for your local economy – and community, for that matter. Supporting your friends and neighbors, especially now, can not only help keep them in business, but in turn gets you some pretty awesome products and services from people you know and trust.

In 2019, Small Business Saturday spending grew about 10% from 2018. Continuing to increase Small Business Saturday spending can only mean good things for your community. Help bring more jobs to your neighbors, promote authentic products and business owners while also supporting your friends, help fund your local schools and infrastructure and so much more on November 28, 2020.

How You Can Support Small Businesses

The obvious answer is: Shop local. If, however, you’re not in a financial position to help small businesses by purchasing products or services from them, there are other ways you can participate in Small Business Saturday.

77.6% of small businesses report using social media to promote their businesses. So, get out your phone. Support your favorite local businesses online by following their brand account, liking and commenting on their posts, or sharing their content on your page(s). This will accomplish two things: Your engagement with their posts will help them get seen by more people on social media, and your posts will let your friends know this brand has your personal stamp of approval.

This leads us to the second way you can support small businesses for free. Talk about them with your friends, family, neighbors and anyone who will listen. 92% of consumers trust suggestions from friends and family more than advertising. Help your local businesses get seen by putting a good word in for them. It goes further than you might imagine.

PointA Knows Small Businesses

…Because we’re a small business, too. Our packages are versatile. Our team is flexible and can work with you to determine which services can promote your business to the fullest extent. As a small business, we know what makes small businesses successful. Let us help you make the most of Small Business Saturday this year. Call us now at (231) 882-1100 or contact us today.