Since American Express launched Small Business Saturday in 2010, the campaign has grown to have a multi-billion-dollar annual impact on independent retailers nationwide.
The event, celebrated on the first Saturday after Thanksgiving, provides an opportunity for downtown leaders to foster community engagement, and for independent businesses to shine.
Small Business Saturday events typically feature festive decorations, visits from Santa paired with hot chocolate and cookies, holiday crafts, seasonal entertainment, parades, and the official tree lighting. While businesses offer discounts, samples, free wrapping service, make-and take-crafts, and more at individual locations.
Many downtown organizations are coming up with creative ways to take the best advantage of this promotional push each November.
The downtown association in Carlisle, PA, encourages residents to shop, dine, and experience all that the city center has to offer with three classic bingo card promotions.
Ortonville, MI, is home to a Local Gems contest. Customers take selfies in the businesses they consider “local gems,” share on social media, and enter a prize drawing.
In Las Vegas, NV, a pop-up market rounds out local shopping opportunities.
And in Clayton, NC, the first 200 people to come downtown for Small Business Saturday receive tote bags filled with coupons, promotional items, and gift certificates from local businesses.
Details on these events and others appear in the pages of Downtown Idea Exchange newsletter.
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