The importance of supporting small, family-owned businesses this holiday season.
You have heard of Black Friday obviously, right? The day where people venture to malls, outlets, and stores throughout the United States at the crack of dawn, or even earlier, on a hunt for the absolute best deals. If you have ever gone Black Friday shopping, then you know it can quickly become a debacle. From shoppers fighting each other to people getting trampled to stores being absolutely ripped to shreds, it is a fairly intense event, to say the least.
How about Cyber Monday? The day of the year where shoppers hit popular online marketplaces such as Amazon and Jet.com to save money on products that would cost more on the other 364 days of the year. The deals closely resemble those that would be offered in most big-box stores and also saves shoppers the need to fight other people on the hunt for the very same deal.
Both sound great, correct?
But what about small business owners? Both of these “holidays,” (these are actually holidays in California, Delaware, and Pennsylvania to name a few) benefit large corporations such as Best Buy, Walmart, and Macy’s but leave out the “little guy,” or what we would like to call, “our nation’s backbone” – small business owners.
Small business owners are our nation’s purest gems. They are the people that keep the heart of the United States beating with their uniqueness, creativity, desire to pursue their dreams and to give their family a life that they can be proud of. Without small business owners, we would live in a world run by monopolies that have the abilities to fix prices and take power away from the consumers. Who wants that? Not us at Adapting Social, that is a guarantee.
As a small business, we care so deeply about empowering other small businesses in any way possible. Whether we are strengthening their brand through cutting-edge marketing strategies, going over ideas that will benefit their business, or creating their online storefront, we are willing to do whatever it takes to achieve their goals.
Shopping small is a huge deal
Large corporations can offer people products and services, which is great, but there is one major task they cannot complete, creating an experience. Local, small businesses can provide one-of-a-kind services that encourage personal connections with both customers and business owners. These relationships are truly special and cannot be replicated anywhere else. When you shop at a big-box store, you will get what you are looking for, but at a small business you will get what you are looking for, plus an unforgettable experience paired with the fact that you are legitimately putting food on someone’s table for their family. You are contributing to someone being able to afford doctor’s visits, school supplies, and even clothes. This Saturday, put your money where it will make a difference.
Go to the experts
When you go to a large store on Saturday, you will most likely deal with a sales associate who will be able to scratch the surface when describing certain characteristics of a product. At a small business, you are dealing with an expert. Someone who has sacrificed tons of time, money, and effort to build a business out of their passion. When you shop small, you will receive tailored and highly-knowledgeable answers to your questions.
How small business owners can compete
As a company founded by an entrepreneur for entrepreneurs, we know how crucial it is for small businesses to stand out from the crowd. Some great ways to set yourself apart if you are a business owner is to:
- offer incentives
- create holiday promotions
- host a special event
- display promotional materials
- harness the power of social media
Social media is the voice of your company and it allows you to interact with your customers or potential customers with engaging posts, informative videos, and posts that pair perfectly with your brand. During the holiday season especially, being active on social media will maximize top of mind awareness and will genuinely boost your chances of success.
Small Business Saturday 2019
Holiday promotions are no longer something that only large corporations do, small business owners can do them too and turn the attention to why buying local is so important. This coming Saturday, November 24th, marks the ninth Small Business Saturday and if you have never participated in it before then make it your first.
Every year, Small Business Saturday gains more and more momentum. According to the Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey, more than 95 million people shopped small in 2015 and we predict that number only growing in 2018.
Without small businesses, we would live in a bleak, boring, and passionless world that can only be described as the stuff of nightmares. This Saturday, take your money further and shop at a small business that is operated by a knowledgeable dreamer that cares more about benefiting their customers than anything else in the world. You will not regret it.
To strengthen your company’s brand during this holiday season and the remaining portion of the year, contact us or follow our blog. Your success is our success in every single way.
