Hey Newsies,

Today we’re talking Small Business Saturday, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday, with an article from Bankrate discussing the upcoming Festive/Holiday Season, and how businesses are preparing to make some extra sales. I’d love to hear your experiences on these sales events at your business.

Bankrate: Small Business Saturday vs. Cyber Monday: Which major shopping event is right for your sma...

The article explains that a total of over 300 million customers shop across these three sales event days in the U.S., which can drive a lot of sales to small businesses. 

Black Friday revolves around discounts, especially around technology, appliances, clothing, home and exercise, and falls on the Friday after Thanksgiving, on November 24, 2023. Small Business Saturday looks to shift focus to supporting local shops, and is the day after, on November 25, 2023. Cyber Monday continues the buying trend but instead is typically online-only, and lands on the following Monday, on November 27, 2023.

The article suggests not just putting out discounts, but having a full plan to create engaging and memorable experiences for your customers. This can include putting together a holiday guide, positioning your products and services as great gifts they can give to friends and family. You can also turn the days into events, with decorations, games, giveaways, music, gift wrapping, and other in-store and online entertainment like a livestream on social media. 

Just remember to make sure that with anything you do, you stay within your budget. The goal is to increase sales and make a little extra money, but not dip into your profits. You can get more information and get free marketing materials for Small Business Saturday on the SBA website.

My ice cream shop was seasonal and we closed for the winter at the end of September or October, so we weren’t open for Black Friday. People don’t usually think of ice cream for these kinds of sales events anyway, but every year we set up a 10% discount on our Gift Cards. We used the Square eGift Cards feature with an automatic discount to make fulfillment effortless. We set up Square Marketing email campaigns and posted about the deal on social media every few days. We kept the sale going from Thanksgiving through New Years, and would sell a decent amount each year. It brought in some great income during the slower winter months to help keep us going, and our customers got to save on their day-to-day purchases once we reopened. Definitely not a traditional path, but it really worked! If we were doing it again this year though, I would hold a livestream to amp up the deal a bit more and make it more of an event.

What’s your perspective:

• What is your business doing for Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or Small Business Saturday?

• What have you seen other businesses do that can act as inspiration?

Can’t wait to hear your thoughts!
Pesso