An important holiday that is not a day off

Small Business Saturday is a quintessentially American “holiday” created by American Express in 2010 to encourage purchases from small businesses that happen to accept the credit card. This year the action will take place on Saturday 26 November. 2022.

The effort has become increasingly important to smaller stores over the years, especially as online shopping at Amazon and larger retailers has become more prevalent. In 2021, 51 million shoppers participated in Small Business Saturday, according to the National Retail Federation. American Express reported that spending among US consumers who shopped at independent retailers and restaurants hit Small Business Saturday an estimated $23.3 billion by 2021an 18% increase over $19.8 billion spent in 2020 and an increase over pre-pandemic spending in 2019 ($19.6 billion).

This year, nearly 6 in 10 (59 percent) holiday shoppers plan to attend Small Business Saturday 2022 — more than Black Friday (56 percent), according to a report from Bank rate.

The concept is simple: after the rush of Black Friday promotions that started with large stores in malls and continued into the digital age, a day was created specifically to boost sales for local businesses. These are the entrepreneurs who help the local economy by employing local workers, contributing to the local tax base, supporting local causes and simply being there for shoppers.

American Express put its substantial marketing power behind the “Shop Small” effort, and the promotion has grown big over the years. The concept got a big boost when Barak Obama was in the White House participating in Small Business Saturday by shopping at businesses in Washington, DC. Other savvy politicians followed suit and promoted their visits to stores in the towns, cities and states they represent.

Following the advent of COVID and the resulting pandemic-related closures, consumers have made an effort to further support the businesses in their area. This spirit continues even as the worst of the pandemic appears to be behind us.

Small business owners have the option to download marketing materials to promote their specials, and Amex has cleverly provided posters for in-store promotion, as well as digital banners and pre-written social media posts.

_{Come by, order online, leave a review or tell a friend. It all counts. It all matters. #ShopSmall}

_{Our doors are open! #ShopSmall with us all year round – we appreciate your business!}Not every small business is an old-fashioned “mom & pop” store; to compete effectively in the 21st century retail industry, businesses must take advantage of online marketing.

Importantly, American Express is the #StoreSmall acceleratordriven by TikTok, was designed with one goal in mind: to grab Gen Z’s attention and turn them into customers. Amex has created online resources, offering lessons that will come in handy whether you are a self-proclaimed TikTok pro or have yet to make your first video. In addition, eligible small business owners in the US can sign up to earn a $100 TikTok ad credit after purchasing $50 or more worth of TikTok ads.

By leveraging technology, companies can become more efficient in all aspects of their operations – from small business Saturday marketing promotions to securing capital until find employees. Indeed, Internet promotion is an important part of something retailers have been doing for centuries: attracting people to their stores.

The holiday season is all about giving – and the best gift you can give local businesses is your support. Get out and shop Small this Small Business Saturday on November 26 to kick off the season in a meaningful way.