In the last few years, the first handful of days after Thanksgiving have become minor holidays of their own, at least as far as shoppers are concerned. Perhaps the two most famous are Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but one that many entrepreneurs still see as lagging behind is Small Business Saturday.
To be fair, Small Business Saturday has only become an event unto itself in the past few years, and even then it’s something of a promotional tool cooked up by a credit card company, but nonetheless, owners have repeatedly expressed frustration with its success – or more specifically, the lack thereof – according to a report from ABC News. While many smaller companies do see a boost in sales over the weekend, most attribute it to just the normal holiday rush, and not people making a point to stop into small businesses in particular for their holiday needs.
However, experts say that this issue might not be the result of consumer apathy, but rather a lack of knowledge of the situation altogether, the report said. With more promotion and a little more time, Small Business Saturday could end up being a boon.
“I think more exposure to it and more people learning about it, it will become a part of the routine just like going shopping on Black Friday,” Denise Stahl Shealy, a small business owner in South Carolina, told the news network.
How can that change?
American Express, the lender that started Small Business Saturday, has also taken up the cause of promoting the shopping day more or less by itself, the report said. For that reason, the feeling among many owners is that companies themselves, and small business associations and advocacy groups, need to do more on their end as well to make people aware of the advantages. Much like Black Friday deals, if companies can start offering Small Business Saturday discounts – in much the same way AmEx has for some time now – then there might finally be some movement toward broader acceptance and awareness.
Owners who want to set aside funds that will help them deal with discounts might want to consider the benefits of finding more affordable small business insurance policies. By seeking out lower-cost coverage for general liability insurance, for instance, they might be able to save thousands of dollars per year.
