Are you ready to make the most out of Small Business Saturday? It’s the alternative or counterpart to better-known shopping days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday and it’s gone viral since its introduction in 2010.

In fact, according to Facebook, approximately 88 million people in the U.S. (that’s 1 out of every 4 Americans) spent an estimated $14.3 billion with small businesses in 2014.

Here’s how you can make the most of it for your business:

1. Be social. This could be your biggest “shopping day” of the year so get the word out on all channels including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, Pinterest. Plan on 3-5 posts/week focusing on Small Business Saturday and what it means for your customers (not you). You could even get in touch with various marketing agencies in your vicinity. For example, if you were living in Australia, you could always seek help from a digital marketing agency australia to help you amplify the reach of your business and increase traffic on your website.

2. Be digital. Don’t forget to promote it on your website and through your eNewsletters and blogs. Use invoice software to digitize your invoices for simplicity and practicality – many shoppers appreciate going paperless now anyway as it’s more convenient and helps to save the environment. Taking the assistance of accounting software such as Quickbooks and others could help the financial aspect of the business to be streamlined and – helping in accepting and giving out payments and invoices for clients, customers, and vendors alike. Multiple bookkeeping software companies tend to partner up with check printing companies such as Check O Matic (visit their service page at https://www.checkomatic.com/order-quickbooks-checks to know more) to print checks compatible with the software, and give the business a smooth functioning benefit.

3. Be personal. Decorate your shop or office with signs about Small Business Saturday. Have your employees promote it as well. Consider playing a particular kind of music to draw in customers. You can use streaming services, allowing you to create playlists and moods for your shop. You can click this to personally know about it.

Keep in mind that one of the reasons your customers choose you over a big box store is that they feel a personal connection to your business and your community.

Capitalize on that and get some buzz going by asking them to contribute to your pages/sites.

Get their stories. Get their videos. Get them involved. Ask them to support Small Business Saturday by tweeting about shopping small with the #ShopSmall hashtag. Or posting a photo on Instagram with the same hashtag.

In exchange, you do the same: post pictures of them in your establishment, make a fun video of them showing their support. You get the idea. Reward your community for their loyalty.

Saturday, November 28th is just around the corner. To learn more and get FREE promotional materials for your own business, courtesy of American Express, visit here.

Like their Facebook Page to be inspired by other small businesses all year long. Many of our 11,000 small business clients are on there!