November 24th is going to be a big day for small businesses across America–it’s Small Business Saturday, and I’m here to tell you about it. I had heard a little bit about this but wanted to go to the source to find out more, so I did. You can check it out yourself here.
We all know about Black Friday, and the last few years Cyber Monday has gotten really big (the Monday after Thanksgiving, when a bunch of places have sales online). Well, Small Business Saturday is this Saturday (the Saturday after Thanksgiving), and the whole point of the day is to get out and support small businesses in your area. It’s sponsored by American Express, and they’ve done an awesome job at getting the word out there. Their website is really great, there’s a huge Facebook group for it, they’ve been doing TV commercials.
The buzz has gotten so big that President Obama has even endorsed it and encouraged Americans to participate! It started in 2010, and last year there were over 100 million people who went out and shopped at small businesses that day. This year it’s expected to be even bigger.
One of the coolest things on the website is that if you click on “Find Out Where to Shop” at the top, it has a Google map where you can type in your area and it will show all of the small businesses near you. There are so many ways that people can use small businesses to do their holiday shopping, or just to satisfy other needs they may have on their regular shopping lists. Oftentimes the prices at small businesses are competitive with the big chains, and even if they’re a dollar or two more, you can justify it when you consider the great feeling you have knowing you’re supporting your local community.
Not to mention, the customer service is usually great at small local businesses, at least it is around me. I’m thinking about a paint store near my house that I just love going to, called Daniels Paints (check it out here). I love going there, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who’s thinking about painting a room in their home or business. The people in there love to take time to talk with you and help you get exactly what you need. And it’s obvious that they really know what they’re talking about. I always leave feeling like I have a great plan for my painting project, because they walk me through the whole thing and make sure I have everything I need. I just highly doubt that I would get the same level of service at a big chain paint store.
It’s so neat that people are getting excited about supporting small businesses this Saturday, because in my opinion, they are the personality and the lifeblood of every community. They’re what sets one town apart from another and they keep it alive and thriving. So if you’re wondering what to do on Saturday, why not get out and support some great small businesses near you? I know my Saturdays oftentimes involve running errands, and this week I’m going to try and see if I can go to some small businesses instead of big chains to get the same things done. And if you’re in the market for a new website, stay tuned to FreshySites–we’ve got some great promotions coming your way for Small Business Saturday. Let’s make it great!!
