Five Tips to Help Washington Shops and Restaurants Succeed on Nov. 26

November 14, 2022

Five Tips to Help Washington Shops and Restaurants Succeed on Nov. 26

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Patrick Connor, Washington State Director, patrick.connor@nfib.org or Tony Malandra, Senior Media Manager, anthony.malandra@nfib.org OLYMPIA, Wash., Nov. 14, 2022—As chain stores and online retailers launch their holiday sales earlier and earlier in the season, Black Friday will not have the appeal it once did, but Small Business Saturday keeps getting bigger and bigger. This year, Small Business Saturday falls on Nov. 26. Last year, spending at independent retailers and restaurants on Small Business Saturday reached an estimated $23.3 billion, up 18% from $19.8 billion the year before and a substantial increase from the $19.6 billion spent in 2019, according to a survey by American Express and the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). “Holiday shopping is the time of year to reacquaint or familiarize yourself with the local small businesses in your area, where unique items, product expertise, and customer service are to be found,” said Patrick Connor, NFIB’s Washington state director. “Small businesses offer a nice respite from the big-box store experience, and the purchases you make there circulate throughout the community in many beneficial ways.” Small Business Saturday began in 2010 when many Main Street businesses were struggling to recover from the Great Recession. Since then, it has become one of the biggest shopping days of the year, an opportunity for people to support the small, independent businesses that make their communities healthy. Here are some of the ways shops and restaurants can make the most of Small Business Saturday:

Stay on top of your social media. If you’re on Facebook or Twitter or Instagram or Pinterest, post often and promote any Small Business Saturday deals. Use the hashtags #ShopSmall and #SmallBizSat so shoppers can find you easily.
Showcase merchandise that would make a great gift. Group items on a table with a sign saying it would be the perfect gift for mom or grandparents, for example. Restaurants can offer Small Business Saturday specials and gift cards.
Offer doorbusters. Chain stores know a great way to drive shoppers to their stores is by offering exclusive deals at different times of the day. There’s no reason a small business can’t do the same thing.
Partner with nearby businesses. Pool your resources to buy advertising promoting the neighborhood as a shopping destination or team up with other merchants on in-store promotions. For example, if someone buys a shirt at one shop, tell them about the great deal on shoes next door.
Don’t forget to tell your regular customers about Small Business Saturday. Put a sign in your shop and flyers in bags reminding folks to come back the Saturday after Thanksgiving for exclusive deals.

Keep up with the latest Washington state small-business news at www.nfib.com/washington or by following NFIB on Twitter @NFIB_WA or on Facebook @NFIB.WA ### For nearly 80 years, NFIB has been advocating on behalf of America’s small and independent business owners, both in Washington, D.C., and in all 50 state capitals. NFIB is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, and member-driven association. Since our founding in 1943, NFIB has been exclusively dedicated to small and independent businesses and remains so today. For more information, please visit nfib.com. NFIB Washington 111 – 21st Avenue Southwest Olympia, WA 98501 360-786-8675 NFIB.com/WA Twitter: @NFIB_WA