Small Business Saturday has become a major shopping day, with people spending an estimated $22 billion at independent shops and restaurants last year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
Now in its 16th year, Small Business Saturday is a great opportunity for your Main Street business to bring in new customers, increase holiday sales, and turn holiday shoppers and diners into regular customers who’ll return throghout the year.

Here are some simple tips to help your business have a successful Small Business Saturday:

• Promote in advance. Tell regular customers about your plans. Use signs, bag stuffers, and flyers to remind them to come back.

• Leverage social media. Use platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X to post regularly about your Small Business Saturday deals.

• Keep it festive. Decorations and even special treats can help put shoppers in the mood to buy gifts for others—and maybe for themselves, too.

• Showcase gift ideas. Group items with signs suggesting they’re perfect for Mom, grandparents, or kids. Restaurants can highlight holiday specials or gift cards.

• Offer doorbusters. Exclusive deals at set times of the day can drive traffic, just like the chain stores do.

• Partner with nearby businesses. Pool resources for advertising or in-store promotions. For example, if a customer buys at one shop, suggest a complementary deal at another.