Is your spa or massage practice getting ready to participate in Small Business Saturday, celebrated on November 30? This year marks the 10th annual holiday, created by American Express in 2010, that brings communities together to support their local small businesses during one of the busiest shopping seasons of the year.
With growing awareness of the movement to support local businesses, spending on Small Business Saturday continues to draw more and more shoppers. Last year, the day set a record reaching an estimated $17.8 billion in shopping at independently owned businesses, according to a survey conducted by American Express and the National Federation of Independent Businesses. The figure reflects an estimated 104 million U.S. consumers who reported shopping or dining at local independently owned businesses on Small Business Saturday.
If your spa or massage practice is participating in the day, American Express provides free marketing materials for your use, including social posts, email template, Instagram story and posters. You can find these materials at: https://www.americanexpress.com/us/small-business/shop-small/studio?intlink=us-mer-sbrc-sbs-studio. Free signage for your use in promoting the day is available at https://merchant-supplies.americanexpress.com/?locale=en_US#/Home
Here are some other recommended activities to get the most from Small Business Saturday.
Get out the word: Leverage your social media channels to let followers know that you are participating in Small Business Saturday. Conduct email marketing or send a text to let clients and others in your database know what you have planned.
Set special hours: Open earlier and consider offering early-bird specials on treatments or retail items or stay open later to accommodate clients and other visitors.
Make it a party: Treat clients and visitors by making the day a party. Get out the holiday decorations, put out balloons in front of your spa or massage practice, have refreshments on hand and turn on holiday tunes. To introduce prospects to massage, offer free neck massage. Or to get massage clients to think about treatments, offer a special Small Business Saturday facial with BIOTONE Facial Therapy Massage Creme and MicroRefiner.
Be part of the news: Contact local press and radio and TV stations to tell them about events at your spa or massage business. They will be doing stories about the day and you want to be sure to be included.
Partner with other local businesses: Find other businesses to create a group discount on products and services. As an example, if someone buys a product from a local clothing store and brings in the receipt, they get a discount on one of your services and vice versa. Email clients in advance to let them know about the group discounts and promote it on your social media channels.
Support a charity: Find a local charity to support by offering a percentage of your retail sales for the day. Promote your involvement in all your marketing materials and social posts. On the day, have representatives from the charity on hand to pass out materials and answer questions.
Incentivize others: To build traffic during the day, offer special clients a retail gift item or a discount coupon for a future treatment for getting friends and family members to book an appointment on Small Business Saturday.
Train staff: With so much going on during the day, make sure your staff is prepared. Have a special training session to ensure everyone provides the best customer service possible.