While Black Friday may be the busiest shopping day of the year, the spotlight is on small businesses the day after. Now in its sixth year, Small Business Saturday, on November 28, is the day shoppers show their support for “the shops on Main Street.” Last year, 88 million people showed up to Shop Small® on the day and American Express, who founded the day in 2010 to help small business owners attract more customers, expects that this year may even be bigger.
If your spa or massage practice is participating in the day, American Express provides free marketing materials for your use, including printable signage and save-the-date cards, email templates and social posts, Shop Small logos, promotional materials (while supplies last), and event guides. Besides, online ads and appearance on the Shop Small map are available to merchants that accept the American Express card. You can learn more about these offers at https://www.americanexpress.com/us/small-business/shop-small/promote
In addition to official Shop Small promotional materials, you’ll want to plan your own promotion to build up your bookings and attract new clients to your spa or massage practice. Offer discounts on select popular treatments and gift cards and special deals on retail products, especially those that make good holiday gifts or stocking stuffers such as aromatherapy room mists and scented candles.
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. Put the Small Business Saturday logo on your website and 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 offer a special Small Business Saturday facial with BIOTONE Facial Therapy Massage Crème 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. For example, if someone buys a product from a local clothing store, they can bring in a receipt and get a discount on one of your services and vice versa. Email clients in advance to let them know about the group discount 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 bringing 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.
Make the most of Small Business Saturday. It’s a great opportunity to kick off the holiday season and celebrate the contribution you and other local businesses make to the community.