There is a movement afoot, according to those in the know. It’s called Small Business Saturday and it’s on Saturday, November 26, 2011.
Don’t know what Small Business Saturday is all about? Well, the thought process is that while big-box retailers have Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving) and online retailers have Cyber Monday (the following Monday), small businesses were basically left out of the mix. That’s when American Express began to promote Small Business Saturday on the weekend after Thanksgiving.
Purpose Behind Small Business Saturday
Small Business Saturday—Saturday, November 26—is a day to support the local businesses that create jobs, boost the economy and preserve neighborhoods around the country. Small Business Saturday is a national movement to motivate shoppers to seek out small, independent merchants across the U.S. on the weekend after Thanksgiving.
American Express has committed to giving $100 worth of Facebook advertising to the first 10,000 small business owners who sign up to participate. Additionally, American Express will give a $25 credit to 100,000 of its cardholders who pledge to use their cards at independent businesses on November 27.
Cyber Monday did not catch on immediately and Small Business Saturday may not succeed overnight. However, those involved are committed to making Small Business Saturday an annual event.
Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday
In the United States, Black Friday is the Friday following Thanksgiving Day. This is traditionally the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. The term dates back to 1966 and is believed to have originated as a way to describe the heavy and disruptive foot and vehicle traffic which occurs the day after Thanksgiving, as shoppers rush out to find retail bargains.
Cyber Monday, on the other hand, is a marketing term for the Monday immediately following Black Friday. It made its debut in 2005 in a Shop.org press release entitled "'Cyber Monday' Quickly Becoming One of the Biggest Online Shopping Days of the Year,” because 77 percent of online retailers said that their sales increased substantially on this day from the previous year.
Now there is Small Business Saturday designed to keep shoppers shopping over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. The hope is that the $25 credit to American Express cardholders will help those who are uncertain about a purchase to make that final leap of faith this holiday season. According to American Express CEO Kenneth Chenault, “This is not a flash in the pan. “We are committed to this effort for years to come.’’
Interested readers can follow Small Business Saturday on Facebook. And then get out and celebrate Small Business Saturday on Saturday, November 26 by shopping with neighborhood merchants.
Deborah S. Hildebrand - Deborah S. Hildebrand is a freelance writer & HR consultant with 20+ years in human resources & a Bachelor's degree in Business.
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