11/21/2011

Small Business Saturday


Started in 2010 by American Express, this movement has already made a significant impact on cultural awareness of the benefits of shopping with small businesses.
Traditionally,  Black Friday is gobbled up by big boxes and then Cyber Monday is controlled by mega giants on the internet.  Independent business got elbowed out, so Small Business Saturday is all about staking a claim on one day this weekend to focus on doing holiday shopping with small business. Although the movement currently promotes brick and mortar shops, I would love to see it expanded to indie artisans who sell online.
This year promotion on Twitter and Facebook have been viral. It has over 2 million ‘likes’ on Facebook by people pledging to spend money. American Express is offering $25 to cardholders who shop at registered businesses. All quite impressive for a second year movement.
Cinda Baxter, founder of the 3/50 Project, was a national spokesperson for Small Business Saturday. The 3/50 Project encourages consumers to commit to spending $50 of their current monthly budgets with independently owned small businesses they care about.
Here you can download promotional tools for your business Facebook page
You can submit your Small Business Saturday deal here. I, OneClayBead, will be listing one of a kind pottery seconds for sale, with studio pickup for local residents. If you have a Small Business Saturday deal to offer, leave it with a link in the comments below, and register it as well.
Use the hashtag #smallbusinesssaturday or #smallbizsaturday to promote your shop on Twitter.
As we start our People and Planet First campaign, it’s encouraging to know that there is such a tremendous desire to support small indie businesses. Let’s organize and get the word out there about the benefits of buying handmade and supporting our vintage seller friends on Etsy, too.

22 comments:

Viktoria said...

Great idea! I hope all these campaigns will effectuate
a change of thinking .....
Much luck with this!

IKABAGS said...

Such a great post !

Thanks and good luck with this !

Toni said...

This is such a fantastic project! It's so important in these changing times.

anakim said...

Great idea!

Genevieve said...

Wow - this is excellent! Its great to see big supporting small! Its like getting a "stamp of approval"; American Express has recognized that small businesses matter financially.

Romy and Clare said...

This is great!!

VerbenaPlace said...

Great idea!!

Lauren said...

Fabulous! Supporting our small businesses is so important!

Jen from SewnNatural said...

sounds fabulous!

ira said...

I love it!

Sofie said...

This is great, I hadn't heard of this before ~ Thank you so much for sharing it here!

steinschmuckdesign said...

Absolutely fantastic!!

Eve's Little Earthlings said...

Great Idea! I always try to shop at small independent shops.

Blue said...

Wonderful news and so important to support small businesses!

StaroftheEast said...

Wonderful idea indeed!

belinda marshall said...

perfect~ thanks for the link :)

TheJoyofColor said...

this is great

LouiseArtStudio said...

Love the idea!

bluebicicletta said...

This is a very cool and well-needed movement! Thanks for letting us know about it!

Donata said...

Thank you for link! Wonderful!

Michelle said...

At a press conference, Schumer said the malls should have given shoppers the choice to opt-in, instead of the choice to opt-out, which they could do by turning their cell phones off. A great advice on how to start a business.

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