How To Boost Your eCommerce Sale On Small Business Saturday

If you’re having an eCommerce sale on Small Business Saturday, there are things you can do to make it more successful. Here’s our guide for boosting your eCommerce sale on Small Business Saturday. 

How To Boost Your eCommerce Small Business Saturday Sale

A successful Small Business Saturday eCommerce sale doesn’t happen by chance. Here are some things you can do to increase the chances of having a successful eCommerce sale on Small Business Saturday.

• Deals and Promotions - Shoppers will be looking for Small Business Saturday deals. Small Business Saturday deals are a great way to attract new customers and maintain good relationships with existing ones. Here are a few ideas:
  • Buy one get one free deal
  • Free gift with purchase
  • Discounts for providing contact information
  • Future discounts for services or appointments booked on the day
• eCommerce site - Make sure that your online storefront is ready and that you've optimized your checkout. Here are few things to keep in mind:
  • Keep your online inventory up to date so you don’t end up showing “out of stock” items
  • Make sure your website loads fast and is optimized for mobile devices because the majority of people shop using their smart phones
  • Test your online coupons and make sure everything works perfectly. The last thing you want is a confused online buyer who’s put a bunch of stuff in the cart and then leaves to go to your competitor’s site because they couldn’t complete the checkout on your site!
• Promotional Channels - High-budget advertising campaigns can be effective, but so can a local digital marketing campaign. Make sure your Google My Business page is up-to-date with your hours, location, and contact information. Google can increase your visibility from searches for your business name, product/service, or “near me" results. You can also get discovered by setting up local search ads. There's always a direct line of communication to your established customers through your email marketing list. Put together a campaign in the lead-up to the holidays and promote your Small Business Saturday deals and discounts to drive online traffic on the day.
• Social Media - Make sure you're actively engaging with visitors to your social media pages ahead of Small Business Saturday. Build an engaged online community by creating connections with your online followers on Small Business Saturday. Encourage engagement by asking people to share holiday traditions or gifting fails. You can even host an online chat where people share shopping tips or ideas for ways to celebrate. To reach more local customers, check if there are any city-specific Small Business Saturday hashtags that neighborhood businesses are using, or help people find you and be a part of the larger conversation using these hashtags:
  • #ShopSmall
  • #ShopSmallBusiness
  • #ShopLocal
  • #SmallBusiness
  • #SmallBusinessSaturday
  • #SmallBizSat
• Omnichannel Shopping - Omnichannel shopping allows customers to choose where they buy their goods/services and how they receive them. A popular omnichannel option is buying online and picking up in-store. Give your customers the choice of having their items shipped to their homes or picking them up in-store. They'll appreciate having options to choose from.
• Team-Ups - Try having a virtual Small Business Saturday event where you team up with another business to promote each other and offer special discounts or promotions across your audiences. Cross-post on social media to create a neighborhood feel. 
• Brand Story - A great way to connect with customers is to tell your personal story. Small Business Saturday is all about supporting business owners as people, rather than huge corporate stores. Use your website and social media to share what makes you unique, such as the story of why you started your business, your charitable goals, or anything else customers might find interesting. Sharing your unique stories will create a bond with customers.
• Product Sources - Shopping small can mean shopping locally, but customers also want to know where your goods are sourced. Share information with customers about what makes buying from you more valuable to real people than buying from the big box stores. Make the local roots of your eCommerce store a point of pride on Small Business Saturday, even if it’s not local to your customer.
• Gift Cards - Everybody loves gift cards. They make great gifts and they mean more business for you later. Even if Small Business Saturday isn’t the most important sales day of the year for your business, you should be fully stocked for the day and the rest of the holiday shopping season. Gift cards are an opportunity to make an easy sale, bring in new customers, and increase your average transaction value. 
• Have Fun - Host online contests and giveaways leading up to and on Small Business Saturday to build interest in your eCommerce sale and attract traffic that will lead to more sales. You can give away discounts, gift cards, or something else. Ask them to share stories about their favorite items that you sell and have other people vote on their favorite.

If you want to know more about preparing for Small Business Saturday, read our article Social Media Marketing Calendar For Promoting Small Business Saturday or contact us.

Tags: Small Business Saturday, eCommerce