Small Business Saturday has become a new American holiday shopping tradition. The day after Black Friday, we turn away from the retail giants and focus on supporting local small businesses. In 2019, Americans spent an estimated $19.6 billion at independent retailers and restaurants on Small Business Saturday.
As a real estate professional (even if you’re still working toward your real estate license), Small Business Saturday provides a great opportunity for you to support local businesses and your community as a whole.
Promoting Small Business Saturday builds goodwill with local business owners, establishes you as a pillar of the community, and gives you endless talking points with clients… all while allowing you to promote your real estate business.
Here are three ways real estate agents can help promote Small Business Saturday.
1. Get Social
Social media is the perfect vehicle for real estate agents to help promote Small Business Saturday. Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter allow you to quickly and easily spread the Small Business Saturday message to all your followers. You can even ask your followers to share your posts with their followers for increased exposure.
Gaby Peterson of Coldwell Banker knows the importance of supporting small businesses more than most. Not only does she have her own real estate business, but she is also the founder and owner of a local fitness center.
"I understand that building relationships with other small businesses in my community is essential for our mutual success," said Peterson. "It displays strong character, [shows] your commitment to your town, establishes relationships with those businesses, and in return we gain a level of trust and network.”
Peterson is happy to promote other local businesses from her social media business pages. “I love giving shoutouts on my businesses page on any achievements, events, and more! Show off all the things your town has to offer!”
2. Create a Small Business Directory
If you don’t already have a business directory on your website, now is the perfect time to add one. The business directory is simply a list of local businesses that you recommend. It includes contact information for those businesses and links to their websites. This is a great way to support your local businesses and help your audience find the best possible companies and people to meet their needs.
The business directory typically starts with businesses you know homeowners will need like electricians, plumbers, contractors, and landscapers. Help promote Small Business Saturday by adding local hardware stores, home decor stores, apparel shops, spas, and any other local small businesses. Draw attention to the businesses leading up to Small Business Saturday by creating a special Small Business Saturday section on your page and grouping the businesses that are suitable for holiday gift shopping in that section. Then share your Business Director page on all your social media accounts.
3. Partner with Small Businesses for Drop-By Gifts
Do you do drop-by gifts? You know, those little surprise marketing bags for your client base that often include candy or a Starbucks gift card…
Instead of getting your drop-by gifts online or from a large retailer, partner with local small businesses for your drop-by gifts leading up to Small Business Saturday. Perhaps the local coffee shop would sell you gift cards at a slight discount in exchange for the exposure. You could bundle the gift cards with a few chocolates from the local candy shop along with a note inviting people to stop by the coffee shop and chocolate shop on Small Business Saturday when they need a little shopping break.
You could also partner with small businesses for your referral gifts and closing gifts!
Show Community Support for Small Business Saturday
When you promote Small Business Saturday, you’re showing support for the business owners in your community while turning potential clients on to businesses they might not know about. And you’re getting your name out there at the same time, promoting your real estate business as a pillar of the community. Everyone wins!