Keeping the Small Business Saturday momentum going!

The 1^st December marked the 6th Small Business Saturday, encouraging shoppers to support small businesses, particularly during the festive period. At X-Forces Enterprise we have seen the hard-work, unfaltering dedication and passion which goes into turning a business idea into reality therefore a day of recognition of these efforts is well deserved!

Small businesses are the backbone of the UK economy with a combined annual turnover of £2 trillion and employing 16.3 million people (Federation of Small Businesses). Many startups are formed either due to the entrepreneur’s passion for a certain product or service, a gap seen in the market or a skill which they would like to share with the world. When you support Small Business Saturday you are saying to these entrepreneurs that you appreciate their skills.

Small businesses face challenges on a daily basis, from individual concerns such as cashflow, to shared concerns such as declining high street trade. Small Business Saturday serves as a reminder to entrepreneurs that they’re not alone and not only are they surrounded by a whole community of entrepreneurs, but there are also numerous organisations who are able to support them in their efforts. It also serves as an inspiration to any budding entrepreneurs considering starting a small businesses of their own. And for those who are unsure as to how successful the Small Business Saturday campaign is…last year #SmallBizSaturday was trending at no1 on Twitter and an additional £748million was spent with small businesses.

But even though #SmallBizSaturday is over, you can still keep the momentum going and encourage people to shop from small businesses especially during the festive period. Here are some tips on how:

1. Ramp up your social media presence. Visuals can be more effective so take pictures of stock or videos of happy customers and post away!
2. Focus on products/services which may be unique to this time of year and may make good Christmas gifts. Include any special festive hashtags which may be trending. Perhaps you could offer special discounts?
3. Are there any other small businesses you could partner with? For example, could you offer a joint Christmas product package? Are other businesses are offering any special discounts which your business could benefit from?
4. Local communities often have numerous events taking place at this time of year. Are there any you can get involved in? This may be particularly appropriate if you can sell your products at Christmas fayres etc. Even if your product cannot be sold here, you could still take advantage of local advertising opportunities
5. Encourage customers to write you testimonials or reviews as this can encourage other customers to purchase from you.
6. Are there any awards you can enter? What about local or industry specific awards which support small businesses in particular? This can help raise your profile

For more advice on how to grow your startup, book onto one of our free Business Start up skills workshops: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/x-forces-enterprise-6521671359