Have you heard of Small Business Saturday? It takes place on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. And it’s a movement that is growing. The concept is simple:

A day to come together in support of the small businesses we love. The businesses that are the heartbeat of our communities and local economies. That day is November 27, 2010—the first-ever Small Business SaturdaySM.

This movement certainly has gone viral and at its core is a boon to small businesses everywhere. It is a great idea to celebrate Small Businesses after we celebrate big box businesses on Black Friday. But how much more successful would it be if small businesses and communities all over the country focused on Small Business Saturday – every Saturday?

Can We Expand Small Business Saturday?

The power to take this concept and expand on it each and every week lies for your hands. Your collaboration with other business owners in your community can make this a weekly event. All you have to do is to declare it as such and keep the story in front of your community.

small business saturdayFor example, the small businesses in my hometown have banded together and declared Second Saturday an event in our region. So if a business is going to do something special, they try to do it on the Second Saturday of the month. This works for our community because we’re an outlying region and usually people have to make a conscious decision to drive out to our region. If there’s a lot going on for Second Saturday, they are more likely to make the drive and make a day of it.

But for the businesses in larger towns and for residents of every small town, declaring every Saturday Small Business Saturday makes a lot of sense. Small businesses are the backbone of our country. They are creating jobs, paying taxes, and contributing to our communities in ways that the big-box stores don’t.

What Every Saturday Was Small Business Saturday?

What if we declared every Saturday a Small Business Saturday? We might be able to change the shopping behavior of 1 out of every 100 shoppers to shop at a locally owned company vs. a big box store. That could translate to a 1% increase in the volumes sold at locally owned businesses. Admittedly, 1% doesn’t seem like a lot. But for small business, where we’re fighting for every dollar, 1% could be the difference between hanging on and closing their doors.

So this Saturday (and every Saturday) pick at least one item that you can purchase from a locally-owned business and support the small businesses in your community. You’ll be glad you did.

About the Author:

Tisha Oehmen

Tisha Oehmen is a professional brand strategist and a leader in the branding field. She has been named a member of the Global Guru’s Top 30 Brand Gurus. She is also the co-founder of Oregon-based Paradux Media Group and the best-selling author of the book, Finding Brand: The Brand Book Tutorial.

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