Shop Small Business Saturday

Here's an idea my Diamond Darlings....Shop Small!!  Small Business Saturday, now in it's third year is really gaining momentum. Small businesses, the backbone of the economy, have been hit hard by the recession like many of us. Small Business Saturday encourages consumers to shop for holiday gifts at their favorite local stores to help fuel the economy on one of the busiest shopping days of the year, the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

I encourage you all to shop small. And if you are a small business owner, here are a few tools and resources to help you promote during the busiest shopping days of the year:

• American Express, the originators of Small Business Saturday, has a host of resources and marketing materials to help you capitalize on this day
• Digital banners and logos to promote your small business on your blog or website.
• Social media like Facebook and Twitter to help drive traffic to your small business with preloaded posts, tweets, and emails.
• Contact your favorite blogger (like myself) and collaborate on the endless opportunities to drive more viewers to your business.
• Signage to help attract customers which you can use storefront or around town, including two (2) 11" x 17" pieces of signage professionally printed for free.

If you are looking for a small business to support, here are a few ways to pick them out:

• Ask friends or relatives | Many of us have a skill or hobby that we provide as a service to bring extra income into our household. It can be as simple as making gift baskets or quilts to something more technical as building computers.
• Ask friends or relatvies | Again?  Yes, because many of us either have or know of someone that has a licensed small business by trade or interest. These can be electrical/carpentry companies or your local dance school.
• Peruse the neighborhood | There are tons of brick and mortar shops within your own community that are often missed during the holiday season. Show your support by venturing out into the cold for a good walk and see within your neighborhood or someone elses.
• Shop online | Nowadays, most small businesses begin their journey online. Use google. It may be hard to tell whose small and whose not but I assure you, it's worth a shot.
• American Express provides a comprehensive list of participating local business within your area. And if you use your AMEX card, you get tons of great perks. :)

I hope this has helped my readers and I hope you enjoy shopping small!!

Happy Shopping Small Darlings!!!

Until next time......