What is Small Business Saturday and Why Should You Participate?

We're all familiar with Black Friday, the “unofficial” start to the holiday shopping season that takes place the day after Thanksgiving, or even on Thanksgiving Day itself for some retailers. But what is Small Business Saturday and why is it good for your business?

Small Business Saturday began in 2010 by American Express as a way to encourage consumers to shop in their small, local brick and mortar stores instead of the national chains and big box stores that tend to dominate Black Friday with their massive advertising budgets and incredible discounts.

Since its inception a decade ago, Small Business Saturday has become an anticipated event in many neighborhoods, towns, and cities where local businesses often find they can draw more customers as a collective group than they can by offering their own promotions and discounts.

But, it doesn’t necessarily take a group effort to make Small Business Saturday a success. Many businesses have had great luck on their own, especially when they plan ahead and properly promote the event across their social media platforms.

Small Business Saturday has become a terrific opportunity for local businesses to boost sales and reconnect with customers. In 2022, Small Business Saturday saw an estimated $17.9 billion spent by consumers, a significant increase from the $13 billion reported in 2018. This figure comes from the Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey commissioned by American Express. In terms of participation, nearly 6 in 10 holiday shoppers, or 59%, planned to participate in Small Business Saturday, which is a higher participation rate than Black Friday in the same year. Additionally, 72% of shoppers reported that Small Business Saturday encourages them to shop and dine at small, independently-owned retailers and restaurants throughout the entire year. Another source reported that 42% of consumers planned to shop on Small Business Saturday, while yet another source cited that 53% of consumers indicated they would shop small on the day.

With so many holiday shoppers ready to start crossing items off their list as soon as they wrap up Thanksgiving, it’s a smart decision to take advantage of this special sales event – not only as a way to promote small local businesses, but also as an opportunity to piggyback off of Black Friday and Cyber Monday promotions which draw shoppers out in droves.

Here are a few ways your shop can participate in, and promote Small Business Saturday:

Make sure your online information is accurate. It’s easy to forget to update your media profiles but that’s where shoppers will likely be looking for information about your shop. The best way to do this is to view your website as a customer. Is it easy to navigate? Are your promotions listed prominently on your homepage? Are you store hours and address correct? If not, now is the time to make corrections or changes so everything is ready before you get busy.

Make customer service a top priority

Since this event focuses the spotlight on small local businesses, now is the perfect time for your staff to shine. Connecting with customers and creating personalized experiences for them will create repeat customers who find that they enjoy the in-store experience more than they do shopping online. Be sure to give your staff the training and tools they need to solve problems and assist customers.

Plan incentives, but don’t try to compete with big box stores

While major retailers offer huge Black Friday discounts and “doorbuster” sales, this strategy isn’t recommended for Small Business Saturday. People who shop on Black Friday are looking for bargains, but Small Business Saturday shoppers are out to support local businesses. Instead of huge discounts, consider more personalized in-store incentives and fun activities like raffles or contests that give shoppers a reason to come to your store.

Partner with other small businesses or charities in your area

If your store is located somewhere with other shops or restaurants nearby, consider a cross-promotion or some other incentive to give shoppers more reasons to visit. If your community or chamber of commerce is promoting a Small Business Saturday event in your area, registering as a participating business can help build relationships with other merchants and allow you to benefit from the free promotion you’ll get through your city.

Get the word out through social media

Get your customers excited by posting pictures of displays and some of the incentives you’ll be offering before the event and be sure to take lots of pictures at the event to use for your next in-store promotion. Event-specific hashtags will also help shoppers find you when they’re searching for Small Business Saturday events. Consider boosting Facebook posts for greater reach and reward social media likes, comments, and check-ins with discounts or promotions.

Let Bloomerang Solutions help you make Small Business Saturday a new holiday tradition! We can help you promote the event through social media and even make sure your online listings are all identical when people search for your shop. Give us a call today at (941) 806-1911 or drop us a line here if you would like some help promoting Small Business Saturday 2023 on November 25.

Harnessing the Power of Personalized Content in the Dynamic World of Social Media

In the ever-evolving landscape of social media, the significance of personalized content has grown exponentially. Platforms like Facebook have refined their algorithms, becoming even more adept at curating content for users based on intricate behavioral data. It's not just about who users follow or where they comment anymore; it's an intricate tapestry of engagement signals, time spent on various types of content, and even the nuances of user interactions.

Visual content remains king, but the stakes are higher. Platforms now employ advanced AI to scrutinize images, prioritizing originality over reused stock photos. This shift underscores the value of authenticity – a currency of its own in the digital space.

At Bloomerang Solutions, our experience continues to reinforce this narrative. We've seen firsthand how custom images from businesses, showcasing their unique offerings and behind-the-scenes glimpses, significantly outperform generic imagery. Engagement isn't the only metric that soars; these authentic visuals carve out a niche for businesses, fostering a loyal community that is more likely to convert to sales.

Consider this: updated data from our analysis indicates that businesses providing custom content consistently achieve better organic reach and engagement. Shops utilizing personalized visuals not only captivate their existing followers but also harness the algorithm's favor to attract new eyes, all without additional advertising spend.

The message is clear: the more your content resonates on a personal level with your audience, the more the algorithms work in your favor, amplifying your digital presence.

As social media platforms diversify, the principles of personalized content extend beyond Facebook. Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and others are continually refining their algorithms, rewarding content that resonates with authenticity and human touch.

At Bloomerang Solutions, we're committed to helping you navigate these complex waters. With our expertise, your social media accounts will not just stay afloat but thrive. As the holiday season approaches, let us manage the tides of social media so you can focus on what you do best.

Need a partner in your social media journey? Contact the experts at Bloomerang Solutions to ensure your brand's essence is reflected in every post. Reach out today at (941) 806-1911 or connect with us to see how we can help your business flourish in the digital age.

Turn 2: Secure a Christmas Order When Customers Call for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is on Thursday, November 23, 2023. Before Thanksgiving orders beginning to pour in, make sure your agents are ready to "Turn 2" by capturing a Christmas order as well. Thanksgiving is the perfect time to pull out one of our favorite sales tools! It's easy and best of all, effective because it offers real value for customers while crossing one extra item off their holiday "to do" list. Watch this brief video (it's less than a minute) to refresh yourself and your staff.

If you have any questions or need any assistance in training your staff on the "Turn 2" technique, your friends at Bloomerang Solutions are here to help you! Give us a call at (941) 806-1911 or drop us a line below. We look forward to hearing from you and helping you "Turn 2" this holiday season!

Customer Service: How to Exceed the Expectations of Every Single Customer

Can you remember the last time a business went out of their way to make you feel appreciated – or conversely – left you disappointed because they failed to meet your expectations? Most people can probably recall being in both of those situations because we only remember two kinds of service – exceptional and terrible.

You definitely don’t want to be terrible, but if you’re not striving for exceptional then you’re settling for mediocre. Is that what you want to be known for? If not, then it is up to you to change the perception of your business and it begins with customer service.

Today’s consumers expect more than ever before. They’re smarter, have more choices, and demand better experiences than they may have tolerated in the past. With so many options available at the touch of a button, consumers don’t hesitate to seek something new if their satisfaction isn’t met.

This isn’t necessarily bad news for retailers, but it does require some work and a renewed focus on customer service. Relying on reputation alone is not enough anymore, and low prices are great for getting customers in the door, but it won’t bring them back if the service and experience fail to meet expectations.

One thing we can control is customer service

The goal of exceptional customer service is to answer every question with a positive option. The word “NO” must be removed from the conversation and instead replaced with options. Let the consumer decide where to draw the line by choosing how far they are willing to go to get their need fulfilled instead of being told it is impossible under any circumstances.

For example, my flower shop – Beneva Flowers in Sarasota, Florida, delivered 24 hours a day. Obviously we didn’t have our drivers out driving around town all night making deliveries in the dark, but if someone wanted flowers delivered at midnight for whatever reason and were willing to pay the additional fee of $100 on top of the regular delivery fee to get the job done – I was certainly going to make sure his flowers were delivered at midnight – even if I had to get in the truck and deliver them myself.

That never happened though. I always offered to let the drivers keep half of that delivery fee and they would jump at the chance to make a quick $50 for 15 minutes or so of extra work. But that wasn’t the best part. The best part was that the customer who was so desperate to get the flowers delivered was always ecstatic because they were able to find a flower shop that honor such a request to deliver that late. Mediocre businesses would simply say “no” to such a request because it goes against some kind of policy they have. Instead of looking for excuses not to do something, look for a new opportunity!

Take the time to listen with the mindset of making it right with a “YES WE CAN” attitude. If the customer takes the time to voice an opinion, we should take the time to listen and do everything we can to exceed their expectations. That’s what great customer service is all about! If you need help with your customer service, please give me a call. I can help you! (941) 809-5000.

Customer Service: It's Your Responsibility to be a Problem Solver

When I owned Beneva Flowers I relied on surveys to ensure that our customers were happy with the experience and service they received from Beneva. How else would I ever know? I recently had a client of mine wonder why they were not converting so I set out on a little mission to see for myself what their service was like from a customer's point of view.

I called the shop (with the owner on the line) and tried to get some flowers sent that afternoon. While her employee knew better, she still said no to my request and told me she couldn't take my order because the last deliveries had already gone out.

That was it, there was nothing they could do for a customer who may have been willing to go to great lengths or spare any expense to get the flowers delivered. None of that mattered to the employee, it was a firm "no" - end of discussion.

When the shop owner heard this, I didn't even need to explain why they weren't converting, the owner picked up on the problem right away.

Yes We Can

Being a Yes We Can florist is a commitment of attitude. This is the difference between you and your competitor; it's assuring the best experience possible for every customer and finding a way to make it happen.

Another way to look at it is a problem-solving technique. The customer has a problem - he needed flowers delivered that day - and it's up to the shop to decide if they want to help that customer fix their problem, or tell them "sorry" and give them the number of their competitor. What if the customer was willing to pay an extra $20 to take the order and make the delivery? What if it was an extra $50...or $100? Unfortunately, that shop will never know because they didn't even offer an alternative, just a flat-out "no."

A Yes We Can florist would have handled the situation differently. ​At Beneva, when we were faced with an afternoon delivery request, we did the following...

1. Asked who we were speaking with. Now you can quickly check to see if they are a long time customer or CEO of a large company.

2. We always asked if they had something in mind. If not, it's okay to ask, "Is there a price range you are comfortable with?" Now, they may say a number when at that moment you can say...

3. "If you can work with what I have just made for our cooler designs, we could expedite your order AND HAVE IT DELIVERED BY (the requested time)." Repeating that the order will be able to be delivered by the time requested. You may think they assume that but just say it anyway because it reiterates what point and also closes with that they want to hear - that Yes You Can accomplish their request.

4. Remember to always suggest the add-on. I would recommend, "Would you like a box of Godiva chocolates or a birthday/anniversary/get well soon balloon so everyone will know the special occasion and meaning of the day for the recipient?"

By explaining it, you speak to the best results and the purpose. Never assume they are thinking of the balloons and the message it announces. When people see "Happy Birthday," everyone passing by shares good wishes - it's like magic!

Here is a video of an actual call that we used as a training guide at Beneva so you can get a better idea of the technique:

The only issue I would have is that she mentions it would not be a problem. That makes me cringe a bit because I feel that calling to place an order should never be a problem of any sort. Once she saw the camera she used the postcard to reference the conversation.

You see, there are so many little things our agent did well (as did all our staff) and that's what made us "just that much better." She closes with important information as she announces it and reassures the customer that, "We will take very good care of this for you."

Lost Order Log

Having employees keep a "lost order log" ensures you will know about any order you don't close and why you couldn't close it. It's important to ensure that no one gets in trouble if this is used, but they know if they don't log it there could be an issue. I can't imagine running a shop without it, here is the one we used - I think it will help you tremendously if you don't already utilize something similar.

The last quarter is about to begin. I recommend everyone review this in your morning meetings and keep it near the phones. A smile has a voice, SCREAM!!!

Have a great week!

-Art

If you would like help on employee training or are looking for new customer service techniques, Bloomerang Solutions is here to help! From digital solutions to in-store sales and marketing assistance, Bloomerang is your friend in the floral business! Give us a call at 941-806-1911 or drop us a line below and let us know how we can help your business bloom!