How Any Business Can Make the Most of Small Business Saturday

Why it matters:

• Small Business Saturday was created in 2010 to emphasize the importance of supporting small businesses — both during the holidays and throughout the year.
• Since it was founded, Americans have spent over $200 billion at small businesses on Small Business Saturday.
• Small Business Saturday has become an important tool for small businesses to introduce themselves to new customers and connect with existing ones.

Small businesses across the country will be inviting their communities to shop and spend with them on November 30 as part of the 15^th annual Small Business Saturday event.

American Express, which founded Small Business Saturday in 2010 as a way to help small businesses devastated by the financial crisis of 2008, is marking the 15^th anniversary with a new advertising campaign, new resources for business owners, and a pledge to support businesses hit by the disastrous hurricanes Helene and Milton.

Consumers have spent $201 billion on Small Business Saturday

Since 2010, consumers have spent an estimated $201 billion at small businesses on Small Business Saturday.

The event every year falls on the day after Black Friday, to remind shoppers of the importance of supporting local businesses in the midst of the peak holiday spending season.

This year, American Express is going to celebrate the milestone year with a special event in Charleston, South Carolina as part of its focus on supporting businesses in the southeast as they recover from the hurricanes.

It is hosting a “Celebrating Small Business Saturday” concert with singer/songwriter Noah Kahan, and hosting a pop-up market in Charleston featuring local small businesses, food trucks, and interactive experiences.

[Read: 5 Consumer Insights That Will Help You Connect With Customers On Small Business Saturday and During The Holiday Season]

Tapping commerce to contribute hurricane relief to SMBs

American Express also is pledging to donate $1 for every purchase made using its credit cards at qualifying U.S. SMBs on Small Business Saturday to hurricane relief efforts for affected small businesses.

American Express in October pledged $5 million in Small Business Hurricane recovery grants, in collaboration with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. Money raised through the Small Business Saturday pledge will fund additional grants.

[Read: 5 Big Business Strategies That Can Help You Win on Small Business Saturday]

Expanded small business resources

American Express has added new resources for small businesses to help them plan for Small Business Saturday, and also promote their business throughout the holiday season and beyond.

American Express has expanded its year-round support tool, the Shop Small Resource Hub, by launching a dedicated page with a variety of educational and marketing resources specifically for Small Business Saturday.

Those include the Business Savings Suite, which provides savings on a range of business solutions all year long. For this holiday season, it will feature offers for marketing tools from Constant Contact, MNTN, and Web.com.

Business owners and small business card members also can visit Business Class, the Amex platform with free educational resources and content like the Shop Small Academy.

They also have access Shop Small Stories, in which 15 business owners share their stories of the impact Small Business Saturday has had on their businesses and their communities.

As it has in the past, American Express this year provided “I Shopped Small” stickers for customers of participating Small Businesses as well as “Shop Small” signage for stores and websites.

U.S. consumers can find American-Express-accepting independent retailers across the nation through the Shop Small Map. Eligible small business can visit this link to ensure their listing on the Shop Small Map is active and accurate.

CO— aims to bring you inspiration from leading respected experts. However, before making any business decision, you should consult a professional who can advise you based on your individual situation.

CO—is committed to helping you start, run and grow your small business. Learn more about the benefits of small business membership in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, here.