Talk is Cheap! We Say "Shop Small" But How Do We MAKE IT HAPPEN?

Every holiday season you see messages saying "Shop Small" or "Shop Local, Shop Small" or other gimmicks like this to encourage consumers to shop in their own communities at local businesses. You might even see routine social media posts about shopping small that are a copy and paste from last year but what are three secret hooks to get customers to shop at YOUR business this holiday season? Hint, see below...

Top Secret Hooks to Get Customers to Shop Small with YOU

Like many consumers out there, we are often left thinking every holiday season "Huh, what on earth could I possibly get for my family's gift exchange or my quirky Aunt Leticia?"

Small business owners, this is your chance to reach consumers in this pickle by doing the obvious, right? Wrong!

The obvious is what every other business owner out there does, produce or offer a bunch of holiday schwag that you'll just have to discount after the holidays. Instead, try these three approaches to boost sales that will set you apart from other small businesses out there.

Three Ways for Diverse Founders to Boost Holiday Sales

• Have a Black-Owned, Women-Owned, Hispanic-Owned, Veteran-Owned or LGBTQIA-Owned business? You get the picture. If so, include this on your website, marketing materials, and weave this messaging into your social media posts. Consumers actively seek out businesses to support. Amplifying this ownership can mean the difference between a sale going to you or your competitor.

• Develop Partnerships and Reach Out to Your Community: Tap into local organizations where your customers shop and develop a partnership with a business that sells complementary services or products to offer a deal for both shops - that's good for consumers and boosts sales for multiple businesses. Let's share a specific example. If I am Carmen Favela, owner of the woman-owned and operated Mujeres Brew House in Barrio Logan San Diego, I might consider reaching out to the owner of Bread & Salt, a local art gallery just a one-minute walk from the brewery, to see if they might be open to a partnership by offering 10% off a beer with the purchase of a tote bag. Or perhaps the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library nearby might be open to collaborating on an "Art and Brews" night or might be open to running a contest to develop the artwork for a new beer I'm bringing to market. Once the creative juices (or brews) start flowing, you can start exploring numerous partnership opportunities in your own community.

• Customers Love to Give Back: Especially during the holidays. Is there an opportunity for you to designate one or two items that you are looking to increase sales volume on and offer to donate a portion of that sales revenue to a local non-profit or charity? If so, do it and shout it from the rooftops with outreach on social media and banners and signage on your e-commerce site and in store. Reach out to your community and the non-profit you are donating the proceeds to and engage their network to amplify the messaging collectively. For example, for every pair of socks sold, Bombas gives away one free pair of socks to someone in need and they broadcast it on their website.

PRO TIP: Need help boosting sales or developing a marketing strategy for the holidays and beyond? We GOT you! We are experts in this space, so email us today at info@founderfuego.com