10 great ways to shine during National Small Business Week

Small business is big business. More than half of all Americans do, too (*10*)run or work in a small business, and two out of three recent jobs in America are in small businesses. National Small Business Week is an annual event that one too few businesses benefit from.

Despite all the issues Americans disagree on, everyone supports small businesses: According to the Pew Research Center, 86% of Americans have favorable opinion about small businesses in February (up from 80% in October 2022).

With tremendous government support and the goodwill of virtually every American, it’s best to benefit from National Small Business Week.

What to do

National Small Business Week is a great opportunity to remind customers, potential customers and your community that you just are in business, that you just are an necessary a part of the American economy and that you just are an necessary a part of the community. With a few basic steps, you possibly can leverage your community’s predispositions to favor you. If you do it right, you may put a few extra dollars in your pocket. You will strengthen bonds with current customers and establish contact with potential customers.

As you intend, keep these six basic goals in mind.

1. Create awareness. Do something that tells everyone that you just are a small business in the community.
2. Thank your customers. Do something that shows your customers that you just appreciate their business.
3. Tell your story. Explain who you are, what you do and the way you connect with your customers and community.
4. Join forces with other small businesses. Showing the community the slogan “we are all together” evokes positive emotions and keeps buyers and customers in the area. This strategy is ideal when what you are promoting complements one other (for example, a house painting company and a landscaper, or a dog walker and a veterinary clinic).
5. Network. Building relationships with others will get you noticed and attract customers to your store, phone and website.
6. Do business with other small businesses. As often as possible, do business with someone whose business will grow as much as yours.

10 specific stuff you need to do to shine during National Small Business Week

But what must you do? Here are some suggestions, but don’t limit yourself to these. The more creative you are, the more successful you have to be.

1. Send an email to customers letting them know you make a big deal during National Small Business Week. Just tell your email list that you just’re participating and what you are doing. Consider an email marketing platform if you have not already. Many people start with a free trial; this email is a great opportunity to test them out. (And if you do not have an email list: create one!)
2. Make a local promotion. Remind those who your organization is a part of their community. What you do will depend on what you are promoting, but some ideas may include discounts, buy one get one free, a free sample or trial service, or a business gift during the week. Post it by email, put a sign in your window, or purchase an ad in your local newspaper or community website. Then check how well it really works by comparing sales or website codes. A document management system (DMS) helps with tracking by scanning all receipts and invoices and assigning them to this promotion.
3. Free local media. Talk to your local media about doing a story for National Small Business Week and mention that you just’re participating. They may mention you in their story or even walk away from your event location if you have a brick-and-mortar location. Most local radio and television stations have a hotline or news hotline on their website. Local web sites often want stories.
4. Paid local media. Use local newspaper ads, flyers, posters and billboards, or targeted digital ads.
5. Education. Find a way to share your knowledge with potential and current customers. If you run a landscaping business, organize classes on plant selection. If you are a web designer, host a class on establishing a business website. Promote it in your email or any other way mentioned above.
6. Be social. Mention your participation on your Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, Pinterest or YouTube (if you have a channel). Tell us about yourself and why you run what you are promoting. Be handsome. Ask viewers to share a National Small Business Week post or video. Or create a hashtag they will use to get creative.
7. Special hours. Stay open throughout the week and perhaps even expand your hours.
8. Party. Take your clients where you possibly can have fun with them and not (necessarily) talk business.
9. Branded items. T-shirt, button, hat. You can wear it. Your employees can wear it. Your customers can wear it. Your name, your website and “National Small Business Week ’24”.
10. To achieve. A fast call or email letting them know that National Small Business Week has reminded you the way much you appreciate their business.

5 specific things NOT to do during National Small Business Week (or otherwise)

The old saying that “there is no such thing as bad advertising” is not 100% true.

1. Don’t be political. Unless you are a local affiliate of a political party, neutrality is best.
2. Do not lie. If you said you’ll give 25% off, give 25% off.
3. Don’t get upset. Send one or two emails, not 20.
4. Don’t interfere. Your probabilities of making a sale or even making a connection drop dramatically when you get in someone’s way.
5. Do not insult. It’s rare to offend someone and still get them to do business with you.

Don’t forget to join and succeed

Register and participate in National Small Business Week Virtual Summit. The U.S. Small Business Administration and SCORE offer educational webinars, exhibit booths, free business resources, peer-to-peer networking rooms, and business advice from SCORE mentors online freed from charge. All you wish to do is register.

This 12 months’s National Small Business Week is exactly as many people say the economy is growing, with falling inflation, stronger-than-expected GDP growth and the expected retention of the labor force. This is a great opportunity to ride the wave and generate more revenue. Do not miss it!