Resources for Small Businesses
Read through media strategy ideas, tips and tricks, then scroll down to see free, downloadable & printable materials to use for promoting your own business!
Promote Your Services
Any kind of small business can benefit from Small Business Saturday – think creatively about what services, items, coupons, or deals you could offer your client base this holiday season!
If you have a preset list of options that might work well for your clients as holiday gifts, make sure to share them with your network on social media, your website, or even with printed, in-person materials like flyers, banners, or by word of mouth.
Host an Event
Getting your client base to come to visit your storefront, shop, or even your website is a great opportunity to build your brand awareness and maybe even make some on-the-spot sales!
Holiday events are a great option to get people in your doors – host a meal-based event, a holiday appreciation happy hour, an exclusive preview of a new product or service, or a good-old-fashioned open house to welcome people into your business. Consider the virtual option of hosting a Zoom meeting or live-streamed event to reach an audience that may not be able to travel or visit in person.
Be sure that for any event, you have a big goal you’d like to reach – do you want people to buy products? Refer a friend? Book an appointment? Like or follow your social media? Once you’ve chosen a goal (or even two), think about how your event can make it happen.
Spread the Word
Be sure to spread the word about your business across multiple platforms that fit your client base! Your customers are looking for a small business to support, but they are also looking for that perfect gift or service for their loved ones. Help them find you and your business by showing up on Instagram, Google, Facebook, Twitter, Event Calendars, Linkedin, or even on a printed flyer or poster.
Social Media Marketing:
Use those platforms you already have to promote your services, products, or holiday promotions. You can post images of your products, your business backstory, photos of your employees in action, or use some of the pre-made materials below!
Be sure to use the hashtag #ShopSmallDelaware in the comment of your post or in your caption. This allows everyone to see your posts that are part of the Shop Small holiday. You can also tag @de-sbdc on Instagram, tag our Facebook page, or use #ShopSmallDE #DEShopSmall #DEShopSmall2022
Search Engine Optimization:
Post a blog post about your Shop Small activities, share a short story in the news section of your website, or update your website with holiday shopping information.
The more times you say “Shop Small” or “Small Business Saturday” or “Delaware Small Business” on your site, the more likely Google or other search engines will find your material to show potential customers. Make it up to the top of the search results by optimizing your website!
Print Materials / Traditional Marketing:
Traditional print materials will NEVER go out of style – hang up a flyer, poster, or sign near your business to get people’s attention and bring them into your business!
Delaware Small Business Development Center
Helping Delaware Businesses Grow & Succeed!
Small Business Administration (SBA)
SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY PROMOTIONAL RESOURCES
Please browse the digital download materials below and click the image or the download icon to save the full-size versions. Please read over suggested uses for these materials, but feel free to get creative and use what works for your business!
FLYER – 8.5×11″
Print and hang outside your business on a window/door/wall so that people know you are a small business when passing by your storefront
FLYER – 8.5×11″
Print and hang anywhere at your business – this printer-friendly version has less blue ink and can also be printed in black and white
FLYER – 8.5×11″
Print and hang near your cash register or by a good photo-friendly spot in the store – with room to write or add your own text, fill this in with your business info
Blue Shop Small Logo
Use this logo on a website, on social media, or while creating your own print materials.
Shop Small Graphic
Use this graphic on social media on its own, or coupled with some photos of your business!
Shop Small DE Logo
Use this material however you see fit – make a flyer or print material of your own!
Shop Small Pledge Graphic
Use this material on social media or as a print-out to have in your store!
Instagram / Facebook Story Templates
Use this set of stories on Instagram or Facebook, and feel free to add your own business information! Instagram and Facebook both offer story add-ons like links, locations, account stage, and gifs or stickers. See what works best for your business!
