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Small Business Saturday Marketing Ideas: A 4-Week Plan to Nov 28

November 28 is the one shopping day built for businesses like yours. Here's a week-by-week plan to make the most of it.

6 min read

What are good Small Business Saturday marketing ideas? Five moves cover most of it:

• Update your Google profile and website with your hours and offer.
• Announce one simple reason to visit: a gift with purchase, a bundle or an early-bird hour.
• Team up with nearby businesses.
• Post every few days in the run-up.
• Collect emails on the day, so you can bring people back in December.

Start four weeks out, on November 1, for Small Business Saturday on November 28, 2026.

Black Friday belongs to the big stores.

Small Business Saturday belongs to you.

It falls on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, November 28, 2026 this year, and it exists for one reason: to get people to shop at local, independent businesses.

But here's what usually happens.

Most owners remember it the week before.

They make one Facebook post on Friday night.

They hope.

Four weeks is enough time to do it properly. And most of the work takes less than an hour a week.

Here's the plan, week by week.

Week 1 (Nov 1–7): Get found

Before you promote anything, make sure people can find you and see you're ready.

1. Update your Google Business Profile

• Add your Small Business Saturday hours as special hours.
• Post an update about your plans.
• Add a few fresh photos.

People search "open now" and "near me" on the day. Your profile is often what they see first. (Full Google Business Profile checklist here.)

2. Put the date on your website

Add a short banner or section: the date, your hours and what's special.

Your website should answer "what's happening and when?" in five seconds.

3. Decide your one offer

Pick one simple reason to visit. Ideas:

• Gift with purchase over a set amount
• A bundle ("coffee + pastry + bag of beans")
• An early-bird hour with a small bonus for the first 20 customers
• A free add-on (gift wrapping, a mini service, a sample)
• Double loyalty points for the day

One clear offer beats five small ones. People remember one thing.

4. Ask for reviews now

Reviews collected this week will be on your profile when holiday shoppers start looking. Here's a simple system for getting more Google reviews.

5. Check the free Shop Small resources

American Express, which started Small Business Saturday, has offered free Shop Small marketing materials for businesses, such as signs and social graphics. Check their site for this year's options.

Week 2 (Nov 8–14): Team up

Small businesses get more attention together than alone.

6. Partner with your neighbors

Talk to two or three nearby businesses that serve the same customers but don't compete with you:

• A café + a bookshop + a florist
• A salon + a boutique + a nail studio
• A bakery + a butcher + a wine shop

7. Create a simple "shop the block" offer

Customers who visit all partner shops get a small extra. Stamp cards work perfectly.

8. Cross-promote

Each business shares the others on social media and in store. You instantly reach your partners' customers too.

9. Contact your local press and groups

Local news sites, neighborhood Facebook groups and community newsletters often run Small Business Saturday roundups. Send a short email with your offer, the date and a good photo.

Week 3 (Nov 15–21): Build the buzz

10. Post every two or three days

You don't need daily posts. You need a steady drumbeat:

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• Behind the scenes: preparing stock, wrapping gifts, decorating.
• Meet the team: a photo and one line about each person.
• Product spotlights: the three things you expect to sell most.
• The offer: announced clearly, with the date.

What to post is covered in Instagram for local businesses.

11. Email or text your customer list

If you have one, use it. Your past customers are the most likely to come back.

Keep it short: the date, the offer, your hours, a photo.

12. Make it easy to plan ahead

Let people reserve, pre-order or book ahead. A "reserve yours now" link turns a maybe into a visit.

13. Prepare your gift ideas list

"Gifts under $25," "for the person who has everything," "for the home cook." Shoppers love being told what to buy.

Week 4 (Nov 22–28): The final push

14. Remind everyone on Thanksgiving week

Post on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Email once on Wednesday or Friday.

15. Prepare your shop

• Signs in the window and at the counter.
• Enough stock of your bestsellers.
• Extra hands if you expect a rush.
• A clear way to pay quickly.

16. On the day: post live

Short videos and photos of the crowd, the products, the team. People join in when they see others there.

17. Collect contacts

Offer a small reason to sign up for your list: a December discount, an entry into a gift draw. Every email collected is a customer you can bring back.

After the day: keep them coming back

The day isn't the goal. Repeat customers are.

18. Thank people publicly

A thank-you post on Sunday, with photos (ask permission first).

19. Follow up with a December offer

Email everyone who signed up within a week. Give them a reason to return before the holidays.

20. Ask for reviews again

Happy Saturday shoppers are perfect review candidates. Ask within a few days while it's fresh.

More ideas for turning first visits into regulars: how to get repeat customers.

Small Business Saturday isn't one day of sales. It's one day of new customers you can keep.

Your one-page checklist