While there will still be hoards of people lining up as early as 3 a.m. to take advantage of the deep discounts on Black Friday, there’s a growing population that prefers keeping their dollars right in the communities they live and work in. Sandwiched right in between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Small Business Saturday is the perfect opportunity to support small businesses.

This year marks the 2nd annual event created by American Express as a way to get consumers out to local mom and pop shops with the mantra to “shop small” by making just one purchase. “Last year, independent merchants who accept American Express saw an average boost in sales of 28% on Small Business Saturday,” said Mary Ann Fitzmaurice Reilly, senior vice president at American Express OPEN. “Shoppers sent a clear message that shopping local is an important part of the holiday season and small businesses are rewarding that loyalty with what their customers care about most–superior service, unique selection and some great deals.”

On Facebook’s small business page, consumers “pledge to shop small” this year (over 2.2 million users have already!) and retailers can receive free marketing assistance, email templates to send to customers and signage to promote the event. Even politicians are starting to get involved locally with the special day; More than 50 elected officials in 30 states around the country have signed proclamations endorsing Small Business Saturday in their communities.

So what can you expect from Small Business Saturday?

• Fed Ex is giving away 40,000 $25 American Express Cards; 30,000 of them will be given away to those who registered on their Facebook page with the remaining 10,000 to be given away to FedEx customers.

 

• American Express Cardholders who register their card at the company’s website AND spend $25 at qualifying “local” merchants on Small Business Saturday, will receive $25 off their next statement.  (Basically, you shop at participating shops and you get $25 FREE!)

 

• Small business retailers will create their own unique offers or shopping experiences.  Here are some examples of different types of businesses and how they plan to use the day to promote their business:

 

• Suburban based Carousel, located 17 miles east of Seattle, Wash., has already stocked their shelves with items from local artisans and wholesalers.  Family owned for over 22 years, the greeting card and home accent retailer wholeheartedly believes in Small Business Saturday and has sent out email marketing to its loyal customer base, have signs ready to go in the windows and will be featuring complimentary speciality beverages to its customers on Saturday.  ”Buying what we can locally,  we develop relationships locally, more tax dollars go to schools and roads in our community and more of our dollars stay in our community,” said co-owner Alyssa Gibson. “Aside from the above, I think Small Business Saturday is crucial in today’s economy as there are so many options available online…we are competitive in our pricing and always honor prices should our customer find a particular item elsewhere for less.”

 

• Online ticket retailer We Know Tickets is offering 5% off on Small Business Saturday for those who purchase online that day using the code WEKNOWTICKETS.  Owner Frankie Curiale from Wheaton, Ill., is utilizing the company’s Facebook page to promote the special discount.

Are you participating in Small Business Saturday? What’s your favorite local shop?