Small Business Saturday Email Marketing Guide [2024]

Small Business Saturday is more than just a shopping day—it’s a chance for small businesses to connect with their communities, in-store or online.

Imagine your website buzzing with new visitors, locals discovering what makes your products special, and familiar faces returning to support your brand. It sounds ideal, right? But how can you make this happen without spending a fortune on ads?

With the right email marketing campaign, you can reach new customers, share your story, and highlight special offers. In this guide, we’ll walk you through simple steps to create an effective Small Business Saturday email marketing strategy to keep your business front and center during the busiest time of the year.

Why Small Business Saturday Matters

Small Business Saturday, launched by American Express in 2010, has become an essential part of the holiday shopping season, encouraging consumers to support local businesses.

Not only that but it helps strengthen the local economy by keeping money within the community and supporting local jobs and services. It also gives small businesses a chance to stand out by offering personalized service and unique products that larger retailers can’t match.

Lastly, this initiative boosts conscious consumerism, allowing shoppers to make thoughtful choices that support local, family-owned businesses.

Here are some statistics that show the importance of Small Business Saturday:

• 99.7% of U.S. businesses are small businesses.
• 64% of new jobs in the U.S. between 1993 and 2011 were created by small businesses.
• Small businesses donate 250% more to non-profits and community causes than larger corporations.
• 4-in-10 Americans celebrate Small Business Saturday, showing its growing popularity as a significant shopping day.

Who Can Participate in Small Business Saturday?

The event is open to a wide range of businesses and organizations, making it a great opportunity for both small brands and larger companies to get involved and support the movement.

What small brands can do:

• Run special discounts or limited-time deals to attract shoppers.
• Share their business’s unique story and personal connection with customers through emails or social media.
• Collaborate with nearby businesses for joint promotions or cross-marketing to boost reach.

What bigger brands can do:

• Feature local vendors or small suppliers in their marketing to encourage customers to shop small.
• If you have stores, organize pop-up events for small businesses to showcase their products.
• Provide special deals on items from small businesses in your product lineup.

Small Business Saturday Email Marketing Campaigns to Send

Email marketing for small businesses is a powerful tool to reach and engage your audience. Unlike social ads, it’s cost-effective and helps you build strong relationships with your customers over time.

 

 

Below, let’s discover some email campaigns you can use to engage customers at every stage of Small Business Saturday, from building anticipation and driving sales to nurturing relationships afterward.

Pre-Small Business Saturday

Focus on building hype for the upcoming holiday.

• Coupons: Send early-bird coupons or special discount codes to build excitement and encourage customers to plan their purchases.
• Brand stories: Share the story behind your business, highlighting your journey, local roots, and what makes your products unique. This helps establish connections with your audience before the big day.
• Business profiles: Introduce your team or feature key products with a short story, giving a behind-the-scenes look at what makes your brand special.

On Small Business Saturday

Here are some great campaigns to prompt immediate action or support a cause.

• Special and limited-time deals: Offer exclusive Small Business Saturday deals with a sense of urgency to drive immediate action.
• Testimonials: Include testimonials from loyal customers who love your products. Positive reviews can provide the social proof needed to encourage new shoppers to make a purchase.
• Local charity support: Highlight any local causes or charities you’re supporting as part of the day’s sales. For example, “A portion of today’s sales will be donated to [Local Charity],” encouraging customers to shop with purpose.

Post-Small Business Saturday

You can nurture long-term relationships with your potential customers through valuable content and thank-you messages.

• Thank-you coupons: Send a thank-you email with a follow-up discount code, such as “Thank you for shopping with us! Here’s 10% off your next purchase.” This keeps customers engaged and encourages repeat visits.
• Helpful resources: Cyber Monday and Christmas are coming up, so don’t miss the chance to keep the momentum going with emails featuring exclusive deals, early access, and holiday shopping guides.
• Spotlight local charity impact: Share the results of any charitable contributions made from Small Business Saturday sales, showing customers the tangible impact of their support. This can deepen their loyalty and sense of community connection.

Important: Don’t forget to set up cart abandonment emails. These emails help recover lost sales by reminding customers about the items they left in their cart and encouraging them to complete their purchases. A limited-time discount or free shipping offer can be a great way to motivate them to finalize their order.

Email Marketing Best Practices for Small Business Saturday

Now, let’s see some tactics to successfully target Small Business Saturday through email.

1. Plan your campaigns early

Planning early is key to ensure your email campaign doesn’t get lost in the Black Friday and Cyber Monday clutter.

By sending teaser emails 1-2 weeks in advance, you can build excitement and anticipation, ensuring your customers are ready to shop when the day arrives.

Here’s how to effectively do that:

• Create teaser emails: Send an initial “Save the Date” email introducing Small Business Saturday and hinting at upcoming deals or exclusive offers. This helps to put the event on your customers’ radar early and gets them excited about what’s to come.
• Build curiosity: Gradually reveal more information in follow-up emails. You don’t need to give everything away in your first email. Instead, share sneak peeks of your best deals or showcase a few exclusive products.
• Add countdown timers: Incorporate a countdown in your email design that shows how many days are left until Small Business Saturday. This visual cue creates urgency and reminds customers to mark their calendars.
• Show the benefits: Mention that by shopping on Small Business Saturday, customers are not only getting great deals but also supporting local businesses, making a real impact on their community.

To stay organized, add a dedicated section to your email calendar outlining the campaigns you plan to send. This helps you track each email and ensures you’re not overwhelming your audience with too many messages.

Create your email calendar

By starting your Small Business Saturday email campaign early, you’ll stay top-of-mind with your customers, build anticipation, and ensure that your promotions are well-received when Small Business Saturday finally arrives.

2. Create compelling email subject lines

Your subject line is the first impression customers get from your email. For Small Business Saturday, focus on emphasizing the unique value of shopping small and create a sense of urgency.

Let’s see some tips you should use:

Highlight local small business support: Remind your audience about the importance of supporting small businesses, helping them feel like they’re making a difference in their local community.

• Shop Small, Make a Big Impact This Saturday!
• Support Local! Exclusive Small Business Saturday Deals Await

Create a sense of urgency: Encourage customers to act quickly by using urgent language.

• Today Only: Small Business Saturday Savings You Can’t Miss!
• One Day Only! Grab These Small Business Saturday Specials

Focus on the shopping experience: Highlight the personal and unique aspects of shopping with your business, which customers won’t find with big-box retailers.

• Handcrafted & Local: Small Business Saturday Finds Just for You
• Personalized Gifts, Local Love – Small Business Saturday is Here!

Promote special offers and perks: Use your subject line to communicate the value of your deals or promotions. Shoppers love knowing they’re getting something special.

• Enjoy 20% Off for Small Business Saturday!”
• Free Gift with Purchase? Only on Small Business Saturday!

Incorporate fun elements: Since this event falls during the holiday season, add a festive touch to your subject lines to align with the excitement of the time.

• Tis the Season to Shop Small! Special Deals Inside 🎁
• Celebrate Small Business Saturday with Us – Holiday Deals Await!

A compelling subject line will help you stand out in the Black Friday and Cyber Monday clutter and give you better open rates, engagement, and conversions.

Further reading: For more, check out our subject line best practices post.

3. Highlight your brand story

Sharing your personal story through your email copy is an easy and powerful way to connect with your customers during Small Business Saturday. This event is all about community support, and customers are more likely to engage with businesses that they feel a personal connection to.

• Tell your origin story: Share how your business started and your passion behind it, making customers feel like they’re supporting a real person.
• Showcase your roots: Emphasize your ties to the community and how you contribute locally, making customers feel they’re supporting their neighbors.
• Focus on your values: Highlight values like sustainability or craftsmanship that guide your business, attracting like-minded customers.
• Share customer stories: Include testimonials from loyal customers to build trust and show what makes your business unique.

Now, let’s see an example from BIKO.

Subject line: About our small business

Here’s what makes this Small Business Saturday email marketing campaign work:

• Introduces the founder, adding a personal touch and building a connection with the brand.
• Shares the founder’s design inspiration and personal stories, making the brand more relatable.
• Highlights the brand’s focus on self-expression and unique identity.
• Emphasizes locally handcrafted products, appealing to those who value community support.
• Uses high-quality images to create a professional, engaging visual experience.
• The closing line, “We share a part of our story with you in the hopes that it becomes a meaningful part of yours,” fosters an emotional connection.

Overall, BIKO’s email newsletter campaign effectively engages customers by using email storytelling, beautiful images, and emotional language.

4. Offer exclusive deals and discounts

Small Business Saturday is the perfect opportunity to entice customers with deals they can’t find any other time of the year.

By offering exclusive promotions, you create a sense of urgency and scarcity that encourages immediate action and makes customers feel like they’re getting something truly special.

If you don’t want to run an exclusive promotion, opt for the good old storewide sale like Silk & Willow:

This Small Business Saturday email marketing example works well because it combines a discount with a warm, genuine message.

The 15% off offer with a clear promo code encourages customers to take advantage of the deal right away. The personal thank-you note also adds a heartfelt touch, making customers feel valued and appreciated for supporting a small, family-owned business.

5. Choose a great design for your email

For small businesses, the design of your Small Business Saturday email can make a big difference in how customers perceive your brand and interact with your content.

The first thing to do is avoid using the same template you used for Black Friday. Create a fresh design that highlights the essence of your brand and celebrates the spirit of shopping small.

This helps your email feel more personal and less like a Black Friday promotion. Here’s a great email template you can customize for Small Business Saturday:

Customize it

Now, let’s see some important email design tips you can use:

• Feature brand colors: Stick to a color palette that reflects your brand identity, whether it’s warm and earthy tones or bright and bold.
• Use white space: If you have a lot of information to share—like your story, exclusive deals, and product highlights—use white space generously. It keeps the email clean, making it easier for readers to focus on key messages without feeling overwhelmed.
• Add your call-to-action (CTA): Use buttons with bold colors and clear text to guide readers toward action.
• Use “small business” elements: Consider using photos of your team, a behind-the-scenes snapshot, or visuals that give a sense of place or community.
• Make it mobile-friendly: Many customers will check their emails on mobile devices, so ensure your design adjusts well to smaller screens. Keep text large enough to read easily, use images that scale down smoothly, and ensure buttons are thumb-friendly.

By creating a clean, brand-focused design that feels fresh and authentic, you can make your Small Business Saturday email marketing campaigns more inviting and effective.

6. Include clear CTAs

Speaking of CTAs, they should be action-driven and easy to spot, guiding customers toward taking the next step, whether it’s making a purchase, visiting your store, or exploring your website.

Place your CTAs prominently within the email—above the fold for quick access and at the end of longer sections for a gentle nudge after reading through your content.

Make sure the text is direct, using active words that convey urgency or exclusivity, encouraging old and new customers to act right away.

The design of your CTA is just as important as the words themselves. Opt for bold colors that stand out against your email’s background, making it easy for customers to click.

White backgrounds work great for any CTA color, making them stand out. However, if using a colored background, pick a contrasting hue to keep it visible.

Here’s a great example from Patagonia using a classic black-and-white combination:

If you have multiple sections or different offers, ensure that each has a dedicated CTA to keep the flow smooth and the reader focused.

Here are some more examples you can use:

• Support local today
• Shop the sale
• Explore [brand]
• Shop [product] that give(s) back
• Save on Special
• Shop our small business
• Get X% off
• Shop now
• Small but mighty
• Shop small today!

7. Leverage email automation

Did you know that automation can make your life easier when it comes to Small Business Saturday emails? After Black Friday, you’ve got a ton of useful data about what worked and what didn’t. Why not use that to your advantage?

Automation lets you set up more targeted follow-up emails more easily. For example, you can automatically send a thank-you email to Black Friday shoppers, offering them a little incentive to come back for Small Business Saturday. It’s like saying, “Hey, thanks for shopping with us—here’s a special deal just for you!”

Also, if certain products were flying off the shelves, highlight those in your Small Business Saturday emails. If a discount strategy worked, why not try a similar one? Automation makes it easy to send personalized emails based on what your customers showed interest in, so you can keep the momentum going without lifting a finger.

You can set up your sequences and take advantage of customer data with email automation software like Moosend. The tool offers a visual workflow builder and premade recipes to save time and effort during a very busy time.

Set up your automation

Additional resources

• Email Automation Examples To Boost Sales
• Ecommerce Email Marketing Automation: Flows & Tools

8. Follow-up after the event

Sending a follow-up after Small Business Saturday, like a thank-you email or additional offers, allows you to engage and nurture your audience.

Start by expressing genuine gratitude, emphasizing how their support positively impacts your small business.

Example: A simple message like, “Thank you for choosing to shop small with us this Saturday! Your support means the world to our family business,” can go a long way in showing appreciation.

If your recipient didn’t convert, send a small incentive for future purchases, especially for those who might have missed out on Small Business Saturday deals.

Example: Include a message like, “As a token of our appreciation, enjoy 10% off your next purchase with the code THANKYOU10, valid through December 10th.” This encourages customers to return, driving additional sales.

Here’s a great Small Business Saturday email marketing campaign from Kirrin Finch:

This small brand’s post-Small Business Saturday email marketing campaign, sent in early December, is a great example of nurturing the audience and preparing them for holiday shopping.

Moreover, the email focuses on a curated gift guide, offering thoughtful holiday shopping solutions that keep the brand top of mind as customers plan their Christmas purchases.

9. Leverage social media

Apart from email, social media marketing is another powerful tool for small business owners to continue engaging customers after Small Business Saturday.

For instance, you can use your emails to encourage followers to share their purchases using a branded hashtag like #ShopSmallWith[YourBrand] to promote a sense of community and spread the word.

Furthermore, collaborating with influencers is another effective way to expand your audience. Partner with creators who align with your brand’s values to promote your products, creating authentic content that can reach new potential customers.

You can send an email teasing the collaboration and call your subscribers to follow you on social to find out more.

Lastly, hosting an email giveaway can help you boost engagement and grow your followers and customer base. For example, offer a product or gift card as a prize, and ask participants to follow your account, tag friends, and use your branded hashtag to enter.

Here’s a simple copy template you can use:

Subject Line: “Win a $50 Gift Card! Shop Small and Share the Love 💙”

Email Body:

Hi [Customer’s Name],

We’re excited to celebrate Small Business Saturday with you! To make things even more fun, we’re giving away a $50 gift card to one lucky winner.

How to Enter:

• Follow us on Instagram [Link to your Instagram]
• Tag a friend in your post
• Use the hashtag #ShopSmallWith[YourBrand]

That’s it! Each tag counts as an entry, so share the love and increase your chances to win.

Thank you for supporting small businesses like ours—we couldn’t do it without you!

Good luck!

CTA: [Follow Us & Enter to Win]

10. Feature other small businesses

Collaborating with and featuring other small businesses in your email campaigns can create a sense of community while offering added value to your audience.

Instead of focusing solely on your products, you can create a “Community Picks” section in your emails, showcasing a few local businesses that align with your brand’s ethos. For example, you might highlight a local artisan, a nearby café, or a boutique that shares your commitment to quality and craftsmanship.

This approach not only enriches your content but also gives your customers more reasons to shop small.

Here’s a great example from Ugmonk where the founder highlights some of his favorite brands and makers, encouraging community over competition.

You can also include special offers or exclusive discounts from these partnerships, making your email feel more like a collaborative community effort than just a sales pitch.

Small Business Saturday Marketing Ideas

Here are a few more ideas to combine with your email marketing efforts. These can help you draw customers into your store and make the most of Small Business Saturday:

• Early access in-store events: Invite your email subscribers to an exclusive early access shopping hour before your store opens to the general public. This makes them feel special and can boost in-person foot traffic.
• Gift card incentives: Offer a promotion where purchasing a gift card through your email list gives customers a bonus amount to use in-store. This can drive more shoppers to visit and redeem their cards.
• Partner with nearby stores: Team up with other local businesses to offer a joint Small Business Saturday promotion. Email subscribers who shop at multiple participating stores could receive a combined discount, encouraging them to explore the neighborhood.
• Photo op corner: Set up an Instagram-worthy spot in your store and encourage visitors to snap a photo and share it with a branded hashtag. Promote this through email and social media posts, letting subscribers know that those who participate can get a small in-store reward.
• Shop small raffle: Email subscribers can enter a raffle if they visit your store on Small Business Saturday. Offering a chance to win a special product or gift card can increase foot traffic and create excitement around visiting in person.

Additional Resources

Take a look at our helpful guides for more tips, tools, examples, and templates.

• Best Email Marketing Software For Small Businesses
• Black Friday Email Marketing: Strategy, Tips & Examples
• Black Friday Newsletter Templates
• 15 Cyber Monday Email Examples & Tips
•  Free Cyber Monday Email Templates
• Holiday Newsletter Templates for Better Seasonal Campaigns

Get Ready for Small Business Saturday

Small Business Saturday is a unique opportunity for small businesses to connect with their community, drive sales, and build lasting customer relationships. By planning early, crafting engaging content, and leveraging personalized storytelling, businesses can make the most of this special day.

With a well-rounded Small Business Saturday email marketing strategy, you can create a lasting impact beyond just one day, ensuring your business thrives throughout the holiday season and beyond.

Suppose you want a reliable email marketing platform to get started. In that case, you can use Moosend’s drag-and-drop email editor, pre-made newsletter templates, segmentation, automation, and more to set up a winning sequence for your audience. You can try it out by signing up for a free account.

FAQs

Here are some common questions regarding Small Business Saturday.

1. What is the meaning of Small Business Saturday?

Small Business Saturday is a shopping holiday that encourages people to support local and small businesses, held annually on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

2. Why shop local on Small Business Saturday?

Shopping local helps support community businesses, keeps money in the local economy, and often provides unique products and personalized service.

3. Why are consumers excited about Small Business Saturday?

Consumers love Small Business Saturday because it offers a chance to find unique products, support local businesses, and enjoy special deals and discounts.

4. How long has Small Business Saturday been around?

Small Business Saturday started in 2010, launched by American Express to support small businesses during the holiday shopping season.