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Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) Business Alert — Ways to Market Your Business During the Holidays

by Community Contributor • December 16, 2021 • Comments Off

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SHOP SMALL THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

The Holiday Season is here! The Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) would like to share some ways small businesses can boost their sales during the holidays and ways you can support local businesses this year.

3 Top Ways to Help Boost Your Small Business Holiday Sales

Leverage email to grow sales. According to a survey conducted in 2020, 79% of small business owners said email is “important” or “very important” to their businesses. Take time over the coming weeks to establish an effective email marketing strategy for the holiday season.
Engage with customers on social media. Social media is another great way to directly communicate with customers and market your business. Through social media, you can show why current and prospective customers should buy your products or services.
Add a personal touch. In some cases, you might not be seeing your customers in-person this year due to local regulations related to the pandemic. If you have a direct mailing list, send handwritten notes to customers to maintain personal connections. Post a compilation video of your staff on social media thanking customers for patronizing your business in 2021.

BONUS: Receive no-cost consulting from a marketing advisor with the EDC’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) by calling our Business Assistance Line at 805.409.9159.

For more information on the blog Top 3 Small Business Holiday Marketing Tips written by the SBA CLICK HERE.

Ways to Support a Small Business

Looking for ways to support small businesses this holiday season? Check out the ideas below:

Buy Local. Whether your looking for that ideal present for the holidays or need something for your home think about shopping local first.
Go to the Source. Instead of using a third party app to purchase food. Call ahead of time and order curbside or in-store pickup.
Be Social. Rave about your favorite local businesses on your social media accounts. Make sure to leave good reviews on your favorite local businesses to help boost their online presence.
Participate in Community Efforts. Some small businesses participate in city events. Become informed on events that are happening in your city and see how you can support local businesses in your community. if you are donating food to shelters see if you can donate food from your local restaurant.
Let businesses know about their local SBDC. The EDC offers NO-COST one-on-one technical advising through the Small Business Development Center. Our expert advising team can assist in finance, marketing, operations, trade, manufacturing and much more. Let local businesses know about the services available to them!

Looking for NO-COST Business Consulting Services?

The EDC SBDC call team and experienced advisors are available to answer questions and help you navigate today’s complex business environment. The Economic Development Collaborative hosts the Small Business Development Center and is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. Signing up as a client takes just a few minutes and provides you with lifetime access to all of our no-cost services.

Get started today with no-cost consulting by calling our

Business Assistance Line at 805.409.9159.

Resources and advising are available in English and Spanish.

Stay up-to-date on local, state and federal resources related to the pandemic by visiting our COVID-19 Business Resource page regularly CLICK HERE.