It’s almost the big day!
No, not Thanksgiving. Or Black Friday. We’re talking about Small Business Saturday. It’s coming up soon — November 24!
The day that was created as a promotion by American Express has turned itself into somewhat of a household name, as it were.
And amid all the hooplah and madness of Thanksgiving travels and Black Friday shopping, it’s easy to get lost in that.
Don’t fret. There’s still time to prepare for this other big day next week. We’ve got resources and information you’ll need to get your business ready for Small Business Saturday this year.
For the rest of the small business headlines this week, check out our weekly news roundup below, including details on why some experts expect this to be one of the busiest holiday shopping seasons in recent memory and how to prepare your business for it.
Retail Trends
SCORE Tells Small Businesses to Prepare for Another Busy Holiday Shopping Season
The revenues for Thanksgiving week in 2017 was up by 33% from 2016. And according to SCORE, small businesses better be ready for another busy holiday shopping season in 2018. The organization, which mentors small business owners, is bullish on the 2018 season, predicting sales will remain strong.
These 3 Things are the Biggest Online Holiday Season Pains for Retailers
Speed, cost, and the seasonal increase in volume are the biggest holiday shopping season pain points for retailers. This according to a new survey by Simplr, which looked at the pulse of small-medium sized ecommerce retailers handling customer service inquiries to determine how businesses were getting ready for the holiday shopping season.
Employment
29% Prefer Communicating with Remote Employees by Phone, Survey Says
A new survey from Voxbone reveals the phone is still the preferred technology for staying in touch for remote workers. This might be somewhat surprising considering the popularity of text and IM, but a phone call is hard to beat to quickly get your point across; especially with complex subject matters.
Marketing Tips
Google Shares Tips for Attracting More Customers Online This Holiday Season
The holiday shopping season is responsible for generating a large percentage of the yearly profits for many businesses. A new infographic from Google wants to help you prepare your site and ads for the increased activity which will come your way as the season moves along. According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), the holiday sales during November and December 2017 was up 5.
93% of Marketers Say Video Has Brought New Customers
How big is the impact of video in today’s digital environment? According to a new report by Animoto, 93% of marketers say video is responsible for landing them a new customer. When it comes to consumers and social media, video is first with everything else coming in second.
Research
New Report Shares Facts Small Business Owners MUST Know about Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC, unintentional carbon monoxide (CO), poisoning is responsible for hundreds of deaths each year. This is especially important to remember for small business owners who have employees on site.
Small Business Operations
Businesses Prefer Regional Trade as Tariffs and Protectionism Threaten Global Prospects
Due to customer demand and favorable economic conditions, businesses worldwide have growing confidence. But however confident they may be, many companies are beginning to shift toward doing business within their own regions due to uncertainty surrounding global trade, according to a new HSBC survey of over 8,500 companies.
Technology Trends
FTC Launches New Cyber Security Tools for Small Business
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has launched a resource to raise awareness about the vital role cybersecurity plays for the 32+ million small businesses in the US. This effort was part of the National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) in October, which has been recognized every month since 2003. The NCSAM was established with the collaboration of the U.S.
New Apple iPad Pro Could Supplement Your Small Business PC
The new Apple iPad Pro is bigger, faster and more integrated with applications creatives like to use in two different models. The 11-inch and 12.9-inch versions have a new edge-to-edge display, upgraded specs, and they support the new Apple Pencil. If you are ready to shell out a starting price of $799 for 11-inch version and $999 for its 12.
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