A campaign that urges the public to choose to shop with smaller businesses is heading to the UK for the first time on 7 December
Already a $5.5bn-a-year (£3.4bn) phenomenon in the US, the annual Small Business Saturday is heading to UK shores on 7 December. Promoting the benefits of buying local, the campaign aims to capitalise on the busiest retail day of the year and encourage the public to consider shopping with smaller businesses.
American Express launched the idea in the US in 2010 and helped introduce it to the UK, working alongside small business organisations, trade bodies and local authorities to raise awareness with TV adverts, regional radio, digital and direct marketing activity.
Mark Roper, head of merchant services UK at American Express, said: "Small Business Saturday is a brilliant way of championing independent retailers, encouraging consumers to shop small and encouraging businesses to think creatively about how they can take advantage of increased footfall on the day."
The initiative already has backing from a string of multinational organisations and high-profile figures such as David Cameron and former Dragons' Den star James Caan.
Small businesses are encouraged to participate by requesting a starter pack and promoting their businesses using the #SmallBizSatUK Twitter hashtag. In addition, regional events are being held throughout the country to bring the message to the high streets.
Lorna Sysons has been selected as one of the campaign's champions, earning a place on the Small Business Saturday 100 list. She designs and manufactures home accessories and is part of the London-based Cockpit Arts collective, which includes 60 small craft businesses.
From 6 December to 8 December, the studio will be opening its doors to the public to give them a rare chance to meet with the companies face to face.
Sysons said: "It was only when I set up my own business four years ago that I realised the importance of supporting smaller companies. Since entering into this world I've realised just how much further every pound spent with a small independent goes compared to with larger corporates."
Cockpit Arts is hosting sessions for kids and opening a cafe to make the event a full day activity. Sysons believes giving shoppers the opportunity to meet the personality behind the product will help forge real relationships.
She said: "We are giving people the opportunity to have a look behind the scenes, to understand more about what we do, how their custom can help small businesses and the local economy and just to engage with us."
A similar event last year attracted 3,500 visitors across the three days. Sysons added: "It made a real impact to our business. Not everybody necessarily made a sale right away, but it's clear that we all made an impression as we were getting phone calls and emails months down the line from people who had met us and remembered us."
Another business involved in Small Business Saturday 100, Libby Butler Jewellers in Helmsley, is part of a local independent business group containing retailers, cafes and restaurants, web designers and travel agents. Together, the group has organised a Festive Family Fun Day, a showcase of local firms, attracting custom with a day full of family activities and special offers.
Carolyn Frank, owner of Libby Butler Jewellers and founder member of Helmsley in Business, said: "The campaign sums up everything that we stand for in Helmsley, valuing our local independent small businesses, and promoting them to residents and visitors. I believe our small market town, with a population of just 1,500, is thriving because of the variety of independent businesses here. There is a real enthusiasm among the business community to fight the recession in a practical way, by adapting our offer to best serve our customers.
Attractions will include children's storytelling and puppetry, book signings, a dog fancy dress show, more than 20 prize competitions, a festive photo booth, Santa's sleigh, drop-in craft workshops, street food and cookery demonstrations, spa taster treatments, a Christmas tree festival and a town-centre information point to help promote all the businesses involved.
However, the business group had to be proactive in organising the day, making requests and pushing for assistance. Frank said: "While the district council offered a reduction in long-stay car parking fees on the day, they refused to do anything on short-stay 'to protect their revenue'. We have had support from the town council, who have donated some new Christmas lights to improve the appearance of town, but we had to ask.
"My message to other towns is not to wait for support from your council or wait for a prescribed way forward for your local high street – you're in business for yourself and you need to help yourselves as well if you want to stay successful."
Phil Orford, chief executive of the Forum of Private Business, said: "Small Business Saturday is about reconnecting people with the small businesses in their local areas and demonstrating the enormous value that they bring to individual customers and to the UK as a whole.
"The vast majority of firms in the UK are small businesses and they provide two thirds of all private sector jobs. Small firms don't have the public profile and marketing budgets of the large corporates, and Small Business Saturday is an excellent way to celebrate small businesses and support them in showcasing their products and services to local communities.
"We want to see Small Business Saturday raise the profile of small enterprises up and down the country so that consumers and businesses alike begin to think small first."
*Sign up to **become a member of the Guardian Small Business Network here** for more advice, insight and best practice direct to your inbox.* Reported by guardian.co.uk 4 hours ago.
Already a $5.5bn-a-year (£3.4bn) phenomenon in the US, the annual Small Business Saturday is heading to UK shores on 7 December. Promoting the benefits of buying local, the campaign aims to capitalise on the busiest retail day of the year and encourage the public to consider shopping with smaller businesses.
American Express launched the idea in the US in 2010 and helped introduce it to the UK, working alongside small business organisations, trade bodies and local authorities to raise awareness with TV adverts, regional radio, digital and direct marketing activity.
Mark Roper, head of merchant services UK at American Express, said: "Small Business Saturday is a brilliant way of championing independent retailers, encouraging consumers to shop small and encouraging businesses to think creatively about how they can take advantage of increased footfall on the day."
The initiative already has backing from a string of multinational organisations and high-profile figures such as David Cameron and former Dragons' Den star James Caan.
Small businesses are encouraged to participate by requesting a starter pack and promoting their businesses using the #SmallBizSatUK Twitter hashtag. In addition, regional events are being held throughout the country to bring the message to the high streets.
Lorna Sysons has been selected as one of the campaign's champions, earning a place on the Small Business Saturday 100 list. She designs and manufactures home accessories and is part of the London-based Cockpit Arts collective, which includes 60 small craft businesses.
From 6 December to 8 December, the studio will be opening its doors to the public to give them a rare chance to meet with the companies face to face.
Sysons said: "It was only when I set up my own business four years ago that I realised the importance of supporting smaller companies. Since entering into this world I've realised just how much further every pound spent with a small independent goes compared to with larger corporates."
Cockpit Arts is hosting sessions for kids and opening a cafe to make the event a full day activity. Sysons believes giving shoppers the opportunity to meet the personality behind the product will help forge real relationships.
She said: "We are giving people the opportunity to have a look behind the scenes, to understand more about what we do, how their custom can help small businesses and the local economy and just to engage with us."
A similar event last year attracted 3,500 visitors across the three days. Sysons added: "It made a real impact to our business. Not everybody necessarily made a sale right away, but it's clear that we all made an impression as we were getting phone calls and emails months down the line from people who had met us and remembered us."
Another business involved in Small Business Saturday 100, Libby Butler Jewellers in Helmsley, is part of a local independent business group containing retailers, cafes and restaurants, web designers and travel agents. Together, the group has organised a Festive Family Fun Day, a showcase of local firms, attracting custom with a day full of family activities and special offers.
Carolyn Frank, owner of Libby Butler Jewellers and founder member of Helmsley in Business, said: "The campaign sums up everything that we stand for in Helmsley, valuing our local independent small businesses, and promoting them to residents and visitors. I believe our small market town, with a population of just 1,500, is thriving because of the variety of independent businesses here. There is a real enthusiasm among the business community to fight the recession in a practical way, by adapting our offer to best serve our customers.
Attractions will include children's storytelling and puppetry, book signings, a dog fancy dress show, more than 20 prize competitions, a festive photo booth, Santa's sleigh, drop-in craft workshops, street food and cookery demonstrations, spa taster treatments, a Christmas tree festival and a town-centre information point to help promote all the businesses involved.
However, the business group had to be proactive in organising the day, making requests and pushing for assistance. Frank said: "While the district council offered a reduction in long-stay car parking fees on the day, they refused to do anything on short-stay 'to protect their revenue'. We have had support from the town council, who have donated some new Christmas lights to improve the appearance of town, but we had to ask.
"My message to other towns is not to wait for support from your council or wait for a prescribed way forward for your local high street – you're in business for yourself and you need to help yourselves as well if you want to stay successful."
Phil Orford, chief executive of the Forum of Private Business, said: "Small Business Saturday is about reconnecting people with the small businesses in their local areas and demonstrating the enormous value that they bring to individual customers and to the UK as a whole.
"The vast majority of firms in the UK are small businesses and they provide two thirds of all private sector jobs. Small firms don't have the public profile and marketing budgets of the large corporates, and Small Business Saturday is an excellent way to celebrate small businesses and support them in showcasing their products and services to local communities.
"We want to see Small Business Saturday raise the profile of small enterprises up and down the country so that consumers and businesses alike begin to think small first."
*Sign up to **become a member of the Guardian Small Business Network here** for more advice, insight and best practice direct to your inbox.* Reported by guardian.co.uk 4 hours ago.