Before we know it, it’ll be time to celebrate one of the biggest holidays in the US, Thanksgiving. It might be hard for your specific business to capitalize on Thanksgiving itself (a day in which you might do little to no business at all), but in reality, it’s actually the kick off to an extended weekend filled with money-making opportunities as consumers indulge in food, family, relaxation, and shopping.
This 5-day craze puts us right into holiday mode. Kicking things off the day after Thanksgiving is the well-known shopping day, Black Friday. The following day, is a day to promote and support your local businesses, and that day is Small Business Saturday. Monday continues the shopping craze, but is taken online with Cyber Monday, and the last day of this celebratory weekend is one that most people unfortunately aren’t familiar with, and that day is Giving Tuesday.
There’s great opportunity here to not only get involved and make a little extra cash, but to also shed light on your business in a positive way. How will your business take advantage of all this? Read on for some of our suggestions and tips on how to make this week a successful one for your business.
Black Friday is all about shopping; Well, you just so happen to have something to sell!
Tweak some specials around knowing that your guests may be out and about all day, create some fun menu items or drink items where you play off of the day’s hectic nature, or create an event surrounding the day.
Get creative!
One business we know of even gives certain discounts based on the purchases their guests have made that day. Did your guests buy new clothes? 10% off their bill; was a new mattress on their black Friday list? 20% off their dinner; Did someone splurge on a new TV? They earned free dessert! It’s a clever way to tie in the shopping frenzy to your restaurant, while bringing in business in a fun and unique way! (Just make sure to promote it on social media and have them bring in their receipts!)
Don’t forget to take advantage of bringing attention to your Online Ordering! Encouraging your customers to order online from you after a long day of shopping on Black Friday would be the perfect solution to a relaxing night in.
Following Black Friday is Small Business Saturday, and of all days, this is one you shouldn’t miss; After all, it is dedicated to you! Small businesses like yours are a major component of our economy, and we think you deserve a little recognition—and some more sales! Due to the timing of Small Business Saturday, there’s a great chance that most people a.) won’t feel like cooking and b.) won’t want to do any more damage to their wallets after Black Friday shopping. You can easily use this to your advantage by setting up an enticing promotion paired with some irresistible marketing tactics. It can be as simple as offering 10% off everyone’s check just as a way of saying thank you. Or, you can have some fun with it by setting up a social media promotion in which every person who likes your photo gets a discount. Whatever you choose to do, be sure to promote it on your website, social media pages, and through email if possible. The more people you can reach, the more profitable this can be!
Getting back to the topic of Online Ordering and moving on to Cyber Monday, why not spend some time creating special deals surrounding the biggest online shopping day of the year? Promote a special Online Ordering/Cyber Monday menu that features unique items or even discounted prices when ordered online. Great way to rev up more business in the start of the week, and perfect timing for a day where most people are completely sick of turkey leftovers but still don’t want to cook.
Finally, a great way to give back to your community, or to bring some worthwhile attention to your business (outside of your day to day offerings) would be to take advantage of the day after Cyber Monday. The words “Give back” can mean many things, and on Giving Tuesday, all things are possible – but it will take some planning.
Planning a way to give back to your community doesn’t have to be difficult. See if you have any staff members, friends, or other businesses nearby that are eager to help. Maybe set up a clothing drive, or collect monetary or food donations for a charity or cause that is important to your community. You can even give your customers the opportunity to give back by simply displaying a “pay it forward” list of your menu items that can be donated to those in need. A cup of hot coffee, a turkey sandwich, your famous spaghetti and meatballs—whatever it may be that might make someone’s day! At the end of each day, week, or month, deliver the items that were paid for to a food bank or shelter.
Whatever your business’ take on Giving Tuesday is, it’s a wonderful way to bring your business into a great light, increase customer engagement, and most importantly, do something for others during the holiday season!
Oh, and remember to use the hashtag #givingtuesday when you share your efforts with your online followers!
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