Small Business Saturday falls on November 28 this year, the Saturday after Thanksgiving. It's one of the few days on the retail calendar built entirely around independent businesses.

Last year was a wake-up call. American Express estimated $18 billion was spent at small businesses on Small Business Saturday 2025, a drop from the year before. Yet 77% of consumers strongly agreed that supporting small businesses in their community is important.

The goodwill is there. The gap is between intention and action. Advertising is how local businesses close it.

01 | Don't Fight on Price

The weekend after Thanksgiving belongs to national retailers when it comes to price. Trying to match their discounts usually means giving away margin without winning the shopper.

Local businesses have advantages national chains can't copy:

•         Knowing customers by name

•         Expertise and personal service

•         Being right down the street

•         Money that stays in the neighborhood

Those are the reasons people choose local. Put them front and center.

02 | Start the Reminder Early

Small Business Saturday competes with Black Friday on one side and Cyber Monday on the other. If a shopper isn't already planning to visit you, a single weekend ad has a lot of noise to cut through.

Build familiarity in the weeks leading up to it. By Thanksgiving, your business should already be on the list.

03 | Give People a Reason to Come In

Good intentions need a nudge. Give shoppers something specific to act on:

•         An in-store event or extended hours

•         A limited item or local collaboration

•         A gift-with-purchase or loyalty perk

Specific beats generic every time.

04 | Show Up Where Your Neighbors Are Watching

Your customers live here. They follow local news, weather and Steelers coverage. When your message appears in the same trusted local environment, it reinforces exactly what makes you worth supporting: you're part of the community.

Turn Good Intentions Into Foot Traffic

Small Business Saturday works best for the businesses that treat it as the peak of a campaign, not a one-day ad. Remind shoppers why local matters, give them a reason to visit and keep showing up through December.

Connect with Hearst Pittsburgh to build a Small Business Saturday campaign that turns local goodwill into real customers.

Sources: SBA: Small Business Saturday 2026 · Forbes: Small Business Saturday 2025 results