Contact: Lisa Schiller, Media Relations
P: 414- 847- 6055
F: 414-302- 0355
E: lschiller@wisconsin.bbb.org
Milwaukee, Wis. – Small businesses are the cornerstone of any community, creating jobs, spurring local economic growth, and giving back to society. In recent years, small businesses have been overshadowed by the holiday hype of “Black Friday” and “Cyber Monday,” which tend to put emphasis on major retailers. But small businesses have much to offer for holiday shoppers!
For the fourth year in a row, Better Business Bureau is supporting Small Business Saturday and urging consumers to support the small businesses in their communities on November 30th, the Saturday after Thanksgiving. It’s the perfect time to take a break from the crowded shopping mall and instead check out the small stores and businesses in your neighborhood. You’ll find unique gifts, gourmet foods and more to make your holidays distinctive, fresh and fun. You might even discover your new favorite store!
2012 was a huge year for Small Business Saturday. Consumer awareness reached a reported 67% and an estimated $5.5 billion was spent at small, independently owned retailers, according to American Express OPEN, which launched SBS. Since Small Business Saturday was born in 2010 and officially recognized by the U.S. Senate in 2011, the once little-known campaign has become a movement that millions of individuals, businesses, and communities have embraced nationwide.
With your help, Small Business Saturday could be even bigger this year. Get involved by helping your community prepare, promoting your local businesses, and encouraging your friends and family to “Shop Small.” And don’t forget to go out and shop at your local businesses on November 30th! The more businesses and shoppers that get involved, the bigger and more beneficial the day will be for local communities.
Resources:
Businesses can take advantage of free tools offered online at facebook.com/SmallBusinessSaturday: free signage, free ads on Twitter, and lots of ideas to help grow your business
For more information on Small Business Saturday, visit smallbusinesssaturday.com
For BBB Business Reviews on millions of businesses – large and small – and for more consumer information you can trust, visit Wisconsin.bbb.org
For more information or further inquiries, contact the Wisconsin BBB at www.wisconsin.bbb.org or 414-847-6000 (metro Milwaukee), 920-734-4352 (Appleton), 608-268-2221 (Madison) or 1-800-273-1002 (elsewhere in Wisconsin). Consumers also can find more information about how to protect themselves from scams by following the Wisconsin BBB on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.
ABOUT BBB: For more than 100 years, Better Business Bureau has been helping consumers find businesses, brands and charities they can trust. In 2012, consumers turned to BBB 124 million times for Business Reviews on more than 4.5 million companies and Charity Reports on 11,000 charities, all available for free at bbb.org. The Council of Better Business Bureaus is the umbrella organization for 113 local, independent BBBs across the United States and Canada, as well as home to its national programs on dispute resolution and industry self-regulation.
