Consumers Can Show Their Support For Small Business This Holiday Season on “Small Business Saturday”

First there was Black Friday, then Cyber Monday.  On November 27th comes Small Business Saturday , a day to support the local businesses that create jobs, boost the economy and preserve neighborhoods around the country.  Small Business Saturday is a national movement to drive shoppers to local merchants across the U.S. 

Joining American Express OPEN, the company’s small business unit, in declaring the Saturday after Thanksgiving as Small Business Saturday, are an initial group of more than a dozen advocacy, public and private organizations, including: Women’s Leadership Exchange (terrific org) and many others!  Will you be part of the movement?

Small businesses are critical to the nation’s overall economy. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, there were nearly 28 million small businesses in the United States last year.  Over the past two decades, they created 65 percent of net new jobs.  Their importance to local communities extends even further.  For every $100 spent in locally-owned, independent stores, $68 returns to the community through taxes, payroll and other expenditures, according to the small business advocacy group The 3/50 Project.

“Small business is the engine of job creation in the US economy,” said Mr. Chenault, chairman and chief executive officer, American Express.  “It is also among the sectors hardest hit by the recession.  By spreading the word about Small Business Saturday, we can help raise awareness about the critical role small businesses play in cities and towns across the country at a time when they need support the most.”

 Joining the Movement

Social media will play a central role in helping raise awareness about the importance of supporting small business and recognizing Small Business Saturday.  American Express is launching campaigns on Facebook and Twitter driving consumers and business owners to facebook.com/smallbusinesssaturday where they can participate in many ways, including:

• American Express is giving a $25 statement credit1 to 100,000 Cardmembers who register their Card and use it to shop on Small Business Saturday at any locally-owned, independent small businesses that accept American Express. 

• American Express is also giving $100 of free Facebook advertising2 to 10,000 business owners who sign up at facebook.com/smallbusinesssaturday to help build online buzz and drive customers to shop at their businesses on Small Business Saturday.  By simply entering a few pieces of information and clicking a button, these business owners can create a personalized, geo-targeted ad that will run on Facebook leading up to November 27th. Facebook has donated $500,000 in Facebook credits for these small business owners to use in the future.

• Small business owners can also download online promotional materials and use a number of social media tools to promote their businesses on the inaugural Small Business Saturday.

• Everyone can spread the word about the day and their favorite businesses by giving a shout-out to their favorite local shops and restaurants via Facebook and Twitter.

• For every person who ‘likes’ Small Business Saturday on Facebook, American Express is donating $1 up to $500,0003 to Girls Inc. to empower young women to be the entrepreneurs of tomorrow.

To support Small Business Saturday, American Express is also launching a national advertising campaign.

“Supporting local business is more than just a one-day event,” said Mr. Chenault “and Small Business Saturday is a movement we can all help sustain.  We encourage consumers across the country to join us and the many advocates that are already on board.”

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Are You Ready for A Collaborative Alliance?

Collaborative Alliances can be a great strategy for expanding your visibility and  profits while creating positive impact for all parties involved.  While there may be no legalities involvled in creating this type of alliance, there should be plenty of  preparation, discovery, intent, and written objectives if you are to experience a truly successful collaboration.

Alliances need to be both intelligent and value focused if they are to be one of the anchors to building a truly powerful expansion strategy.  Intelligent collaborative alliances focus on creating an even playing field for both you and your alliance partner.  You and your potential partner need to be crystal clear on what you want and want you will  contribute to the alliance.

Think with the Collaborative Factor in Mind – beginning with a framework for  assesing a win-win alliance: 

Assess:  Do you have a clear and articulated understanding of what you want from the alliance?  How will this alliance serve your target markets, customers, etc.?

Locate:  Locate venues and other networking opportunties that will allow you to meet like-minded potential collaborative opportunities.

Evaluate:  Apply a process for evaluating the success and collaborative-ability(TM) of your potential alliance that includes:  Objectives, Roles, Resources, Reach& Access, Metrics, Legalities.

Implement:  Do you have a way to effectively deliver and manage the alliance including communication among the alliance partners?

Collaboration is about cooperation with your competition as well as complementary marketing but one thing collaboration isn’t is staying “silo-ed” or working in a vaccum.  Collaboration obviously won’t happy alone – you need step into the mindset of a Collaborative Leader.

ABOUT Janet Wise:  is the Founder/CEO of The Collaborative Factor.  An online collaborative community and NYC based entrepreneurial network for small business, solopreneurs and those interested in leveraging the power, acumen and support of a select group of entrepreneurs working together through inspired action so that big ideas don’t just double they explode – exponentially.   A former corporate training and development expert with a Masters in HR development, Janet was responsible for managing global leadership and professional development and high potential leaderhsip programs at Fortune 500 companies; she is skilled professional facilitator and natural collaborator.  www.wisesolutions4u.com or www.wisepowernetwork.ning.com  for more information.

 
Connect. Collaborate. Capitalize.

From my own experience I know how exciting, rewarding, and profitable it can be to collaborate with other inspired entrepreneurs. I have built my success both personally and professionally by leveraging the talents and power of many and you can too.

I also know how challenging it can be to understand the leadership, mindset and dynamics of identifying, nurturing and implementing a successful collaborative alliance – which is why I created the Collaborative Factor.

Alliances need to be both intelligent and value focused if they are to be one of the anchors to building a truly powerful business expansion strategy.

To best leverage your collaborative alliances, you need to become a Value Focused Collaborator. That is, creating an even playing field for both you and your alliance partner to get the most from your relationship. Know what you want and understand whay they need.

Think with the Collaborative Factor in mind: When faced with a potential collaborative opportunity, ask yourself:

• What are 2 to 3 assets my potential alliance partner has that can help me and what are 2 to 3 assets I have to help them.
• How do we produce a “win” together?

 Rather than focusing strictly on the income potential think how can you help others achieve their success?  Just like with networking, building effective collaborative relationships takes time, intent, analysis, and intelligence – but the results are worth it!

You may reprint this article with this information:
By Janet Wise, Founder: The Collaborative Factor, collaborativefactor.com or janet@collaborativefactor.com