What Are Estheticians Doing for Small Business Saturday?

Do you have your holiday marketing plans ready to go? Small businesses all around the country use Small Business Saturday as a way to encourage local shopping and kick off their holiday sales push. How can you make Small Business Saturday on November 29 work for you? 

Launched by American Express in 2010, Small Business Saturday was designed to promote local neighborhood merchants and solo entrepreneurs like you. This event, which occurs the Saturday following Black Friday, reminds consumers about the value of small businesses and how spending dollars with local establishments helps keep neighborhood communities healthy and thriving. In fact, experts say 67 cents of every dollar spent in a small business stays in the community where that business is located. 

In addition to kicking off your holiday promotions, you can use Small Business Saturday to advertise your seasonal package discounts and push your gift card sales. Find ways to create buzz around the November 29, 2025, event and drive traffic to either your online gift certificate purchases, virtual consultations, or “in-person” retail experience.  

Holiday Marketing Checklist 

To get ready for Small Business Saturday, start by putting finishing touches on your holiday business plans:  

• Do you have your marketing messages written, edited, and queued up for delivery? 
• Are your gift cards and holiday packaging supplies reordered and in stock? 
• Are all your online business listings, booking calendars, and “shopping cart” logistics up to date and optimized? 
• How about retail? Is your inventory stocked and ready?

Consider ways you can embrace Small Business Saturday for your business and your community. Here are some ideas to consider: 

1. Partner with other small businesses to create cross-promotion on the day of. This could be as simple as sharing marketing materials or more complex, like offering discounted brow wax onsite at a business that shares your audience and values. 
2. Consider your in-office promotions. You could offer discounts for same-day appointments, bundle services to create special package offers, create holiday gifts/gift baskets using your retail products and/or services, or give a free gift with purchase.  
3. Host an open house at your business with giveaways, mini services, and/or tours. Ask people to sign in with their email address and name, so you can stay in touch with leads and announce future business promotions. Promote it with social media posts. 
4. Let social media do the work for you. Leverage existing social media groups, such as Instagram and LinkedIn, to promote your special offers and sales. Or offer a discount on your product or services to the first x number of new followers on this day. Use Small business Saturday Hashtags such as #SmallBizSaturday, #SmallBusinessSaturday, and #ShopSmall. 

Now, share news about your event with all your contacts—friends, family, and, of course, everyone on your client list. Remind them that Small Business Saturday is a day to celebrate and support small businesses of all kinds—including their most favorite esthetician—and that purchasing a gift certificate from you is one of the most thoughtful gifts they could give to loved ones this holiday season. 

Get Your Free Small Business Resources 

• Download these support resources for Small Business Saturday. Here, you’ll find everything from posters and other signage to social media resources. 
• Five artists contributed to the Small Business Saturday resources, with their inclusive signage, customer decals, and downloadable items. 
• The US Chamber of Commerce is a valuable resource for all business owners. Download this free guide: “A Strategic Guide to Marketing Your Small Business” for new ideas.

Small Business Grant Opportunity 

As part of the Small Business Saturday campaign this year, Main Street America and American Express will award $20,000 grants to 250 eligible small business owners across the US. To be eligible for a grant, applicants must own a for-profit, independently owned small business, operate out of a physical ​“brick-and-mortar” storefront, and employ 20 or fewer full-time equivalent employees. Applicants can submit proposals for projects to help their small business grow, innovate, and support the local community. The grant submission window opens November 29.