The Biggest Season of the Year
For many local retailers, the stretch between fall and the new year represents a significant share of annual revenue. It's a time when consumers are actively looking for gifts, experiences, dining options, and ways to support businesses they care about. It may also be a time when tourists visit or there are many guests in town.
And you’re uniquely positioned to help.
From promoting local shopping to connecting businesses with marketing resources, from creating community-wide campaigns to helping merchants gain visibility, your efforts can influence where dollars are spent.
If you're looking for ideas to support retailers during Small Business Season, here are 55 strategies worth considering.
Community Campaigns and Promotions
1. Launch a Shop Local campaign
Participate in Small Business Season to remind residents how local spending supports jobs, nonprofits, schools, and community vibrancy.
2. Create a shopping passport, challenge, or bingo card
Encourage visits to multiple businesses by rewarding shoppers who complete a number of purchases or check-ins.
3. Advocate for free downtown parking
Reducing barriers to shopping can increase foot traffic during busy retail periods. The City may not agree to year round free parking, but it might approve a parking holiday in December.
4. Start a Chamber Bucks or local gift card program
A community gift card program keeps spending local and gives businesses an easy way to participate without managing individual gift card systems, which can be a lot of administration for them.
5. Promote special shopping services
Highlight businesses offering concierge shopping, curbside pickup, gift wrapping, personal shoppers, or extended hours. Make shopping as convenient as possible.
6. Create a holiday coupon or savings guide
Bundle promotions from participating businesses into a downloadable or printed resource.
7. Organize a holiday shopping night
Coordinate extended evening hours, refreshments, entertainment, and special promotions to create excitement.
8. Develop "Best of Our Town" gift bundles
Combine products from several local businesses into curated gift baskets available throughout the community.
9. Host a makers market
Give local artisans and creators an opportunity to showcase unique products during peak buying season.
10. Create themed gift guides
Feature gift ideas for busy parents, sports fans, foodies, tech lovers, pet owners, and other audiences. Shoppers are always looking for ideas.
Increase Business Visibility
11. Highlight member specials on chamber channels
Feature deals, events, and promotions on your website, newsletter, and social media.
12. Create a dedicated holiday shopping hub
A landing page can serve as a central resource for events, offers, and participating businesses.
13. Build business-specific resource graphics
Examples include:
• Restaurants open on holidays
• Extended shopping hours
• Gift card promotions
• Last-minute gift ideas
14. Publish unique gift idea articles
Ask local businesses for recommendations and turn them into blog content that drives traffic back to members.
15. Produce a holiday video featuring members
Showcase local businesses and remind residents of the people behind the storefronts.
16. Interview merchants about their holiday wishes
Short videos and social posts can humanize businesses and encourage community support.
17. Create product spotlight videos
Feature interesting products, services, or gift ideas available locally.
18. Send holiday storytelling emails
Share merchant success stories, customer experiences, and community impact.
19. Highlight local gift basket providers
Many companies purchase client gifts during the holidays. Make it easy for them to find local options.
20. Run a holiday countdown campaign
Feature a different member and gift idea each day leading up to the holidays.
Help Businesses Improve Their Marketing
21. Offer beginner e-commerce workshops
Many retailers still need help getting products online or improving their digital storefront.
22. Connect members with affordable marketing support
Work with local agencies and consultants to create introductory packages for small businesses.
23. Partner with local colleges or high schools
Marketing students may be willing to assist businesses with social media, content creation, or digital setup projects.
24. Build a holiday marketing resource guide
Include advice from marketing professionals, major platforms, and local success stories.
25. Share local social media opportunities
Compile community Facebook groups and online spaces where businesses can legally and appropriately promote themselves.
26. Teach content marketing basics
Show businesses how helpful content can attract customers before they're ready to buy.
27. Host an email marketing workshop
Building an email list remains one of the most effective ways to drive repeat sales. Show your members how to do it and tell them why they’d want to.
28. Share holiday blog topic ideas
Gift guides, entertaining tips, seasonal checklists, and customer stories are all strong options.
29. Encourage stronger calls to action
Help businesses move beyond generic language and clearly tell customers what to do next.
30. Teach businesses how to use video
Short videos often outperform static content and help customers connect with local brands.
31. Introduce Pinterest as a discovery tool
Pinterest continues to influence purchasing decisions, especially during gift-buying seasons.
32. Offer a workshop on text marketing
SMS campaigns can generate strong engagement when used thoughtfully.
33. Explore customer messaging tools
Platforms such as messaging apps, website chat tools, and AI assistants can help businesses answer questions quickly and close sales.
34. Discuss flash sales and limited-time promotions
Urgency can be an effective motivator during busy shopping periods.
35. Encourage festive email subject lines
Creative seasonal messaging can improve open rates and engagement.
Strengthen Online Presence
36. Host a local search workshop
Help businesses update and optimize their Google Business Profiles so customers can find accurate information. Search is changing with AI summaries. Help businesses understand and position themselves for best possible results.
37. Encourage website updates
Holiday hours, seasonal products, events, and promotions should be easy to find. Additionally, if they are extending their hours for the holidays, give them tips on how they could market that.
38. Promote mobile-friendly experiences
Most shoppers research businesses from their phones before making a purchase.
39. Encourage location tagging on social media
Location-based visibility is especially important for businesses serving local customers.
40. Show businesses how online marketplaces work
For some retailers, platforms like Amazon, Etsy, Walmart Marketplace, or Facebook Marketplace can supplement local sales.
Create Memorable Community Experiences
41. Launch a chamber mascot or scavenger hunt
A "Where's the Chamber Elf?" (or other mascot) campaign can encourage shoppers to visit participating businesses.
42. Create photo opportunities downtown
Seasonal displays encourage social sharing and additional foot traffic.
43. Hold a holiday decorating contest
Friendly competition often creates excitement and free publicity for the participating businesses.
44. Record a humorous holiday song parody
A little creativity can generate significant local engagement.
45. Produce an "It's a Wonderful Life" style video
Show what the community would look like without local businesses and the contributions they make.
46. Visit businesses in festive attire
Capture photos and videos that spotlight members while creating shareable content.
47. Host a community-wide holiday contest
Photo contests, decorating competitions, and themed events can create buzz throughout town.
Help Businesses Connect Emotionally
48. Encourage storytelling
People connect with people. Help businesses share the stories behind their products, employees, and customers.
49. Focus on customer needs
Ask merchants to identify what customers are seeking during the holidays—convenience, solutions, unique gifts, experiences—and market accordingly.
50. Encourage year-end thank-you messages
A sincere expression of gratitude can strengthen customer loyalty heading into the new year.
51. Suggest personalized holiday cards
Traditional mail still stands out in an increasingly digital world.
52. Share creative customer appreciation ideas
Simple surprises can create memorable experiences and generate word-of-mouth.
Think Beyond Traditional Retail
53. Help service businesses participate
A plumber or painter can talk about preparing homes for guests. A fitness center can promote gift memberships. Every business can connect its offerings to the season.
54. Create support coalitions for specific industries
Restaurants, breweries, makers, retailers, and tourism businesses may benefit from coordinated efforts and shared promotions.
55. Encourage businesses to watch emerging trends
Consumer behavior changes every year. Businesses that pay attention to convenience, technology, gifting preferences, and local buying habits often find new opportunities.
Your Chamber Can Shape the Season
Small Business Season gives chambers an opportunity to do more than promote shopping. It's a chance to strengthen local businesses, encourage community pride, and keep more spending circulating close to home.
But don't feel like you need to implement all 55 ideas. Even a handful of well-executed initiatives can help retailers reach new customers, increase sales, and finish the year with momentum.
The businesses in your community are already working hard to make the season successful. A chamber that rallies support can make a measurable difference.
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