I talked with a number
of small business owners
on the weekend.
They told me
they weren’t participating
in Cyber Monday.
Their excuse was
they couldn’t compete
with the big companies
for sales.
That’s bullshit thinking.
1) They can compete.
They can compete
on customer service.
They can offer
things other than a low price
(like offering a donation
to the local toy drive,
naming one of the local volunteers
gathering the toys
or one of the local families
who benefited from the donations).
They can advertise
“Buy local and get a great deal.”
2) Their regular customers
expect them to participate.
Participating in these events
gives these loyal customers
a reason to talk about them.
“How are you spending Cyber Monday?”
will be a meme on social media.
These customers can say
they visited the website.
and
3) Local media will be looking
for unique LOCAL companies
to spotlight.
You’re not offering
any Cyber Monday “deals”?
You won’t be spotlighted.
Not participating in shopping events
like this
signals that you don’t care
about sales.
If you don’t care,
no one else will.
Participate.
You can participate in your own way
but do SOMETHING.