While most of your preparations should be done by this point, there is still time to make a few last-minute adjustments to give yourself the best chance for success during this year's Small Business Saturday event.

Clean Your Establishment

Many consumers are still hesitant to visit physical locations, which provides an excellent opportunity to make a good impression of the cleanliness and safety of your store. Disinfecting surfaces is a priority these days, but there are several other areas to address when doing a deep clean.

• Dust all surfaces, including all furniture, appliances, baseboards, chair rails, blinds, window frames, fans, stair railings, pictures, mirrors, and light fixtures
• Spot clean switches, outlet covers, cabinet fronts, and doors
• Vacuum any carpets or rugs
• Sweep or vacuum hard floor surfaces and damp mop them

Schedule Additional Staff

While foot traffic may not be quite the same as years past, you’ll want to ensure you have enough people on to create a positive customer experience. Your approach to scheduling should be organized to ensure proper staffing.

• Consult with your staff
• Try to be flexible with time-off requests
• Provide incentives for working extra hours
• Hire temporary help
• Post and confirm the schedule in staff meetings

Freshen Up Your Website

Make sure you have your website content is up to date and that any sales, contests, or specials you’ll be having are clearly posted.

• Prominently display your deals
• Be clear with shipping costs and deadlines
• Bundle complimentary items
• Promote your loyalty rewards program
• Add festive videos, graphics, and images

Get Your Promotions Rolling

Many large companies have started their holiday shopping weekend promotions early this year, and it is a great idea for small businesses too.

• Post early deals on social media
• Offer different deals each day leading up to Small Business Saturday
• Start a raffle or contest with the winner chosen on Small Business Saturday
• Run exclusive online deals
• Continue your promotions through the holidays

Leverage Your Network

Touch base with local business owners and others in your network to create some buzz and word-of-mouth advertising around your promotions.

• Cross-promote with other businesses
• Set up a referral program
• Do a local scavenger hunt with the aim of visiting local stores
• Offer customer rewards for posting pictures of your business or merchandise

Click below for more ways to maximize your holiday profits