Small Business Saturday falls on November 28, 2026, and the best time to prepare is about two weeks ahead. This Small Business Saturday marketing checklist shows what to fix and when, so customers can find you, choose you and come back.
It covers three jobs. First, get your hours and listings right on Google and Apple Maps, which AI assistants also draw on. Next, promote one clear offer by email and social, and finally turn Saturday shoppers into regulars.
Each task has a deadline and takes minutes, not days. Work through it this week and next, and you'll go into Thanksgiving weekend ready.
The day draws real crowds. In 2025, NRF's Thanksgiving weekend survey counted 62.7 million in-store shoppers on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The full five-day weekend drew a record 202.9 million shoppers.
Shoppers also plan to wait for it. In NRF's 2026 holiday survey of 8,094 adults, 64% say they're likely to do most of their shopping over Thanksgiving weekend. Of the 56% who say the economy will affect their plans, 43% will shop for sales more often.
The movement behind the day is large, too. American Express reports $100 billion in consumer-reported spending at small businesses from 2021 through 2025. That total comes from its Small Business Saturday and Shop Small campaigns.
Many shoppers decide where to go before they leave home. They check Google Maps or Apple Maps, or they ask ChatGPT, Gemini or Google AI Mode for shops nearby. If your hours are wrong or your offer is invisible, you lose the visit before it starts.
That's why the work starts now. Google and Apple review posts and promotions before they go live, and most subscribers need a few emails before they act on an offer. The timeline below shows when each job should be done.
If you already follow our holiday email marketing calendar, this checklist fits inside it. It zooms in on one Saturday and adds the listing and in-store work that email alone can't cover.
Start with the places shoppers look first. A complete, accurate listing can do more for Small Business Saturday than a paid ad, and most of the fixes are free. Use the checklist below to track every task in one place.
Small Business Saturday 2026
Small Business Saturday marketing checklist
Sources: Google Business Profile Help, Apple Business User Guide, American Express Shop Small.
Set special hours in your Google Business Profile for November 26 through 30, covering Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday. Google's special hours guide recommends confirming holiday hours even when they match your regular hours. Special hours appear only on the dates you set, so regular hours return on their own.
Next, publish an offer post on your profile. Google's posts guide says an offer needs a title plus start and end dates and times. Google reviews every post first, and posts stay pending on unverified profiles.
Don't skip Apple. Update your hours in Apple Business and add a showcase that promotes your Saturday offer. Apple's review can take up to three calendar days, and our guide to your Apple Maps business listing walks through the setup.
If you accept American Express, check your merchant account for the "Show on Shop Small Map" setting. The Shop Small program lists qualifying card-accepting businesses on its map for free. American Express says it can't guarantee a listing appears, so treat it as a bonus rather than a plan.
Your name, address, phone number and hours should match on every listing and on your website. Consistent details are easier for AI assistants and map apps to trust and show. Our guide to getting recommended by AI search explains why that matters.
Finally, search for your own business on Google Maps from your phone. If you can't find it, fix that first with our list of reasons a business is not showing up on Google Maps.
Pick one offer and build every message around it. Several competing deals confuse shoppers, and a single offer is easier to post, print and explain at checkout. It should reward a visit without wiping out your margin.
Simple offers work best for small shops:
In NRF's 2026 survey, 47% of shoppers want gift cards, the top item on holiday wish lists. Each card also brings someone back to your shop later. A gift card bonus usually costs less than a store-wide discount.
Plan three emails. Announce the offer around November 20 and send a reminder on November 27. On Saturday morning, send a short "we're open, here's the offer" message.
Keep each email focused on the one offer, with your hours and address near the top.
Add UTM tags, short tracking codes, to every email and social link so you can see what drove visits and online orders. A consistent format, like the one in our UTM naming conventions guide, makes results easy to read in Google Analytics.
On social, post the offer at least twice before the day and once on the morning itself. American Express offers free Shop Small marketing materials, including social posts, email banners and printable posters. You don't need to accept American Express cards to use them.
Show people what they'll find when they arrive. A short video of the shop being set up, a photo of the bundle or a staff pick gives followers a reason to visit. Pin the offer post to the top of your profile so it's the first thing visitors see.
Small Business Saturday is worth more if shoppers come back in December and beyond. Plan the follow-up before the day, because a busy shop rarely has time to set it up on the fly.
Collect email addresses at checkout. Offer a reason to join, such as a December discount or early access to January sales, and get clear consent. Our comparison of single vs. double opt-in helps you choose the right sign-up setting.
New subscribers should get a welcome email that day or the next. If you don't have one yet, use our guide to writing a welcome email sequence and keep the first email short.
Ask every customer for a review while the visit is fresh. A small card with a QR code at checkout works well. Our tips on how to get more Google reviews cover the wording, too.
Reply to every review, including any negative ones, using our templates for negative reviews.
Within a week, send a thank-you email to everyone who bought or signed up. Give them one reason to return before Christmas, such as a new arrival or a December event. The weekend is where the relationship starts, not where it ends.
Then write down what happened while you still remember it. Note sales, the number of transactions, new email sign-ups and new reviews, and compare them with an ordinary Saturday. If you track online orders, our guide to GA4 key events shows how to measure them.
Your next step takes ten minutes. Open your Google Business Profile today, set special hours for November 26 to 30, and choose the one offer you'll promote.
Small Business Saturday 2026 is on Saturday, November 28. It falls between Black Friday on November 27 and Cyber Monday on November 30.
No. Any small business can take part and use the free Shop Small marketing materials. Only qualifying businesses that accept American Express can appear on the Shop Small Map.
Start about two weeks ahead. That gives Google and Apple time to review your offer post and showcase, and gives you room for all three emails.
Choose one simple offer that rewards a visit, such as a gift with purchase, a bundle or a gift card bonus. Gift cards top holiday wish lists in NRF's 2026 survey, so a gift card bonus is an easy fit.
Set special hours in your Google Business Profile for Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday, even on days your hours don't change. Google shows special hours only on the dates you set.
