From Shop Small Selfies to Small Business Saturday Reels: The Story Behind Our Promotion
Can I tell you what gets me fired up this time of year? It's not just the holiday buzz or the pumpkin lattes (okay, maybe a little). It's Small Business Saturday and the chance to shine a spotlight on the incredible small business owners right here in Central Wisconsin.
A Little History
Small Business Saturday was founded by American Express back in 2010 as a way to encourage people to support local businesses during the holiday shopping season. Since then, it's grown into a year-round movement that's generated over $200 billion in reported sales for small businesses across the country.
My first Small Business Saturday promotion was back in 2015, and it was simple: Shop Small Selfies. I'd post photos of local business owners, and the buzz was incredible. Hundreds of shoppers joined in, creating a ripple effect across Central Wisconsin.
If a handful of selfies could generate that kind of excitement in 2015, imagine what's possible now with video.
Two Videos. That's All It Took.
Last November, I teamed up with a handful of local businesses to create two reels each - one showing off their products, one just letting their personality shine. The result? 2,000 to 3,000+ people reached per video and a wave of new followers, all landing right when local shoppers were actively looking for somewhere to spend.
And the power of video doesn't end there. This spring, during the Lucky to be Local promotion, a single reel for Feltz Dairy Store pulled in 29,820 views and brought 44 new followers along with it. This isn't luck. It's what happens when the right story meets the right moment.
This isn't a one-and-done thing, either. Clients who've stuck with video long-term are seeing it compound:
Hoozels at the Lakes posts about one video a week, averaging 4K–10K views per reel, with a few breaking 100K.
DNL Recreation has done video content with us for two summers running, averaging 2K–3K views per post, with standout reels hitting 11K.
That's what long-term video does - it doesn't just spike once, it builds an audience that keeps growing.
This Year's Small Business Saturday Promotion
So what's Wisco Brandings Small Business Saturday Promotion intail? Two packages, both built to get your business seen, remembered, and chosen this holiday season.
Social Surge
🤳 A Shop Small Selfie featured on Wisco Branding's Facebook and Instagram
🎥 Two custom reels made just for your business - one product-focused, one full of personality - fully filmed and edited, posted to your accounts (and one featured on ours)
📌 A 12-month feature on our Support Local page
🧀 A spot in the November Cheddar Letter and Small Business Saturday email blast
📰 Inclusion in Wisco Branding's Small Business Saturday press release
Amplified Package
🚀 Everything in Social Surge, plus a Facebook and Instagram ad campaign running between 2 weeks and 30 days. Strategy, targeting, ad copy, and a performance summary included (ad spend is separate, recommended $8–10/day minimum)
Timeline: Payment and signed agreements are due by November 6th - we need that lead time to plan, film, and edit. Content sessions run through November 13th, with videos going live between October 15th and November 28th, timed strategically to build momentum right when your customers are paying attention.
Why This Works
Why video works? People don't scroll past a good story - they stop, they watch, they remember. Video gets you seen in a way a static post never will.
Why add ads to the mix? Organic reach gets you discovered. A little ad spend behind the right content gets you discovered by the right people - new faces in your area who haven't found you yet, right when they're ready to shop local, click, and become customers.
Why do I care so much about this? Because nothing beats the hometown experience. I'll be honest, I hate grocery shopping, and you won't catch me ordering off Amazon if I can help it. But a good day popping in and out of local boutiques? Sign me up! I'm in those shops both Black Friday and Small Business Saturday, and I promise you, I'm not the only one.
Ready to promote your business during the busiest shopping season of the year? Contact us to reserve your Small Business Saturday spot.
Written by Steph Schmid, founder of Wisco Branding.
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