Small Business Saturday is on November 28th this year. The U.S. Small Business Administration has cosponsored it since 2011, and it kicks off the holiday season by encouraging people to spend money at businesses in their community.
Athens is a perfect city to be in for Small Business Saturday. Athenians are tight-knit and proud to support local, and the UGA vs. Georgia Tech football game happens to fall on the same day, meaning thousands of football fans will head to Athens for the weekend to eat, drink, shop, and celebrate. For Athens, GA businesses, a few weeks is enough time to give those shoppers a reason to pick you. This guide covers who to team up with, how to run a free event, what to offer, and what to start now for 2027.
Team up with the business next door
If you have a storefront, start by thinking about who’s within walking distance from you and isn’t a competitor. A bookstore and a wine shop. A yoga studio and a juice bar. A boutique and a tailor. Their customers overlap with yours, and nobody has to choose between you.
Athens makes this easy because shops cluster in a few areas with high foot traffic. Five Points has dozens of boutiques, restaurants, and bottle shops within a few blocks, and everything is walkable. Downtown Athens and Normaltown work the same way, and downtown foot traffic is at its peak on game days. On Small Business Saturday, shoppers who are already out will walk another block if you give them a reason.
“When we can, we love to have two of our clients team up together.” -Cole
What a real Athens collaboration looks like
Two of our clients ran a collaboration like this in January. Men’s Health Athens and First Class Fitness serve the same person in different ways throughout his wellness journey, so they built an offer around that: Start treatment at Men’s Health Athens and get a free membership at First Class Fitness: one month of free gym membership for TRT, two months for weight loss treatment, and three months for anti-aging treatment. The offer ran in January only.
Both businesses promoted it. Men’s Health Athens and First Class Fitness posted the same graphic in their respective brand colors and styles, with the same offer and audience-specific captions. On January 30, Men’s Health Athens ran a “last chance” post to close out the month.
We recommend replicating this for three reasons:
- A new audience. The post brings in the other account’s followers too. Those people already follow a business that fits yours, which is an easier introduction than an ad to strangers.
- Low cost. Each side offered something it could afford to give and sent customers to the other.
- Bonus points: a collab post lives in one place, so likes and comments from both audiences add up on the same post instead of splitting across two. A post that shows more activity looks more credible to the next person who sees it.
A Small Business Saturday version could be simple. A boutique and a tailor could trade a free hem for any purchase over a set amount. A bookstore and a wine shop could each give customers a coupon for the other. Pitch your neighbor this week, and plan to post three or four days before November 28.
Host a free event
On September 20, 2025, First Class Fitness hosted Fit Fest, a free community event from 9 a.m. to noon at its Athens gym. It offered free guest passes, raffles, and gym tours, and it brought in partners including Men’s Health Athens, Supreme Nutrition Athens, House of Lore, and nutritionist Corey Little. Each partner on the flyer brings its own customers, so the gym reaches people who’ve never walked through its doors.
You don’t need a gym to copy this. A boutique could host a free styling hour. A bakery could run a tasting. A candle shop could run a workshop with a sign-up sheet at the door. Invite two or three neighbors, give people something free (a pass, a sample, a raffle entry), and use the sign-up or raffle to collect email addresses.
Build an intentional offer
It’s important to note that “We’re open on Small Business Saturday” isn’t an offer. Pick something specific and limited to November 28.
- A one-day deal that won’t show up again in December, like 20% off everything or a bundle you only sell that day.
- A reward for showing up early, like a free gift for the first 20 customers.
- A bigger basket: spend $75 and get a free add-on.
- A giveaway people will use, like a tote bag nice enough to carry or a sample paired with something you sell. Put your name on it where other people will see it.
Collect an email address before shoppers leave. A raffle entry card, a QR code at the register, or 10% off the next visit for joining your list all work. Those addresses outlast the sale. After November 28, email marketing keeps you in touch with people who chose to shop with you, and content creation gives you photos and video from the day to use in your posts.
Start planning for 2027 now
The Athens Farmers Market is a hub for local businesses, and Small Business Saturday can bring extra traffic to a market like it. Vendor applications for this year have already closed, but put August 2027 on your calendar to ask about vendor spots for holiday and Small Business Saturday markets.
This year, visit as a customer. Introduce yourself to vendors and organizers, ask how applications work, and get permission before you hand out any materials at someone else’s event.
If Black Friday is also on your plate, our guides on preparing your Athens business for Black Friday and choosing the right Black Friday marketing channels cover the same weekend from the sales side.
Your week-by-week plan
- Monday, November 23: Announce your offer on social media with the date, the deal, and your address.
- Tuesday, November 24: Email your list with the same details and any limited quantities.
- Wednesday, November 25: Post stories that preview your giveaway or show what you’re prepping.
- Thursday, November 26: Pause to post a simple thank-you for Thanksgiving.
- Friday, November 27: Post a reminder with your hours, address, and offer. Tag your partners.
- Saturday, November 28: Post when you open, share updates through the day on stories, and draw your raffle winner at close.
If you want an agency that plans promotions like this for Athens businesses, reach out here. MORE handles social media management, Instagram ads, and Fractional CMO services. The Men’s Health Athens case study shows what that looks like over time: 1.5 million views on Meta, a 35% increase in clicks, and 47% growth in organic keywords.