ready for the holiday season? the national retail federation (nrf) says 41 percent of consumers are already shopping for holiday gifts, but most shoppers identify black friday as the real kickoff to the ho-ho-ho season.

black friday gets a lot of hype, but the nrf predicts a “spending frenzy” to span the entire weekend after thanksgiving, which also includes small business saturday, the nationally recognized holiday held the saturday after thanksgiving (u.s.).

consumers will have their wallets ready. sales throughout the season are expected to increase by 4.1 percent this year, a full percentage point higher than last year, according to the nrf. on average, customers will spend $804 this year on everything from gifts to holiday décor.

to help businesses kickoff the season right, we’ve created the following black friday and small business saturday promotions for you. (remember, you can create promotions now and schedule them to send before each holiday.)

1. black friday: deep discount promotion

consumers expect big, once-in-a-lifetime kind of deals on black friday, so be ready to offer deals that wow. consider dropping the price on one of your most popular items, or give a smaller discount on an item that’s never on sale.

here’s what to enter as a promotion if you’re using fivestars, though these promotion ideas apply to anyone using any promotion tool. just change what’s in the brackets to fit your needs:

what’s the promotional offer?

• celebrate black friday with [40%] off [jewelry]!

what’s the occasion?

• prices won’t be lower than this! stop in on 11/25. we’re open [8am-8pm].

when does the promotion expire?

• end of business on black friday, 11/25.

2. black friday: double loyalty points

you might not be able to match the deals that big box stores have on dozens of items, but you can leverage your loyalty program to attract customers to your business.

for every customer that makes a minimum purchase, you can double the amount of loyalty points they receive. of course, only you can decide what the minimum purchase amount is based on your inventory, but it should be an amount that’s fairly easy to achieve.

here’s what to enter as a promotion, just change what’s in the brackets to fit your needs:

what’s the promotional offer?

• get double the points on black friday.

what’s the occasion?

• make a purchase of [$25 or more] and you’ll get twice the points!

when does the promotion expire?

• end of business on black friday, 11/25.

boost your black friday sales with these 5 promotions

3. small business saturday: take the hassle out of the holidays

giant retailers spend money on holiday advertising faster than santa and his elves can make toys. big box stores might be able to outspend you, but they can’t match your customer service.

remember, 86 percent of consumers say personalization plays a role in their purchase decision. so, play to your strengths. create a way to “take the hassle out of the holidays” for your customers by offering a service that big box stores can’t.

for instance, bring in additional staff to make holiday crafts with kids while mom and dad shop, or set up a free gift-wrapping booth for your customers.

here’s what to enter as a promotion in fivestars for both ideas:

what’s the promotional offer?

• free activity corner for kids on small business saturday!

-or-

• free gift wrapping on small business saturday!

-or-

• free shopping consultation

what’s the occasion?

• we’ll take the hassle out of the holidays by entertaining your kids while you shop!

-or-

• we’ll take the hassle out of the holidays by doing the wrapping for you!

-or-

• need shopping help for the holidays? come by on small business saturday and we’ll give you a free, personalized consultation!

when does the promotion expire?

• end of business on small business saturday, 11/26.

4. small business saturday: free gift

by offering customers a free gift when they shop at your store on small business saturday, you’re not only providing an incentive for consumers to buy, but you can also use the gift as a thank you.

on a day that focuses on the little guy, do something that big box store often overlook: appreciate your customers.

in addition to the promotion, you might even consider offering free snacks, candy or beverages. it’s just another gesture that makes your local, loyal customers remember why they should shop small.

here’s what to enter as a promotion, just change what’s in the brackets to fit your needs:

what’s the promotional offer?

• shop with us on small business saturday and get a [free gift]!
• note: you can specify what the gift is, or you can keep it a surprise.

what’s the occasion?

• it’s our way of saying thanks for supporting small businesses. stop in on 11/26. we’re open [8am-8pm].

when does the promotion expire?

• end of business on small business saturday, 11/26.

the weekend after thanksgiving marks the start of a busy holiday season. to make sure your promotion train doesn’t stop here; take a look at these seven examples of festive holiday promotions that you can mimic this year.

want even more black friday promotion ideas? check out this post: boost your black friday sales with these 5 promotions