Work backward from the date
Start by confirming this year's date from the organizers' own materials or your local chamber of commerce. We do not list it here, because dates shift. Once you have it, count back and give yourself several weeks. The goal is not a stunt on one afternoon. It is to have the shop, the website and the messages ready for the whole holiday run, with the day as your first big push.
Walk through the practical list with your team. Who is working, and when? What stock is in, and what is the one product you want people to remember? Which photos still need taking? A downtown shop in Chilliwack or Abbotsford, a boutique in Fort Langley and a salon in Garrison Crossing all face the same pattern: foot traffic peaks briefly, and the businesses that are ready get the benefit.
Tidy the Google profile first
Many shoppers will search on their phones while standing in a parking lot, asking what is open near them. Make sure your profile answers. Set special hours for the weekend itself and for the weeks after, update the phone number, add a few new photos of displays, products and the entrance, and check that your categories still describe what you sell.
Add a post that says in one plain sentence what you are doing, and reply to any reviews waiting for an answer. If you sell gift cards, mention them on the profile and website. A profile that looks active gives people a reason to walk through your door instead of the one next to it.
Email and social: tell people early, then remind them
Email your own list first, because those people already know you. Send a short note ahead of time that says what is coming, then a reminder close to the day with hours and a clear offer. Only message people who agreed to hear from you, and include your business name, contact details and a working way to opt out.
On social, show people rather than telling them. Film a quick tour of the new stock, introduce the person who makes or sources something, post the shelf you restocked this morning. Ask regulars to tag you. If you run a small Meta ad, aim it at the neighbourhoods around your shop with one offer and one link, and check that the page it opens works well on a phone.
Offers that suit a shop or a service
A deep discount is not the only lever, and for many small businesses it is the wrong one. Think about what is cheap for you and valuable to the customer: a small gift with a purchase, a made-here sample, a gift-card bundle, extended evening hours or a booking slot held for newcomers. Services such as clinics, salons and trades can offer gift certificates, an introductory visit or a seasonal check-up.
Whatever you choose, make it easy to explain in a single sentence, and make it match online and in store. If a web order qualifies for the same offer, say so. If stock is limited, say that too. Nothing sours a new customer faster than arriving for an offer that no longer exists.
- In store: a gift with purchase, a local-makers table or a tasting
- Online: pickup orders, a gift-card page and the same offer shown clearly
- Services: gift certificates, introductory appointments or a seasonal bundle
- Hours: a late opening or a held booking block on the day itself
Team up with the businesses next door
Your neighbours are not only competitors; they share your foot traffic. A stamp card that sends shoppers from your door to the café and the bookshop down the street costs little and gives people a reason to wander. Swap window posters, tag each other in posts and put a small map of participating shops by the till.
Talk to your chamber of commerce or local business association about joint promotions, and settle the details in writing: who prints what, who handles prizes and who answers questions. After the day, thank the new faces by name where you can, invite them to your list with a clear ask and plan your next date with the neighbours before the holiday rush swallows the calendar.
Gift searches are moving to assistants
Shoppers increasingly ask an assistant for gift ideas nearby instead of scrolling through results. Those answers draw on your website, your profile and what other people say about you. Name your gift categories in plain words, keep product details current and make sure hours match everywhere. The shop that is easy to describe is the shop that gets described.
- 01Gift and shop-local questions answered directly by assistants
- 02Product details and hours pulled from your profile and site
- 03Customer reviews and photos used as proof of what you offer
Questions & answers
Check this year's date with the event's own materials or your local chamber of commerce, since we do not publish it here. Once confirmed, put it on your calendar and plan backward so your profile, emails and offers are ready well before the day.
No. A simple, clear offer works better than a deep cut you cannot sustain. A gift with purchase, a bundle or a special hour can attract people without hurting your margins. Choose something that fits your brand and that you can explain in one sentence.
A short, tightly targeted Meta campaign can reach neighbours who do not yet follow you, as long as the offer, the landing page and your opening hours are ready first. If they are not, fix those before spending anything, and review the results afterward.
Yes. Clinics, salons, trades and studios can offer gift certificates, introductory appointments, open-house hours or a seasonal bundle. The aim is the same: give nearby people a reason to try you, then ask permission to stay in touch afterward.
