Pet Pangaea Owner Cyndi Wells in her store during last year’s Small Business Saturday brought the event to Los Alamos 10 years ago. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com
CHAMBER News:
Save the Date
More than ever the Chamber and MainStreet will promote small businesses for Small Business Saturday and how shoppers can safely make purchases at local business.
This year Small Business Saturday is Nov. 28 and there is a lot planned. Organizers are trying to spread the shopping period out and capture early shoppers. Participants do not have to be a Chamber Member and can do as much or as little of Small Business Saturday as they like. Please plan ahead, however, to be included in the marketing effort.
The deadline to be in the Holiday Shopping Guide is Oct. 29. Blue Bucks raffle will run Nov. 15-Dec. 15.
Plan Your Offer EARLY this Year
Participating business are encouraged to plan a sale, make coupons or think about a giveaway. Restaurants could feature a special food item on their menu. Stores can submit information on unique gift items for the Chamber’s Los Alamos Holiday Gift Guide.
Blue Bucks Raffle
Enterprise Bank & Trust will again sponsor the award-winning Blue Bucks Raffle, which will run Nov.15-Dec. 15, to spread out the shopping and incentivize early, local shopping. New this year, purchases made in person or online on the actual Small Business Saturday will be worth double tickets! Businesses can fill out the raffle tickets for online shoppers this year. There will still be cash prizes and gift bags with merchandise purchased from participating businesses, and of course the business that gives out the $1,000 winning ticket will again also receive $1,000. Participating businesses will be included on the Small Business Saturday map. They do not have to be a Chamber Member to participate. Register by visiting the Los Alamos Chamber Small Business Saturday webpage. Contact Ufemia Bernal Rios at ufemia@losalamos.org for further information.
Holiday Shopping Guide
Los Alamos MainStreet and the Chamber will again produce the Los Alamos Holiday Shopping Guide, which Del Norte Credit Union is sponsoring. Businesses are encouraged to submit information on unique products or services they would like to highlight this year by emailing Jeremy Smith Jeremy@losalamos.org with a brief description and a jpg image of the item.
Previous guides can be found on the bottom of the MainStreet website here: https://www.losalamosmainstreet.com/visit. Please note that the shopping guide will publish earlier than ever this year to best capture potential shop-pers. So please submit items to be considered by Oct. 29. The 2020 Holiday Shopping Guide will be digital and will also be published in the Los Alamos Daily Post printed newspaper Nov. 5.
Separately, the 2020 Small Business Saturday Special Section will be published in the Los Alamos Daily Post printed newspaper on Wednesday, Nov. 25. Businesses are not required to buy advertising space in the Nov. 5 or the Nov. 25 issues of the Los Alamos Daily Post to be included in the Holiday Shopping Guide and the Small Business Saturday Special Section. However, a 10 pecent discount will be offered to any interested Shopping Guide and SBS participants. For more information, about advertising in the Los Alamos Daily Post, contact KayLinda Crawford at 505.695.4996 or kaylinda@ladailypost.com for ad rates and dead-lines.
Small Business Saturday LIVE Show
New this year, the Chamber and MainStreet will promote participating small businesses during a Facebook live event, sponsored by Del Norte Credit Union. The idea is to let potential shoppers know what products or services are being promoted by local businesses and how shoppers can safely make purchases. Participants in the Facebook live event can bring an item or two in person to talk about or the Chamber can promote what they submit to the Holiday Shopping Guide. Thank you to PAC-8 for helping with this event. Sign up now to participate by emailing ryn@losalamos.org.
Small Business Saturday Tax Holiday
Don’t forget that Saturday, Nov. 28, is also the Small Business Saturday New Mexico Gross Receipts Tax Holiday. For this one day, the state suspends collection of gross receipts tax on sales of qualifying items at certain small businesses.
Give to a Charity
A Small Business Saturday tradition in Los Alamos and White Rock is for the participating businesses to donate a portion of their Small Business Saturday proceeds to a nonprofit of their choice.
This has always set Los Alamos County apart from all other communities that observe American Express’ Small Business Saturday. The businesses each select what percentage, or flat dollar amount, they want to donate to a local, statewide, national or international charity. If businesses decide to give to a charity, please let the Chamber know so it can promote this! Marketing Materials from American Express
As soon as the Chamber has the link to sign up to be a Neighborhood Champion, businesses can receive the free Small Business Saturday swag.
Questions?
Email ryn@losalamos.org or ufemia@losalamos.org at the Los Alamos Chamber, or call 505.661.4816.
