Small Business Saturday provides an opportunity to build new relationships with customers and nourish existing ones. As you know, managing customer relationships properly is the key to success in today’s business world. This is a day centered around quality service. Here are a couple of things to keep in mind this Saturday:

Keep your customers happy. Their experience with your business on Saturday can turn out to be your best advertisement. New customers will find you through reviews or stories from current customers. You never know who will come through the door after reading a real-time tweet about a marvelous experience had at your store.

Don’t make promises you can’t keep. Expect the unexpected to happen on Saturday, so don’t promote or offer something that you might not be able to pull off. If you’re advertising free samples or a discount on Small Business Saturday, your customers expect to receive it as they walk in the door, so set up realistic offers.

Collect email addresses. This is a great opportunity to continue building your email list. Take note of what they purchase or items that sparked their interest. By following up with new faces who walk through the door, you’re showing them you care about their experience, are thankful for their business, and that an experience with you is different from any other.

Answer questions promptly. Have enough knowledgeable staff on hand available to answer questions in person and on the phone. This is the difference between good and great customer service. None of your customers should have to wait for an answer or wander around looking for someone to ask. Many people utilize this day to find that perfect one-of-a-kind gift, so offer suggestions on your most popular products.

Treat everyone who walks in the door like a close friend. Remember, these people are here to support you. The big department stores hire temporary help this time of year; people who don’t care about the business. On Small Business Saturday, the ones walking through your door have come in for that personal, one-on-one experience with you and a level of customer service that can be hard to find at big stores. Don’t disappoint them.

Small Business Saturday provides the opportunity to let consumer’s shopping dollars support small businesses within their community. This is something that excites us all, so follow these tips and put in the effort on Saturday to build relationships and provide your customers with an unforgettable experience!