We are a small business, in a couple of days it will be Saturday, we are based in Brentwood, Essex; so what is happening at the weekend? Well it's Small Business Saturday.
What is Small Business Saturday? It's an initiative to get shoppers to think of using their local suppliers rather than the bigger national names, the obvious suppliers who support their efforts with massive advertising campaigns. American Express have been supporting the campaign with full page newspaper adverts and TV coverage too. Their printed advert talks about the butcher, the baker and the vintage dress maker. Well we're none of those although there are several in Brentwood along with the cluster of TOWIE shops and beauty parlours.
As a buyer we try to think local, for obvious reasons, but it's hard to sustain a truly local buying programme. This week we've bought technology devices (mainly USB hard drives and a USB hub) which we've got from Maplins in the High Street. OK, maybe not what the campaign had in mind but it highlights a difficulty of the campaign in that we aren't left with many truly local suppliers, certainly in retail, here in Brentwood. Sure we use the local post office but we've also engaged a local book-keeper and a local handyman for a bit of site maintenance. The Small Business Saturday has certainly helped us to "think local".
What can we offer you? Well if you decide to use us for photo scanning (assuming you're in Brentwood, Shenfield, Ongar, Billericay, Hutton, Kelvedon Hatch, Pilgrims Hatch or anywhere within striking distance) we'll collect and return your photos free. And more - if you place an order on Saturday we'll give you a 20% discount.
What if you live outside the Brentwood area? If you mail your photos to arrive here on Saturday, or if you post your parcel on Saturday, then we will return your photos free. Yes, free postage for Saturday's orders. And more - for orders of over 1,000 photos we'll also give you a 20% discount. That's it - photo scanning and Small Business Saturday in Brentwood.
