Winter 2012

Sales Surge
on Small Business Saturday

Carlyn Smith Creations gave away a free poinsettia with every purchase on Small Business Saturday.

Carlyn Smith Creations in Perry Hall, MD

Specialties: Gift shop with lines such as Kameleon and Trollbeads
Years in business: 4
YOY Sales Increase: 150%
Owners: Megan Knauer and Sharon Iannuzzi

Sales at Carlyn Smith Creations in Perry Hall, MD, increased 150% on November 26 compared to the prior year. “We were shocked. It was amazing,” says store co-owner Megan Knauer. Carlyn Smith Creations promoted the Small Business Saturday event through email and the store’s Facebook page, including linking to posts from the national Small Business Saturday Facebook page. The store also gave away a free poinsettia with every purchase.

Knauer credits the efforts of the national campaign for a large part of that success. “A lot of our customers came in asking if we were part of Small Business Saturday,” she says. People were coming in to the store with their American Express cards to spend money and take advantage of the $25 credit that the company was offering shoppers who spent money at small businesses that day. The Small Business Saturday campaign also helped to bring in new customers. A number of people said that it was their first time in the store and that they would be back, adds Knauer.

Carlyn Smith Creations started promoting Small Business Saturday in early November, but Knauer says she would like to get an even earlier start next year to get the word out to customers. “We didn’t get any of the signage that was available, but we will try to do that next year,” she says. “I think that would have raised even more awareness if we put that in our store window.”