Colour Friday
We’re taking part in Colour Friday this year!
The biggest in-store and online retail selling day in the calendar “Black Friday”. This year it has been renamed, Colour Friday and we are taking part.
What is Colour Friday?
A day to celebrate the fantastic small, independent and COLOURFUL businesses that make up online and the high street. We might be small but we are mighty and abundant!
Did you know? If we all purchased just ONE gift from a small business this Christmas we would be putting £2.7 billion back into our small businesses!
Why shop small this Christmas?
- When you shop small a small business owner quite literally does a “Happy Dance” in their studio, shop or dining room. Your orders and support to your local small businesses means everything and we quite literally, couldn’t do it without you.
- When you shop small, you’re purchasing direct from a person or family rather than a large brand whose owner you can’t even name. You’re helping someone pay their mortgage and put food on their table to feed their children. You’re not encouraging a multi-millionaire to go and buy another home or jet.
- When you shop small, you’re supporting someone to achieve their dream. Allowing them to do something they love for a living and making a small but mighty difference in the world.
- If that’s not enough reasons to buy small then perhaps this will help…
The vast majority of small businesses are aware of their footprint on the world and as much as possible are trying to become more sustainable. When you shop small you know your gift is HANDMADE so it’s going to stand the test of time and not be thrown away in six months time.
It’s also good for the environment. Products mass-produced are contributing to greenhouse gases. Products made to order reduces carbon emissions and prevents waste. Meaning one order at a time we are making a better, greener and happier world!
This Christmas (and always), we are asking you to shop better, shop wiser and shop small. Think to yourself… “Do I need this item?”, “Can I look for a better, more sustainable and longer lasting option?”, “Can I purchase this from my local small business and support them instead?”.
How are we taking part in Colour Friday?
It is our job as small businesses to change consumer minds and make you think. That is exactly what this blog post is all about.
This Colour Friday I will be shouting about shopping small, local and supporting your independents that really need you this year, more than ever.
I won’t be participating in Black Friday nor will I be offering crazy discounts or offers that I simply can’t afford as a business. Instead I will be channelling ‘Colour Friday’ and saying THANK YOU to those who have been on this journey with us and continued to support us everhday.
Sign up to our newsletter to receive a BIG thank you and a free gift to your inboxes this Friday (27th November). You’re welcome!
I will also be offering two different craft bundles where you can treat yourself, the craft lover in your life, or make memories and get crafty with the family this Christmas (something we really missed last year). These limited craft bundles will be available on our website shop with newsletter subscribers receiving VIP access.
Next weekend we will also be taking part in Elf Day to raise money for the Altzheimers Charity. If you purchase a Pom Pom Elf Kit from us next week we will be donating 20% of sales from the kit to the Altzheimers charity. *Another reason why small businesses are so blooming wonderful!*
I will also be sharing far and wide my favourite small and local businesses here in the South West. Read our Christmas gift guide blog.
What can you do to take part in Colour Friday?
You can be a champion for small businesses. You can shop wiser and better and consider your purchases before you make them. You can consider what businesses you would like to support and help this year. But most important of all you can shop small this Christmas (and always). If everybody bought "Just A Card" from an indie business that could be enough to get them through to next year. Your independents businesses are depending on you.
I realise that not everybody has the budget to buy every item small this Christmas, and I completely understand that. This is not a blog post to make you feel bad, it’s simply to raise awareness of how you can support small even without buying a single thing. Here’s some ideas I have put together below…
- Head to Holly & Co and print off Studio Rude poster and display in your window at home, studio or your local indie shop. Help us get this message across to all and shout out about our fabulous colourful businesses.
- Share your favourite small and indie businesses across social media platforms and on a blog or website if you have one, even if it’s another and completely different business your customers may like to hear about it.
- Ask for gifts on your Christmas list from small, local and independent businesses because even if you can’t shop small others can.
- Visit your local handmade markets and events and chat to the stall holders – we don’t expect you to buy anything and we promise not to scare you off, we are friendly and honestly just love to chat!
- Like, love, comment & share your favourite small business posts. Even just a “I love this” or “this is fab” would make someone’s day.
- If you have social media use hashtags such as ‘ColourFriday’ and ‘CampaignShopIndependent’ to get our message across far and wide.
This list is not exhaustive there are MANY ways you can help small businesses this Christmas.
THANK YOU for reading this blog and for supporting small, you are fab-u-lous!