Small Business Saturday is a day for everyone — from the business owners who create jobs to the customers who buy locally — to support small businesses that invigorate the economy and keep communities thriving.

It began in 2010 when American Express founded Small Business Saturday to help small businesses get more exposure during one of the biggest shopping weekends of the year. Today, American Express offers even more help, including free and easy-to-use tools, to help small businesses get the most out of the day and tools for consumers to show their support.

Small Business Saturday is the Saturday after Thanksgiving and it sits between Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

As a consumer, you are a key part in helping small businesses thrive. By shopping or dining at a small business, you're showing your support for all the small communities around you. This means you could be helping local entrepreneurs offer more jobs, which in turn invigorate the economy. In 2010, over 100 million people came out to shop at independently-owned small businesses on the day. So join in and show your support for your favorite small business and search for savings on unique merchandise while experiencing spectacular service – a cornerstone of many small businesses.

That's up to you! You can go shopping or dining at a local small business, spread the word to others or share the news online and through social media. Anything you can do helps to give small businesses the support they need to keep creating jobs, powering the economy and invigorating communities. And that's what makes Small Business Saturday a success.

As a small business owner, you're automatically (or already) part of the day. Small Business Saturday is the day when the community comes together to show its support for you, the small business owner, and to give you exposure during the holiday shopping season.

The big retailers have Black Friday and the online retailers have Cyber Monday. Now, small business owners have their own kickoff to the holiday shopping season with Small Business Saturday.

Whether you are a brick-and-mortar retail store, restaurant or online-only small business, you can take advantage of the day. American Express can help you make the most of the day — Just look at how other small business owners have made their Small Business Saturday a success.

No, you don’t have to “sign up” to be a part of Small Business Saturday. The day is for all to celebrate you and the contribution your business makes to the community and the economy. Thus, whether you are a brick-and-mortar retail store, restaurant or online-only business, just by being a small business owner, you’re already a part of it. As such, participation is as simple as being open for business.

American Express is offering free resources for you to use (visit "Promote My Business" section for more details), including:

• Great ideas from small business owners last year who made the most of their Small Business Saturday.
• The marketing kit (coming soon), designed to help you reach more customers and support the movement, will include personalized signage and email copy, Shop Small logos, talking points, and social media copy for Twitter and Facebook.

You are free to use any, all, or none of the resources provided.