by Elisa Pequini / @lipequini Lines around the block, people camping in front of stores, fights over products = typical black Friday? For the large players, Black Friday may mean huge sales and full stores but small business can take advantage of it as well, and there’s still time! Remember that people are more willing to spend money on Black Friday, so don’t let the opportunity slip by. Here are some tips on how use social media to make the best of Black Friday for your biz:

• Make special deals and discounts for your followers: Many people would rather pay a little more for what they want and not be in line for hours. Take advantage of that and offer a discount for your Facebook Fans and Twitter followers who visit you on Black Friday.
• Offer gift wrapping , cookies, hot chocolate, and valet-parking: your store may not be the cheapest, but if your customers can get a discount AND great service, they will most certainly prefer shopping at your venue. People love holiday shopping and a great atmosphere  can draw them in.
• Monitor and interact more than usual – if people reach out to you, you need to be there for them. And if they don't, you can always reach out to people who are asking for gift ideas and talking about holidays.
• Research the other companies in your field and find out what they are NOT offering. Focus on that deal and spread it like crazy through your social media network.
• Be the alternative - not everybody wants to get a huge TV for Christmas. If you’re an Etsy-type store or have amazing other gift possibilities, offer good deals and advertise on what a great Christmas gift your products make.
• If you are in a service business, such as beauty and salon services, offer a discount for Black Friday shoppers. Ask them to show the receipt of what they bought and give them 50% off on a foot massage or other treatment.
• Let Twitter accounts focused on deals, such as @blackfriday and other local ones, know about your promos and ask them to retweet it for you. Since their main business is to let people know about nice deals, if you’re offering something interesting there’s a good chance they will RT it for you.

Here’s a great Infographic from Credit Donkey on Black Friday Facts - if you're not convinced yet, it can help you realize how important this event can be for your business.