[This article originally appeared on Time Warner Cable Business Class in November 2014.]

Can your small business handle the influx of traffic on Small Business Saturday? Don’t get left in the cold! Here are 3 ways to leverage the increase in post-Thanksgiving consumer spending.

Small Business Saturday, founded in 2010 by American Express, is a day to encourage people to shop at small businesses on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Every year, more and more people are taking part.

Black Friday tends to drive a lot of attention to big retailers, so Small Business Saturday is a way to remember and support small businesses during the holiday shopping season.

According to Twitter, 95% of consumers said they plan to shop smaller retailers in 2014 and spend $3 out of every $10 they have budgeted with small business retailers and e-commerce sites. Additionally, 8 in 10 consumers want to support small businesses during the holidays.

With all this focus on small businesses, the last thing you want is to be caught unprepared. Time Warner Cable Business Class offers you these three tips to make sure your small business runs smoothly on Small Business Saturday and during the holiday season…

1. Increase Your Internet Speed
Increased web traffic could slow your site down to a crawl. Get more bandwidth to meet your e-commerce needs.

2. Add a Phone Line
Do a health check on your business’ phone lines, listening to voicemails, hold music, etc. If necessary, add a phone line to better handle customer inquiries.

3. Secure Your Data
Protect your business data and provide a safe and secure shopping experience for your customers.

Taking these three easy steps will help ensure a stable and rewarding Small Business Saturday for your business.

Give us a call at 1-877-818-9321, if you’d like some help.