Call for West Northants small businesses to showcase their work

14 November 2022

We are pulling out the stops in support of small businesses across West Northamptonshire as we approach this year’s Small Business Saturday on December 3.

There are over twenty thousand small businesses operating across the area, offering a vast range of products and services to meet most needs.

West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) is asking organisations to share a video showcasing their business and expressing why people should shop locally and support small businesses.

We have crafted a quick ‘how to’ guide to help even the most novice of videographers create captivating content to shine a spotlight on as many West Northants businesses as possible.

We are here to promote local businesses and will share the videos including any events and offers across our channels, so tag in @westnorthants on Facebook or Twitter and @West Northamptonshire Council on LinkedIn and use the #SmallBizSatUK hashtag.

The first Small Business Saturday in the UK took place in 2013 and since then the event has gone from strength to strength.

The campaign aims to highlight small business success and encourages consumers to 'shop local' and support small businesses in their communities.

The day itself takes place on the first Saturday in December each year, but the campaign aims to have a lasting impact on small businesses.

To ensure that residents and visitors can explore every West Northants business, all employers are urged to register on the free app, Explore West Northants.

The app showcases everything to enjoy all year round in West Northants, from independent businesses to cultural attractions and local events.

"Small Business Saturday is a great way to highlight what our incredible small businesses do.

"We have some amazing independent retailers, family-owned restaurants, pubs, cafes, visitor attractions and activity centres across our area – there really is something for everyone.

"However we want to make sure we are celebrating our small businesses all year round – this is why we encourage businesses to utilise all the free support and advice available so they can really showcase their business to the widest possible audience – all of which is available through our WNC Economy Team.

"So please, do join us in the lead-up to this year’s Small Business Saturday and take part in our activities and let us help to spread the word about your business, and all of the amazing businesses West Northants has to offer."Cllr Daniel Lister, WNC’s Cabinet Member for economic development, town centre regeneration and growth,

A range of free webinars are available to support businesses with everything from creating TikToks and growing a business online to managing time and money better.

WNC also offers wide-ranging support for businesses throughout the year including:

• Business growth
• Accessing funding
• Employment, skills and recruitment
• Help to start a new business
• A Business Toolbox packed with useful documents

Visit our Small Business Saturday page or contact us at [email protected] or on 01327 322230 to find out more.

Creating content for Small Business Saturday

Small Business Saturday takes place on December 3, and we’re encouraging fantastic independent outlets like yours to share videos of your business on social media, to shine a light on all that West Northamptonshire has to offer.

It may seem daunting, but the filming can be done quickly and easily on your smartphone, helping you show off your business and engage with potential customers.

These great examples of videos that businesses have produced might give you some inspiration, but we’ve also put together some top tips to help you:

Planning your video

A good video is all in the planning and preparation. Decide whether you want to shoot your video selfie style, whether you want a colleague to film you, or whether you just want to show off your products on film while you provide a voiceover.

You may feel too shy to appear on film, but please remember that videos with people in them are more engaging on social media. 

If you’re not sure what to say, then why not use the following as a guide:

• Introduce your business
• Where in West Northants are you located?
• How long have you been here?
• What do you sell?
• What is a popular product?
• What’s unique about your shop?
• Why should a customer visit your shop?
• What are you most proud of?
• Can you describe the experience of visiting your shop?
• What is your favourite thing about being a business owner in West Northants?
• Let people know where they can find you; in store, online or via the Explore West Northants App, available to download from Google Playstore or App Store.

You don’t need to answer all the questions – choose the most interesting ones for your business.

Shooting your video

Here are some things to think about when filming the video:

• Light - Can you increase the light in the room? It might appear bright to the human eye but the camera on your phone may struggle.
• Move your subject so they’re facing the light source and their face is the brightest part of the picture.
• Background – Look at the background of what you’re filming and think about how this portrays your business. What can you see? Is it uncluttered? Does the entire frame portray the message you want it to?
• Noise – limit background noise and avoid filming outside if there is traffic or any wind.
• Holding your phone – Hold your phone upright in portrait mode, as this style of video has a greater engagement rate on social media. If you’re getting a static shot then try to keep the phone straight and level and consider the use of a little tripod or something to rest the phone on.
• Smile…and relax – if presenting to camera, try to be as relaxed as possible and project your smile through your entire face and eyes.

Sharing your video

If your video needs trimming you can usually do this using the camera app on your camera smartphone, though we have also provided a list of free editing apps below.

Then please share it to your social media accounts. Be sure to tag us in Facebook or Twitter and @West Northamptonshire Council on LinkedIn and use the #SmallBizSatUK hashtag.

We can then share your videos on our channels to spread the word!

Free video editing software

• Adobe Express - web-based editor
• Canva - Web-based editor:
• Lightworks - Free software but installation required:
• iMovie - Free app for Apple devices: