5 Things to Remember About Black Friday Marketing
It's that time of year again! The leaves are changing color, the air is getting colder, and stores are gearing up for Black Friday—the biggest shopping day of the year! For small businesses, Black Friday can be a make or break moment. A successful Black Friday sale can help you secure valuable repeat customers and boost your bottom line. But what even IS Black Friday, and why is it such an important day for retail? Keep reading and let's find out together.
The Origins of Black Friday
Contrary to popular belief, Black Friday did not get its start as the day after Thanksgiving in the United States. That tradition began in the 1950s when retailers began using the term to describe the heavy foot traffic and increased sales they saw on the day after Thanksgiving. However, the origins of Black Friday can actually be traced back to Philadelphia in the early 1900s. At that time, "Black Friday" was used by police to describe the chaotic scene that unfolded on the streets as hordes of shoppers flooded into the city for the annual Army-Navy football game.
Why does Black Friday Matter for Small Businesses?
For small businesses, capturing even a fraction of the spending that takes place on Black Friday can be a huge win. In 2021 alone, consumers spent a record $8.9 billion during Black Friday! But capturing customers on Black Friday is about more than just making a one-time sale; it's about building relationships with customers that will last long after Thanksgiving is over.
Of course, successfully capitalizing on Black Friday requires planning and preparation. You'll need to stock enough inventory to meet customer demand, create compelling offers and discounts, and promote your sale both online and offline. But if you can execute a successful Black Friday sale, you'll be well on your way to growing your small business into a big success story.
Black Friday Sales: Marketing Do’s & Don’ts
Black Friday is rapidly approaching, and now is the time to start thinking about how you’re going to inform your customers and future customers of your sales. But before you start brainstorming, there are a few dos and don'ts of marketing Black Friday offers you should keep in mind...
Do: Start Early
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is waiting too late to begin marketing your Black Friday sale. By starting early, you’ll reach more people, build up more hype for your sale, and get on your customer's radar before they make their shopping plans. You can also use early marketing efforts to gauge interest and get feedback so you can fine-tune your plans as needed.
Don’t: Overwhelm Your Customers
With so many brands competing for attention during the holiday shopping season, it’s important not to overwhelm your customers with too many messages. Stick to a few key channels and focus on delivering quality content that will pique their interest and encourage them to shop with you on Black Friday.
Do: Get Creative
When it comes to marketing your Black Friday sale, it pays to be creative. Think outside the box and come up with unique ways to get people interested in what you have to offer. If you can stand out from the crowd, you’ll be more likely to make an impression on potential customers.
Don’t: Forget About Your Website
Your website is one of your most powerful marketing tools, so don’t forget about it when promoting your Black Friday sale. Make sure your site is optimized for search so that people can easily find you when they’re looking for deals online. Once they land on your site, give them a reason to stay awhile by featuring compelling content and attractive visuals.
What Black Friday marketing do's and don'ts would you add to this list?
Consumers are looking for great sales on Black Friday. What can you do to set your deals apart?
With Black Friday just around the corner, consumers are on the hunt for great deals! As a small business owner, you're probably wondering how you can set your deals apart from the big box stores. After all, they have the advantage of deep pockets and national advertising campaigns - how can you compete? The good news is, there are several things you can do to make sure your Black Friday deals stand out.
Create a Unique Offer
The first step is to create a unique offer that will appeal to your target market. Think about what your customers want and need, and then craft an offer that meets those desires. For example, if you own a women's clothing boutique, you might offer a special discount on a new fall outfit. Or if you own a home improvement store, you might offer a free consultation with a contractor for weather proofing your home. Whatever you do, make sure your offer is something that will entice people to shop with you on Black Friday.
Advertise Your Deals Early
Another way to set your deals apart is to advertise them early. Get the word out as soon as possible so people can start planning their shopping trip around your store. Use social media, email marketing, and even old-fashioned flyers and mailers to spread the word. The key is to get people talking about your deals well in advance of Black Friday so they'll think of your store first when they're ready to start shopping.
Make Your Store Stand Out
On Black Friday itself, make sure your store stands out from the rest. This means having plenty of staff on hand to assist customers, as well as making sure your store is clean, organized, and well-lit. What does this look like if you're not a brick and mortar business? Great question! Consider implementing live chat on your website to provide amazing customer service for sale shoppers. Ask a few friends to shop your site early and give feedback -- were they able to find everything easily? What suggestions can they offer so you can tweak your website before the big day? Anything you can do to make your store / services more inviting will help set your deals apart from the competition.
Make sure your website is ready for a surge in traffic
Black Friday is one of the busiest shopping days of the year, and if your website isn't prepared for the influx of traffic, you could miss out on a lot of potential sales. Here are a few things you can do to make sure your website can handle the increased traffic and conversion rates on Black Friday.
Test your site speed.
Site speed is crucial for a good user experience. If your site takes too long to load, visitors will likely leave before they even have a chance to see what you're offering. Use Google's PageSpeed Insights tool to test your site speed and get recommendations on how to improve it. A fast website will also help you rank higher in search results, so it's a win-win!
Make sure your site is mobile-friendly.
More and more people are doing their shopping on their phones, so it's important to make sure your website looks good and functions well on mobile devices. Google has a handy tool that lets you test how mobile-friendly your site is. Just enter your URL and see how you score!
Check your security settings.
Make sure your website is secure by ensuring that all sensitive pages (like your checkout page) are protected with HTTPS encryption. This will help prevent scammers from taking advantage of increased traffic on Black Friday. You can check if your pages are secure by looking for the green lock icon in your browser's address bar.
By following these simple tips, you can ensure that your website is ready for one of the busiest shopping days of the year!
Prepare your inventory and your team for a busy day
Black Friday. Order too little inventory and you'll miss out on sales; order too much and you'll be stuck with unsold merchandise. And what can you do about the extra strain that Black Friday puts on your team? To make sure your biz is ready for the big day, keep reading.
Review your sales data from last year. This will give you a good idea of how much inventory to order for this year's Black Friday sale. Make sure to account for any changes in your product mix or expected demand.
Place your orders early. Many manufacturers and suppliers offer discounts for early orders, so it pays to plan ahead. This will also ensure that your inventory arrives on time and in good condition.
Train your team members well. They'll be dealing with stressed-out shoppers all day long, so it's important that they're up to the task. Make sure they know where everything is located, and how to handle common customer questions and complaints, and all the details of your sales.
Plan for contingencies. No matter how well you plan, there's always a chance something will go wrong on Black Friday. Have a backup plan for things like power outages, register malfunctions, server issues, and employee callouts. Make sure your team knows what to do in each case.
Most importantly, stay calm! Black Friday can be chaotic, but try to remain calm and focused throughout the day. The people around you will take their cue from you, so if you're frazzled, they'll be frazzled too. Take a deep breath and enjoy the excitement Black Friday brings!
Black Friday is a great opportunity for businesses to drive sales and get ahead. By remembering these five things, you can ensure your business takes advantage of this major shopping holiday.
Are you ready for Black Friday? Let us know how we can help you prepare!