Preparing for Black Friday and promotional sales can begin as early as mid-October. However, if you haven't developed a strategy yet, there's no need to worry because we're here to provide guidance.
Figure Out a Promotional Plan
Now is a good time to begin deciding which products and services you want your business to promote. Keep the goal in mind.
What are you hoping to achieve? This will determine your marketing plan.
- Increase profits
- Grow customer base
- Highlight certain goods or services
Where and how do you plan to advertise? Keep it simple for short-term promotions so you can get maximum quality.
- Recurring reminders on company website
- Direct Emails
- Mailing Coupons
- Focus on which promotional campaigns were most successful in the past
What kind of deal are you offering? This should align with your goals.
- Incentivize current customers to have a discount if they refer your company to other people or on social media. This can bring in new customers.
- Give out limited free samples with discounted goods to promote new products
- Buy one get one half off can increase sales
How long will the promotion run for?
- Will the Black Friday sales only last that weekend?
- Wil is last only one day, or multiple?
- Will it continue after into the holidays?
Get the Word Out
By placing consistent reminders in places where your customers frequent, you can ensure that your company will remain in the back of their minds.
- Email reminders
- text message reminders
- Social media posts
- Website banner popups -think of a countdown
Any Black Friday marketing plans for the company should align with the promotional goals. Ex: if the goal is to bring in more customers, then highlight that in the messages and remind customers that referrals get them a special discount code.
Get Additional Help
If you’re expecting more traffic, especially if it is one of your marketing goals, then some extra help can go a long way.
For a physical store, make sure you have enough staff on hand for the foot traffic and sales. Likewise, an online store might need help with packaging and shipping. Along with also making sure the website is in work order for accessibility, optimized for mobile scrolling, and adding a few extra things like “out of stock” or shipping pages.
Take Advantage of Increased Customers
The extra customers don’t have to be the ones that got away! There are several ways to go around strengthening relationships with current customers and grabbing new ones. The best strategies can accomplish both.
- Make sure that any new employees are able to provide quality customer service and answer questions quickly
- Make sure your contact information is easy to find – business cards at checkout, updated Google profile, social posts on the website, etc.
- Consider a FAQ page for swifter customer satisfaction
- Include special seasonal gifts such as gift wrapping or goodies
- Keeping accurate shipping information for customers keeps them updated – as unexpected delays and supply chain disruptions can happen during the holiday
- Find a way to keep in touch with the newer customers you bring in for the holiday season. Create an email pop up window on the website, or an email sign up sheet at checkout.
Above All, Keep It Simple
Trying to copy the most prominent brands will run you ragged. They have the manpower of corporations to handle big projects, so just do what works for your store. Black Friday are temporary sales, so there's not need to go all out like a long-term project.
Many customers love the charm of small business, and will be more likely to shop at your store when kept simple and authentic – consider that a win-win situation. It ensures a positive experience for you and for them.
