You should have already started preparing for Black Friday!
On November 24th the modern phenomenon that is Black Friday will be taking place once again! Having out-performed the very British tradition of Boxing Day over the last few years, consumers will be scouring for deals and retailers will be looking to cash in on the demand.
Viral videos across social media have shown Black Friday to be like the real-world equivalent of The Purge films. Mass brawls over TV’s, t-shirts and tablets have frequently occurred when the sales come about, but the real battle is now done on the digital battlefield.
For all ecommerce businesses, the Black Friday sales are an amazing opportunity to drive sales, build brand awareness and engage with loyal customers. You may think to yourself that it’s just the large conglomerates like Amazon that really reap the benefits of this event, but SME’s can also really thrive! It all comes down to planning and strategy.
The sales event is also no longer limited to a singular day. Companies now hold sales over the weekend, as well as what’s known as “Cyber Monday” and some have even stretched the sale to a “Last Chance Tuesday.” Here is our step by step guide to get your business ready for Black Friday.
Black Friday Strategy
- First of all, test that your website is able to handle a big surge in traffic to avoid crashing when it comes to the big day.
- Make sure your logistics, delivery and staff are all prepared for what could be a very manic few days.
- Plan which stock you want to discount and schedule the start date of their altered prices.
- Create plenty of graphics and visuals for website banners and social posts.
- Plan your advertising strategy and know which platforms you’re going to utilise e.g. Google AdWords, Bing Ads, Facebook Ads and email marketing.
- Build up anticipation through social media channels and through email marketing.
- Set up retargeting campaigns so those who have visited your site during the sale can be repeatedly yet subtly urged to make a purchase.
- Specifically target loyal customers by offering them an exclusive Black Friday discount.
- Always ensure that you have a contingency plan in place. If your website goes down suddenly, you will need developers at hand to ensure you don’t lose out on any sales!
We wish you a happy Black Friday 😊
Image Credit – My Marketing Cafe
