Whether you run a small or large business, Black Friday can be a big day for you. Black Friday, is when many businesses offer sales for their products or services. It's also the day when many retail businesses open early—at 5:00 AM or 6:00 AM. Some businesses have even started opening at midnight the night before.
Holiday Shopping On Black Friday
Although discounts and bargains are available year-round, consumers have come to associate Black Friday with the biggest sales. Given that most people also have Black Friday off from work, that makes it easier for them to hit the stores and get started on their holiday shopping. And it might include the things they want to buy for themselves as well as the things they want to buy for friends and family.
Why Some People Don't Like Shopping On Black Friday
The fact this is the largest shopping day of the year can also deter some customers. Some people don't like shopping in a crowd. Plus, there have also been some instances of violence on Black Friday.
So this gives online businesses a good opportunity to step in. If your website is ecommerce-enabled, then the customer can take advantage of the sales on Black Friday while avoiding the crowds at the same time.
Businesses Compete To Offer Discounts On Black Friday
The main thing drawing people to shop on Black Friday is the sales. Your digital marketing strategy should reflect this. So prepare your business for this day by offering substantial discounts on your products or services. Most businesses are competing with each other with regard to how much they can offer in terms of discounts. So if you're offering a 20% discount while a number of other businesses are offering 50% for the exact same product or service, people aren't going to turn to you as their first choice unless you can differentiate yourself in some fashion. This differentiator can be highlighted in your digital marketing.
Offer Higher Discounts On Older Lines And Possible Holiday Gifts
Are there certain older lines you're looking to sell off asap? If so, you can offer a higher discount on these products. Are there any smaller products people might be more likely to buy during the holiday season? For example, if you're a clothing retailer, you can offer a higher discount on scarves, as these make great holiday gifts.
Catching The Customer's Eye Via Your Website, Blog or Social Media Pages
You might be offering very good discounts on your products but these aren't going to be much use if your customers and prospects don't know about them. So, you need to start announcing your Black Friday deals early on your website, blog and social media pages. Words like “sale,” “discount,” “bargain” etc. are going to catch any customer's eye, especially if prominently displayed on your website and integrated into your social media marketing. And it also helps if the customer can see an image of what's going to be on sale right next to your announcement. People are attracted to images and video. So, make them a part of your digital marketing strategy for Black Friday.
Be Clear About How Much Something Is Going To Cost
H&M has a great marketing strategy: they put the cost of everything they're selling right next to the image. They do this on billboards and in magazines too. Other businesses don't do this. You have to go to the website or the store to see how much something costs. But, if you tell the consumer how much something costs right away, they'll go to the shop or the website with the intention to buy.
You can do this on your website, blog and social media pages. You can also do it in marketing emails which you send out to your customers and prospects prior to Black Friday.
Sales On Black Friday vs. Sales Throughout The Holiday Season
Remember, Black Friday is the largest shopping day of the year. Some businesses, however, prefer to stay closed on Black Friday and spread their sales throughout the months of November and December. You can use this to your advantage, especially if the businesses who do this are your competitors. Your best strategy would be to offer the heftiest sales on Black Friday but to continue to offer discounts throughout the holiday season.
Contact us for more digital marketing tips in preparation for Black Friday.
