Welcome to Quarter 4. Enter all the phrases like, “this year flew by…” and “can you believe its already the end of the year.” This time of year I’m not just decorating for fall, consuming #PumpkinEverything and deciding whether or not I’m going to convince my husband into wearing matching family Christmas pajamas for the second year in a row, but it’s the time where I start to not just THINK about my Black Friday offer but also plan it.
I get it, there’s A LOT going on, and I’m here to tell you as someone who left Black Friday on the back burner last year and waited too long to get my ducks in a row it landed me with a big ol’ goose end – zero sales. Why? Full transparency… I didn’t give myself enough runway. The year before I planned, tested and asked for the sale – and I closed 5 new people who had been just waiting on the sidelines for an offer that sparked their interest. Pro Tip: You too have people in your corner of the internet who are WAITING WITH ANTICIPATION for your next product or service.
Tis’ the season when audiences are expected to be sold to and boy is it big business. In 2022, shoppers in the US spent $9.2 billion, with more than half of that via mobile. And a piece of that (pumpkin) pie can be yours — just sayin’.
So what does that mean? Now is the time to get going and start planning, creating, AND marketing your offer that is on the horizon…because well, everyone else is…why not you too!? Here’s what to think about if you want to make your Black Friday event a successful one – instead of a stressful one.
Are you going to get on the sales bandwagon?
First up, are you going to run a sales/discount campaign? For many brands, the answer’s yes – Black Friday is a great opportunity to move old stock or to capture new customers who will hopefully stick around to become loyal followers. But while we’re all familiar with the absolutely wild discounts that come with Black Friday (I am looking at my half-off Roomba right now), participation doesn’t have to mean eviscerating your bottom line. If deep discounting doesn’t make sense for you, consider bundling products in a savvy way, offering a free lead-gen item like an ebook or course introduction, or even using the day to launch a new product.
What’s the goal of participating in Black Friday?
However you choose to join in on the Black Friday chaos (or shoot! keep it going through Cyber Monday), make sure you’re strategic about it. Think about Black Friday in terms of your wider Q4 goals – and the goals you’re thinking about for next year (because you are doing that, aren’t you). Are you striving to build brand awareness? Gain new customers? Turn lurkers into $$$? Reconnect with existing customers? Or move the stock you need to meet those end-of-year sales targets? Make sure your campaign runs with those goals in mind, and that you’re not just giving customers a massive discount purely due to FOMO. (If you’re doing an in-person event, don’t forget to add those address details!)
Start getting your social media assets in order
A great Black Friday campaign doesn’t just explode on the internet the day of. You’ll get way more traction if you start teasing your campaign in the days and weeks leading up to Black Friday. Remember – always be connecting those dots! Encourage people to sign up to your newsletter so that they don’t miss out on your special deal. Hint about what you’re offering via social media and blog posts. Have a countdown or landing page on your website and social pages. And see if you can line up collaborations or reciprocal posts with like-minded brands or influencers to spread the word. The more excitement you can drum up, the better – because remember that everyone else is going to be doing the same thing. One great way to do this is to design a unique, memorable campaign with unforgettable branding and messaging. Is there a specific take that will help you stand apart?
Be Ready for the Deluge!
Black Friday can be A LOT. Don’t tease a big campaign and then head off to sip eggnog and watch A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. You need to be on the ball when it comes to dealing with requests, answering messages, and handling orders. This day is your time to shine, so don’t let your customers down! If you’re just one person and can’t handle the influx of requests, loop in some support before the day so that questions and comments aren’t going unanswered for too long. (If that’s out of the question, make sure that your Black Friday deal is something you can easily manage in a hands-off way – see the above section on strategy!)
Keep Following up With Those Leads!
Black Friday will whiz past, but after it you’ll hopefully have a ton of new customers and leads on your list. Your goal from here should be to keep nurturing those customers to turn them into loyal superfans. Make sure they’re signed up to your newsletter. Check in to ensure they’re happy with your product or service. Say hi with add-on or follow-up products you think they’ll love, and keep working on those outbound social media efforts to build those relationships and visibility. Soon you’ll be perfectly primed to smash those Q4 goals and race into 2024 with massive growth aspirations!
Need some help strategizing for Black Friday BEFORE the big day? I’ve got your back. Book a Brainstorm in a Snap, and let’s make this Black Friday one you’ll appreciate even more than Mom’s epic turkey stuffing!