Seeking Black Friday ideas to boost your small business sales?
There are lots of dates on a marketing calendar, but one that’s definitely a stand-out is Black Friday.
While it started as a US event, it has spread around the world. Companies see customers everywhere looking for Black Friday bargains.
This means that whether you sell products or services, it’s one you need to use in your promotions!
Check out these Black Friday marketing ideas to help you make the most of this opportunity.
The images below were created in PromoRepublic. All I did was add my logo! Easy-peasy. If you purchase a plan, I may earn a commission.
What is Black Friday?
Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving in the US. It’s typically seen as the day when the holiday shopping season starts in earnest.
Because of this, many retailers offer great discounts and bargains to prompt shoppers to get their holiday shopping going right away. Because the earlier they start, the more they buy!
This has also spread to the online world, with Amazon being a big part of it.
But many smaller companies – and even individuals offering services or digital products – are joining in.
People are ready to buy, so don’t miss out.
What is Gray Thursday?
Gray Thursday is the day formerly known as Thanksgiving!
This is a nod to the fact that many online retailers start their sales on Thanksgiving evening.
Some people have jumped into the habit of doing a little shopping after the family evening meal has finished. Yes, leaving the people they’re with to go buy them presents! Sort of a moral gray area 😉
What is Cyber Monday?
Cyber Monday is the last day of this sale period.
The Monday after Thanksgiving became known as Cyber Monday back in the mid-2000s, when online sales were really starting to take off.
The idea was that this was the day people did online shopping, after grabbing their bargains in the stores over the weekend.
But now the whole period from Thursday evening until Monday sees a mixture of in-person and online shopping.
Why is Black Friday Marketing Important?
The main reason to get involved with a Black Friday marketing campaign is that people spend money!
Each year, billions of dollars are spent in the US alone, and the numbers continue to grow.
While this does mean the marketplace can be saturated, it makes for a great opportunity to get some sales, win new customers, or get old ones back.
But you need to plan your Black Friday marketing strategically. Get started now!
Black Friday Marketing Ideas
Let’s look at a few of the ideas you could use to make extra sales around Black Friday, for different types of businesses.
Unveil a new product
People are always looking out for something new, and Black Friday can be a great time to unveil a new product while everyone is in shopper mode.
You can go about it two ways.
- One is to add an item a few days before the sale, and then promote it over the weekend.
- The other is to launch on Black Friday with a limited time deal.
A countdown timer is a great way to get a little urgency into the process.
Offer a VIP early-bird discount
You can offer a VIP early-bird discount that could start late Thursday night, and is only offered to existing customers.
This way, you reward people who have bought from you before.
Create a sense of scarcity if there really is a limit to the number of products or the length of time the offer will be available to them. This will prompt people to make a decision so they don’t miss out.
Create a “Black Friday Exclusive” post
Use the power of social media to reach people with exclusive Black Friday content.
From a Facebook post to a carousel on Instagram, make use of the algorithms that will be favouring content relating to the event.
Again, if it is true, state that the deal is only around until the end of the event period.
Give away a free gift with every purchase
Another great marketing approach is to give away something with each purchase. This rewards people who buy from you, but ensures you are still making a profit.
You can do it for any purchase, or tie it into spending a certain amount.
Many small businesses use something low cost worth $2-5 that simply makes the customer feel more important and valued.
Just ensure it’s relevant to the product they’re buying.
Offer a Buy-One, Get-One 50% Off
Deals where you get a second item at a reduced price are a great way to increase order value.
Other options might be 3 for 2 deals (Buy 2 Get 1 Free), or a percentage discount when you spend a certain amount.
Just make sure you have the stock to honor the deal.
Create a Bundle of Products of Services
Bundling your products or services into a limited time price package is a great Black Friday approach.
You can increase your sale value while ensuring the customer gets a great deal.
If you sell products, you could even create mystery bundles where the customer gets a surprise with what’s included. It’s a great way to move excess inventory! Just make sure the items are desirable to the buyer, so they’re excited, not disappointed.
Make Your Black Friday Sale a Facebook Event
If you have a Facebook Page or Group, you can create an Event that will offer all your Black Friday deals.
Invite potential customers to attend. Be sure to send them information about it, by email or with Facebook ads.
You can even go Live on Facebook during the event to attract more attention to it.
Other Black Friday Sales Tips
Create a Preview of Products That Will be Available on Sale
While you want your deals to run over the Black Friday period, it pays to preview your customers on what will be on sale.
That means you can showcase the products that will be available, and even give details of the discounts involved.
Get people to sign up for your email list to be notified when the deal is live, or to join your Facebook event.
Or create coupons that only work over those days to create some genuine scarcity.
Don’t Limit Your Sale Just for Black Friday and Cyber Monday
Don’t forget that the weekend days are just as busy as the two named days on either side.
Keep discounts, coupons, and special prices in place for the whole weekend to maximize your sales.
Or have different deals for each of the different days.
Reward Your Loyal Customers
Black Friday is a great time to get new customers. But don’t forget to reward your old ones!
VIP deals are something already mentioned, but consider extra discounts, early access, or exclusive products for people who have bought from you before.
Don’t be afraid to team up with other brands to offer promotions to their existing customers, and vice versa.
Making the most of Black Friday
Black Friday might not work for every business, but we’ve offered 10 ideas to help it suit yours!
Marketing your sale is very important. These ideas will give you some solid approaches to get the most sales, so you can make money over the event.
For super simple visuals to draw attention to your promotion, try PromoRepublic. For the graphics above, all I did was add my logo! If you purchase a plan, I may earn a commission.
What kind of Black Friday marketing strategies could you run this year?
Next, check out these Christmas marketing ideas!
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