Making Black Friday Work For Your Business
Let’s start with the basics, what is it?
‘Black Friday’ is the informal name for the Friday following Thanksgiving Day in the United States (the 4th Thursday in November). The name ‘Black Friday’ traces back to Philadelphia in the 1950s, when famous shopping frenzies would stir as people flocked to the city for a big Army-Navy Football game. After the police came up with the nickname, it was immortalised in print before being picked up in the 80s by retailers who wanted to give it a positive spin. Black Friday soon became synonymous with being “in the black” in sales graphs after a year of poor profits (“in the red”).
Now, Black Friday is globally recognised as a commercial, shopping holiday for businesses to entice customers with limited deals. With advancements in e-commerce, Black Friday has stretched to a whole weekend event involving Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday and Giving Tuesday.
When is it?
Black Friday will fall on the 27th November, 2020.
Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday and Giving Tuesday
Whatever your business looks like, there’s a wealth of opportunity to join in with this special event. On Saturday, small business owners are given the spotlight by American Express’s dedicated holiday, Small Business Saturday. The following Monday, e-commerce steals the show as customers engage with Cyber Monday (or Blue Monday). This event took off in 2005 when shop.org’s founder noticed a huge 77% spike in online sales after Black Friday. Finally to round off the weekend, Giving Tuesday introduces a chance for global generosity, gift-giving and charities to shine.
Why are these events important?
The traditional Black Friday experience will be different this year. Previously, Black Friday might have rustled up images of chaotic queues, impatient customers and stock flying off the shelf. Now, the convenience (and necessity) of e-commerce allows customers to pick up a package, avoid cold weather and stay in the comfort of their homes. This presents a great opportunity for online retailers. With the right preparation, you can get in on the action while sitting back and watching your promotions run themselves…
How to Prepare
To get you started, we have complied some top tips on how to prepare your online store and social media presence. If these ideas get you thinking and you want to know more about how we can collaborate on them with you, please get in touch at studio@yellowcherry.uk.
E-commerce & Store Promotions:
The best way to prepare is simple. Make sure your e-commerce site is firing on all cylinders ahead of the main event. As e-commerce stores rise in popularity, the competition increases. Therefore, customers expect a high level of mobile functionality, an intuitive user interface and a seamless checkout experience offering multiple payment methods.
Additionally, running an online store promotion with a limited time frame creates an urgent CTA (Call to Action) for customers to make their purchase. Even a simple 10% off from 27/11/20 to 01/12/20 can be featured across Social Media posts and Newsletters, driving traffic to your website and increasing your sales. These deals can be added to your e-commerce site so they apply automatically. To visually increase the urgency of the CTA, an online countdown could be added to your site to highlight the remaining time in your sale.
Not sure where to start? Contact us to see how we can help.
Google Ads:
Google Ads are very effective at driving traffic to e-commerce throughout the year. Therefore, they can be utilised to their maximum potential with a Black Friday promotion. Update your current ads or get in touch if you are interested in setting up a new ad account on the world’s most popular search engine.
Newsletters:
Newsletters are a great way to connect with your established audience. By creating a special Newsletter that highlights your upcoming Black Friday promotions, your customers will be able to refer back to your email when shopping. Why not get creative? Create a ‘gift guide’ for the upcoming festivities featuring Black Friday discounts for him/her/Dad/Mum/etc..
Social Media:
Set aside time to create Black Friday graphics to showcase your deals. Accompany them with captions that include the relevant hashtags like #BlackFriday and #SmallBusinessSaturday. Upload them on the day or schedule them in advance so you can sit back and let your promotion run itself. Don’t have the time to create social posts or Newsletters? Contact studio@yellowcherry.uk to see how we can help.
The Future of Black Friday
As the digital landscape adapts, so does the world’s biggest shopping holiday. For retailers and marketers, creating a personalised and mobile-focused shopping experience for customers is key. Additionally, business owners should keep in the know with cultural shifts in consumer attitudes such as a desire to purchase ethical and sustainable products. By combining this knowledge, you can create Black Friday promotions that are authentic to your brand and genuinely engaging for your audience.
Still looking for more information on how to boost your Black Friday sales? Contact us to find out more.