If you’ve been in retail for any time at all, you’ve seen Black Friday change. Once the traditional kick off to the holiday shopping season, Black Friday is now part of a larger week-long shopping event. Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday add to the excitement of the season – but they can make it hard for your Black Friday specials to stand out. Here are 5 techniques you can use to make sure your customers are headed for your store or website the minute they’ve finished their Thanksgiving turkey:
[Tweet “Millennials and Gen Z like to plan their Black Friday shopping ahead of time.”]
1) Targeted Email Advertising
Use the week prior to Black Friday to let your best customers know what your best offers and promotions will be. Don’t worry about spoiling the surprise! Today’s shoppers – especially Millennials and Gen Z – like to plan their shopping ahead of time. They’re comparing offers and looking for the best deals. Use email marketing to let them know they have to shop with you.
2) Consider Free Shipping
Black Friday is going to be a big holiday for Amazon and other major online retailers. Free shipping is a fairly standard offering. If you want to be competitive, you’ll have to think about it. Control expenses by limiting free shipping to purchases made within a certain time frame, or require a minimum purchase amount.
3) Create a Sense of Urgency
Black Friday has traditionally been about the too-good-to-be-true deal. If you’ve got a jaw dropping offer – significant savings on highly desirable merchandise – make sure to promote it heavily ahead of time, stressing the limited quantity and timeframe in which the offer will be available. For an added boost, use Messenger or another texting app to message customers directly.
4) Use Social Media Strategically
40% of fourth quarter revenue can be generated during the week containing Black Friday. It’s important to make sure you’re reaching your customers where they are. This means scheduling social media posts – particularly Instagram and Facebook – to appear during peak shopping hours. Include calls to action to convert customer interest into action.
5) Have Follow Up Plans in Place – Remarketing
Shopping cart abandonment happens every day of the year, including Black Friday. Make sure you have a plan in place to capture those lost sales. Remarketing campaigns include targeted emails and display ads that remind your customer of the thing they almost bought
