Small business tips for Black Friday & Cyber Monday
Autumn was finally here but just when things started to feel calm for small businesses everywhere, something lurked in the shadows. It was big, really big, and it was just a matter of time before it was here… you can procrastinate but you can’t hide from The Black Friday & Cyber Monday Weekend Monster Sale!
What is Black Friday & Cyber Monday?
Nov. 29 to Dec. 2nd are some of the most important dates as a business and online retailer. If you haven’t prepared a plan of attack yet these tips will help you to get going in the right direction. In 2018 consumers spent $6.2 billion in online sales on Black Friday (up 23.6% since previous year) and $7.9 billion in online sales on Cyber Monday (up 19% since previous year.)
Create irresistible deals
If you have an online presence then your audience consists of more than your current clientele. Social engagement throughout the year builds trust in your followers on social platforms, and having an irresistible sale during BFCM weekend can be the motivator in converting a follower into a customer.
You can also offer an exclusive deal to your mailing list or previous customers as a reward for being a part of your business’s journey. This encourages a feeling of community in your audience and targets people that are already proven to be interested in your business (based on the fact that they are subscribed or established customers.)
Creating a deal can take many shapes, but here are a few suggestions:
- offer a discount (30% off entire order)
- free shipping
- Buy 1 get 1 free
- 20% off bundled items
- BFCM spin-to-win wheel
-
Free gift with purchase
(Shopify instructions!)
Build hype
There is no point in creating a sale if no one sees it. Sure, your followers and subscribers may scroll past it or breeze through your email that weekend, but you want to have your customers looking forward to your sale! Or at least subconsciously aware of it so they can decide with more confidence when the time comes.
You don’t need to know all the details yet if you haven’t planned that far, but you can throw out a message to your social media or email lists that something exciting is coming at the end of November, or even poll your audience and see if they prefer free shipping or a discount. This is great data for you to have and it gets them thinking about making a purchase.
Creating a countdown or weekly posts that build up hype to your sale puts your business in the subconscious of your buyers. Many of us take time to make decisions or are very guarded over our hard-earned money but if you have successfully built the trust and relationship with your audience over the year then they are here for the hype you are building.
Set up analytics for future sales
If you haven’t already set up a way to collect data, make time to do this as soon as you can. Take the time to understand the analytics that comes standard with the programs that you are using, like Facebook, Instagram and Shopify, etc. Setting up a Google Analytics account can seem daunting, but it’s a free service that provides you with a look into who is visiting your website. Using this informtaion you can make better decisions in your marketing and advertising campaigns. Web traffic leading up to the holiday season is higher so now is a great time to start tracking your analytics.
