Why Black Friday is More Than Just One Day

For 65 years, the day after Thanksgiving has been regarded as the beginning of the holiday shopping season. Retailers have come to count on Black Friday to set the pace for holiday sales, and as competition for customers has increased, stores have begun to open earlier and earlier, with some now beginning their promotions well before Thanksgiving Day.

About a decade ago, retailers began to extend Black Friday through the weekend and into Cyber Monday. These days, Black Friday promotions are far more than just one day of sales to lure in shoppers and kick off the holiday shopping season. Is your brand leveraging Black Friday marketing to build momentum going into the busy holiday season?

In this post, we’ve put together some tips to help you get the most out of Black Friday promotions and boost sales throughout the season.

6 Tips to Get More Sales from Black Friday

1. Make it easy for customers to find your deals.

Black Friday shoppers consult apps such as TGIBlackFriday.com to get a sneak peak at ads, compare deals, and plan their shopping strategy. Plan specific digital advertising including PPC ads, banner ads, and social media ads to support your Black Friday promotions.

2. Get in on Cyber Monday.

Many shoppers prefer to avoid Black Friday crowds and do their shopping online in the comfort of their home or office on Cyber Monday. Even if you’re not set up to sell your products online, you can likely still offer things like gift cards and coupons to Cyber Monday shoppers.

3. Use email marketing.

Email is one of the best (and easiest) ways to get the word out about your holiday promotions and reward loyal customers with early access to discounts. Appeal to the sense of urgency inherent to Black Friday sales by including a time-sensitive offer, and target procrastinators by sending out a last-minute notice just before the sale ends.

4. Make it an event!

Invite customers to an in-store event. They will expect discounts, but you might also consider offering an extra incentive, such as a freebie, to encourage them to stop by your store. Create a sense of FOMO by broadcasting live on social media during the event.

5. Support a cause.

Team up with a local charity to support the community by offering customers an extra discount when they make a donation—such as a food item or gently used clothing. Consumers like to support brands that give back to their community.

6. Give people a reason to follow you on social media.

Create buzz leading up to Black Friday by encouraging followers to check your Facebook or Twitter page before they go shopping to discover a discount hashtag they can mention at checkout. In addition, using a hashtag like #BlackFriday, #BlackFriday2017, or #BlackFridaySale will help shoppers find your page. Be sure to monitor your social media pages throughout the day and address any issues or questions customers may have.

Remember, you don’t have to wait until Black Friday to begin your Black Friday promotions, or end the promotions and excitement after it’s passed. Create anticipation via social media or email to get your holiday sales off to a great start, and carry the momentum throughout the holiday season.