6 strategies to nail your Black Friday marketing in 2023
Hold onto your hats – it’s that time again! Black Friday and its digital sibling, Cyber Monday, are barreling towards us, promising a whirlwind shopping frenzy and online traffic. What started as an American tradition is now an international shopping extravaganza, marked eagerly by consumers and retailers worldwide - including here in New Zealand.
In 2023, if you’re not taking part in Black Friday you could be missing out on a golden opportunity to capitalise on driving sales - but it’s not as simple as throwing up some Meta ads and expecting to make a killing. There’s huge competition from every angle, and ad costs are always rise during this period, so it’s important to think creatively and strategically about how to cut through the noise and make Black Friday work for you.
If you’re thinking of taking part, let’s delve into the world of Black Friday advertising and uncover strategies for businesses to thrive amidst the chaos…
1. Get in early
These days, Black Friday starts well in advance of the actual day - so make sure you’re ready. Build excitement and anticipation with your audience by promoting your sale ahead of time, and clearly communicate your discounts to create hype. Offer early access to VIP customers or those subscribed to your database, to incentivise sign-ups and grow your customer base all while generating sales. While starting early is good, think about how long you want your sales to run for. While extending your sales period can attract more customers and drive revenue, maintain a balance to avoid diminishing your brand's credibility and trust - you don’t want to be known as ‘the brand that’s always on sale’.
2. Craft a compelling offer - and have creative assets to match
To cut through the noise, your Black Friday offer needs to stand out. Generic discounts of 10% off won't suffice amidst the competition. Aim for compelling discounts and promotions - think about what freebies, bundles or limited edition products you can offer to hook people in. Once you’ve got that nailed, support your offer with strong creative assets - animated graphics, short videos, and static visuals, that all clearly showcase your offer. Tailor your content for each marketing channel, ensuring you have captivating content ready for reels, stories, emails, and SMS campaigns to capture users wherever they are online.
3. Be ready to invest in ads
You need to spend money to make money during Black Friday. While you might go into the campaign with a set budget in mind, be prepared to adjust your budget if things are going well. Keep a close eye on your ad return on ad spend (ROAS) and cost per purchase metrics and if you’re seeing positive results, invest more budget to capitalise on the success of your campaign.
4. Don’t underestimate the power of email marketing
Don't let sales slip through your fingers! Develop a robust email strategy well before starting your ad campaigns, so that you’re capturing every potential customer possible. Use abandoned cart email nurture flows and reminder emails to keep your brand top of mind and nurture customers through to a sale. Email marketing boasts one of the highest ROI among marketing channels - making it a key part of your Black Friday strategy.
5. Harness data and analytics
Learn from previous Black Friday seasons. Analyse what’s worked and what hasn’t for you in the past. Identify peak traffic times and bestselling products, and leverage this data to optimise your strategies this year. Use analytics to pinpoint where potential customers drop out during the checkout process, and then optimise your customer experience at these stages to boost conversions.
6. Think beyond the sale
Once Black Friday is done, what’s next? While it’s easy to see the dollar signs and get excited about the potential sales, are you prepared to deal with the post-sale madness? Ensure that you’ve got responsive customer service and have efficient order fulfilment processes in place - especially if you’re inundated with orders! Clear communication with customers post-sale and quick delivery timeframes makes for a seamless experience - leaving them as happy, repeat customers of your brand.
In the fast-paced world of Black Friday marketing, success hinges on early preparation, compelling offers, strategic ad spend, email marketing finesse, data-driven decisions, and post-sale excellence. By implementing these strategies, businesses can cut through the Black Friday noise and make the most of the retail event of the year - all while fostering brand loyalty and growth in the process. Start planning now to make this Black Friday your most successful one yet!
