If there is one thing that people just cannot resist, it’s a good discount. Which is why the American practice of holding a Black Friday sale the day after Thanksgiving has turned into a worldwide tradition. What started as a one-day promotional sale soon evolved into a four-day shopping bender, ending on what we now call Cyber Monday, where the promotions are targeted at online buyers.

On Thursday the 26^th of November, anxious shoppers around the world will be preparing for the following day, already adorned with shopping carriers, cash, cards and possibly a few re-hydrate sachets – it’s going to be a long day of discount buying! For all of you out there who will be on the other side of it all, however, it’s going to take quite a bit more preparation to make sure you get the most out of the frenzy but have no fear – we have a few tips!

“The Power of Presence”

In the 21^st century, the use of social media platforms has become one of the most popular forms of marketing and advertising. This year specifically, with the COVID crisis still at large, it is more important than ever to prepare your businesses for Cyber Monday by making sure you have an active online presence!

The first rule of social media promotion is: Never doubt the power of the hashtag. Whether you use #cybermonday #blackfridaysales, both or more, they will allow you to reach the people of Instagram, Twitter and Facebook who are on the lookout for deals just like yours!

Next, you could create a pre-Black Friday video for your followers/site members that will act as a teaser, mentioning your promotions and in doing so spiking interest and building anticipation! Alternatively, you could use an app to create a live chat on your webpage, allowing for questions, answers and more active interaction!

Lastly, when it comes to having an online presence – remember that Rome wasn’t build in a day and that you should be advertising and promoting yourself on social media long before your Black Friday promo’s.

If you know you’ve been slacking here, but need a quick fix in the few weeks before, do some market research and try to post during peak social media hours, never leave a question unanswered and remember that just like any climactic choice, your protagonists (or in this case, your customers) need a call-to-action, an enticement or instruction that will have them clicking on that “add to cart” icon!

“Tried and Tested”

Create what is called a Gift Guide that will allow people to home in on specific products! If they are looking for a golf glove for their partner for example, your Gift Guide category of “Golf Gear for Him” will guide them to the products in your store they are looking for and highlight your promotions and deals on those items!

Online shopping can be overwhelming, especially for first-timers in your online store, so by creating these collections you can customize their shopping experience – giving them exactly what they are looking for right off the bat!

2) Offer a free gift. If there is one thing people love more than a sale, it’s free stuff. So, promote a deal where if the customer spends over a certain amount, or buys more than one item, they get another item (from a specific “Add a gift” section perhaps) for free!

3) Create a new deal every hour. Not only does this introduce an element of surprise (Like, “What could the next deal be?”) but putting a time limit on something has also been proven to encourage impulse buys and general spending.

4) Remember that email marketing is one of the biggest sale generators during holiday periods. So, create campaigns that will capture the attention of all your contacts, include all the necessary information about your products and specials and ensure that your target audience is directed straight to your website! You should try to make these campaigns personalized and intimate – people may just enjoy feeling special more than sales or free stuff – possibly separating your past customers and potential buyers.

5) Nobody can resist a countdown – so set up a timer on all your main platforms and let the anticipation commence!

6) Lastly, take advantage of group packages or linked items – someone who is already on your website will be enticed by discounted combination products that promote each other!

Persuasive Promotions

Now when it comes to persuasion, recommendations and referrals are the most trusted form of advertising. So, get in contact with your past clients, encourage reviews and comments and if you want to go the extra mile, get yourself an influencer!

Approach someone in the public eye who you think fits into your brand and ask them to promote your business or specific products. If they use their platforms to spread the word about your quality, customer service and amazing upcoming sales options, you’ll have exposure to an audience that was previously unreachable!

In order to promote your business effectively, amongst all the Black Friday hype, you need to optimize your website SEO, make eye-catching and risky layout changes, create new and engaging content as well as fork out a little for Google Ads, Facebook Ads and viral-worthy, personalized Ads for your social media platforms!

Take advantage of the fact that in 2020, it is possible to reach hundreds of thousands of people with the click of a button, and remember that because of the pandemic, your online promotion will have far more value than your in-store promotion.

So, spend the time and money on it, so that people will spend their money on your business, this Black Friday – Cyber Monday.