Black Friday is synonymous with heavily discounted goods, huge lines at large chain department stores, and extreme stories about shoppers camping out in parking lots to be first in line for the latest deals.
All retail businesses strive to offer their customers something extra on Black Friday – after all, if you don’t, a competitor likely will. However, understanding how to prepare for the biggest shopping day in the United States’ calendar is just as important as offering the right deals.
In this article, we’re going to focus on ways to gauge what your audience expects from your business, how to cope with demand and how to ensure your brand can maximize on the Black Friday madness. Here’s how:
Listen To Customers On Social Media
Social media is a fantastic tool for gaining customer insights. In the run-up to Black Friday, your followers are likely to be discussing the items they are most excited about this season – and you can use this to your advantage. By doing a little research in the weeks leading up to Black Friday, you can put yourself in a better position in terms of knowing what your customers are going to be seeking out when the big day lands.
Replicate What The Larger Companies Are Doing
While small businesses simply don’t have the pull or the purchasing power of giants like Amazon, they can still learn something from the largest multinational companies in the world. If large chains are running promotions that you’re personally interested in, try and replicate what they’re doing on a smaller scale. There are always lessons to be learned from the large corporations – take a look at what they’ve got right (and crucially, what they’ve got wrong) on past Black Friday promotions, and apply this knowledge to your own company.
Offer The Personal Touch
As a small business, you’ll be able to offer something the chain stores can’t this holiday season – the personal touch. By operating on a one-on-one basis with your customers, you can make customers feel valued in ways that large companies simply can’t compete with. Think small personalized freebies – a bakery, for example, could offer free cupcakes with iced names for every purchase.
Don’t Spread Yourself Too Thin
There are lots of different ways to increase revenue on Black Friday, but to cover them all would take a huge amount of time and resources. Instead, focus on the tactics that will best help you achieve your goals.
Generate A Buzz
Create a countdown to Black Friday display in-store or on social media, and showcase a different Black Friday offer on each day. This will help to create talking points around your business while letting customers know about the great deals they can avail of once the world’s largest day for retailers finally rolls around.
Have Fun!
The best way to encourage customers to enjoy Black Friday with you is to demonstrate that you’re having fun. Waiting lines are anticipated to be larger than normal due to social distancing measures this year – so think of ways to keep customers entertained while they wait!
If you’d like more information on how to make the most of this year’s Black Friday, why not contact us today?