marketing

The Friday after Thanksgiving isn’t just the beginning of the holiday season, it’s also the biggest shopping day of the year. For some retailers Black Friday accounts for 30 percent of their annual sales. According to the National Retail Federation, consumers will spend roughly $682 billion this year.

Black Friday sales and promotions aren’t only for the big box companies and shoppers. If you own a business with a retail component, you should be capitalizing off all the hype.   

Here are a few tips on how you can cut through the noise and have a breakout Black Friday.

Reward and Cultivate

Offer your best Black Friday discounts to your best customers. Black Friday is a great time to reward loyal customers. Shoot out an email with a discount code or offer special shopping hours for repeat customers.

Limited Time Only

Flash sales are limited time offerings and great for creating a sense of urgency. Don’t try and compete with the big box companies. Offer your sales after the Black Friday craze has ended. Instead of opening your doors at 9 a.m., perhaps you open at 12 p.m.

Free Shipping

Free shipping is very appealing to shoppers during the holiday season. 88 percent of online shoppers say free shipping is a big incentive.

Buy More Save More

Offer the buy more save more discounts when customer spends a certain amount. The average shopper’s budget for Black Friday is about $900. Help customers feel good about what they are spending this season by giving them the biggest bang for their buck.

Experience is Key

Whether you are an online business or a storefront, customer service is key. Prep your staff on providing tip-top customer service and ensure that all patrons have a great experience.  If purchases are made online, make sure that products are shipped in a timely manner. For in store purchases, make the experience festive and enjoyable. Play holiday music, offer hot chocolate…little things like that go a long way.