Hoping for a successful Black Friday and Cyber Monday? With holidays coming round the corner, things are heating up. Customers are on the hunt for a holiday gift, which means all things must be in motion for a smooth sail through the shopping season. Supplies are flowing, production is in full swing, messaging is carefully crafted to the customers far and wide — but standing out from the crowd lives in the details.
Staying on trend and ahead of the curve takes time and tailoring your systems in place. This holiday season, more than ever, brands are busy thinking creatively for the road ahead. The thing is, this can be tricky to jump into action — especially if you’re a bit behind the ball game.
So we did some digging, and came up with five tips and tricks that can make a big impact for a last minute successful Black Friday and Cyber Monday:
How to Have a Successful Black Friday and Cyber Monday
One: Build up Some Excitement A Few Days Ahead of Time
Running a business is tough. With so many moving pieces, it’s hard to afford looking beyond the ‘right now’ and onto ‘a few steps ahead.’ Big box retailers have the luxury of being able to plan a bit beyond the day-to-day, which is why it feels like the holiday sales are coming to life sooner and sooner.
The thing is, this all happens for a reason. Building anticipation ahead of time is essential to capitalize on the holiday season — it’s why big retailers take the time to do so. As tough as it may be to shift the focus on what’s to come, spend some time building your promotions out ahead of the game.
Messaging. It’s your key to success.
In the days leading up to Black Friday Cyber Monday, put some focus on your online presence, especially hinting at any big discounts or events you’ve got coming up. Use hashtags like #shopsmall to help get the wheels turning on social media, email marketing or any other customer-facing channels. Even just a simple social media campaign can get the buzz going around your brand’s story, just as things start to heat up and you’re thinking about how to have a successful Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Revitalize your brand’s story.
Good stories, especially ones driven by community, make for empathetic shoppers. As the shopping season grows closer, don’t be afraid to take some time out of your social media strategies and email campaigns — and put your brand’s start in the spotlight.
Forbes said it best, “a good story is addicting, that’s why there are sequels.”
Two: Study your strengths, and play them as an advantage for a Successful Black Friday and Cyber Monday
Don’t try to compete with the mega-retail discounts. Instead, focus on the things that make small retailers special.
- Small businesses offer a more enjoyable shopping experience: A Groupon survey suggests that more than two-thirds of Americans alone are shopping small during the holiday season. The unique gift selection, community advantage and customer service all work to make the experience more enjoyable for shoppers. Take this. Use this, study it and play it up even more so than usual this holiday season.
-And sometimes, small businesses are even a bit quicker: The long lines and chaotic nature of big-box retailers reach their peak during the holidays. This, just the same as a more personable experience, is an opportunity for smaller brands to shine. If customers want a quicker, care-free experience, position that at the forefront of your shopping experience.
Three: Chip in at Checkout Toward Some Social or Environmental Initiatives
Ah, the holiday spirit. These months of the year often come served with an extra slice of generosity — especially for customers. There are plenty of ways to show your customers that you really do care, and one effective way is to team up with charitable initiatives around the globe.
We know, profits are profits. But even just chipping in a little bit goes a long way. By giving customers the option to round up or give a small amount to support a worthy cause, you’re showing off some empathy and giving back. After all, the numbers say that charity checkout is still running strong.
Four: Use Packaging to Level Up the Customer Experience
This shopping season, of course, looks a bit different than usual. With the ongoing pandemic, brands are scrambling to find opportunities to enhance the shopper experience. In the holiday season especially, the answer might be sealed in the package.
With COVID-19 in mind, product packaging is changing. E-commerce sales have spiked, which means more people are unboxing from home, and a beautifully designed experience is top of mind. Unsafe plastics, air packs and unnecessary packaging waste can all work to make your experience less than a success. However, custom (and customer friendly) packaging is on the rise to give brands a safer, more sustainable alternative to the outdated packaging norms.
Companies like noissue are helping brands level up the customer experience — by having gifts packaged for them ahead of time instead. Not only will shoppers appreciate the saved time and effort, they’ll also be able to customize gifts to whatever the occasion calls for. By adopting a cost-effective, customer-based alternative, brands can accommodate the changing packaging space, while still nailing the unboxing experience.
Five: Keep the spirit alive, even after the big box sales are over
It’s the busiest time of the year — but it’s not over ‘til it’s over.
If possible, drum up some exciting promotions for the shoppers who might have missed out on the holiday sales. When discounts empty the mega-retail stock, keep the momentum going and outrun the competition. Extending any promotions could be the difference maker in the long game when you’re planning how to have a successful Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
When they go low, you go long.
Overall, with the shopping season ahead, take some time to reflect on the strengths small brands have over the big-box giants. Being agile and quick to creatively adapt could be what sets some brands apart from the others. These days, customers keep community & culture in mind. Some big keys to success come by staying quick and ready to react to the trends — we all remember how David beat Goliath.
