Since the start of COVID-19, online sales rates have surged dramatically as consumers shifted towards digital shopping. This has made a robust online presence even more crucial, especially during high-traffic periods like Black Friday, Cyber Monday (BFCM). As these major sales approach your brand must deliver a seamless customer experience that not only meets heightened consumer expectations but also capitalises on the opportunity to drive sales and build long-term customer loyalty.
The build up – 4-6 weeks prior to BFCM
During the weeks leading up to BFCM is a good opportunity to reach out to and communicate with new customers, allowing you time to build relationships before the sale. This is a prime opportunity to analyse past performance and optimise brand exposure for the upcoming sales.
- Plan a Product Schedule: Past performance reviews will enable your company to strategise and organise promotional timings and product releases for maximum impact.
- Site Speed: Features such as intuitive navigation, efficient checkout process and overall fast load times, across your website, is crucial to handle the influx of visitors and prevent cart abandonment.
- Utilise Social Media: make sure to prioritise your platforms, with the highest traffic, to leverage targeted ads and engaging content to capture attention and drive consumers to your website.
- Working with Social Media Influencers: Collaborating with influencers can amplify your reach, leverage their established audiences, and drive traffic to your website.
- Product Descriptions: Apply Cialdini’s principles of scarcity to create urgency and highlight limited availability. For example “Selling out fast!”
- Optimise Search Engines (SEO): During this period, consumers aren’t necessarily loyal to specific brands/ products so utilising SEO will Improve your brand visibility, to attract potential buyers actively searching for deals.
Extra Tip:
As BFCM approaches, certain product categories become more popular. These include electronics, clothing, accessories and cosmetics. If these product types fall under the umbrella of your brand, ensure you tailor your approach to focus on these high-demand products.
BFCM – The Black Friday, Cyber Monday weekend
When BFCM arrives, web traffic will skyrocket, and consumers will now have a clear idea of the brands they want to visit and products they want to purchase. Therefore, it’s crucial for your business to stay competitive with other brands within the same or similar segments.
- Discounts:
- All discounts should be set to, at least, 20% OFF. This will match competitor brands and especially customer expectations at this time.
- Be creative with offers that will make you stand out from other brands. Eg larger discounts for first time buyers or if a customer buys a certain number of products.
- Extra Tip: if selling via shopify, utilise their feature of adding a giftcard to purchases. This is another way of setting yourself apart from competition.
- Countdown banners: having a countdown on display provokes a sense of urgency, encouraging shoppers to act quickly to secure deals before they expire. By visually displaying the remaining time, these banners tap into the fear of missing out (FOMO) and enhance the shopping experience by providing clear, real-time information.
- Black Friday Navigation bar: highlights deals and promotions, making it easier for customers to find special offers. It drives traffic to key products and enhances the shopping experience with clear, organised access to discounts.
- Cross Selling: boosts revenue by encouraging customers to buy related products, increasing order value. It also enhances the shopping experience with tailored recommendations and helps move additional inventory.
Final call –
As BFCM Draws to a close, shoppers rush to make last-minute purchases, often focusing on gifts as the holiday season kicks into high gear. In the weeks that follow, consumer searches typically shift back to broader holiday needs, reflecting a shift in focus. To capitalise on this shift, you should maintain a strong online presence by offering extended deals and promotions, which helps sustain shopper interest, manage inventory, and drive traffic to your sites as customers continue their holiday shopping.
