Yup, we know you’re busy with a zillion other things this time of year. But Black Friday is looming, and you’ll just get left behind if you don’t get the ball rolling NOW.
Doing as much prep as you can is crucial to capture that killer revenue. And avoid heading into Christmas with a fraction of the sales you could have made.
Why start now?
Last year’s Black Friday brought in a whopping $7.2 billion in online sales, 14% higher than the year before. And that’s just in the US.
The most successful stores would have been the ones with a targeted plan in place. A plan already running way before Black Friday even came around. And YOU need to be one of those stores to achieve the sales you want.
November 27 may seem far away. But it’s important to put the wheels in motion now for your store to reach max potential this holiday season. Here are our top tips to boost your ecommerce Black Friday sales, and how to include them in your funnel.
- Build hype
Putting a banner on your site with deals the day before Black Friday isn’t going to cut it.
Building hype over time is crucial to make sure your target customer is aware of what you’re offering. Then when deals drop, they’ll know what to expect – and will be prepped to buy using the heads-up they’ve had from you.
How?
One of the best ways to build a buzz is via email. And if you segment your list, you can send targeted content based on previous buying habits.
By teasing promotions related to past purchases, there’s a much higher chance your audience will be interested. Relevant content is king. This will lead to better engagement, higher conversions – and a boat-load more sales if you get it right!
Unique subject lines are key. You need to stand out from the crowd, as plenty of other ecommerce stores will have the same idea. If your subject lines aren’t eye-catching, your emails won’t get opened. Simple.
Begin sending your first emails (and even launching some deals) at least the Monday before Black Friday hits. The highest levels of email engagement tend to happen in the week leading up to Black Friday. And you need to get on board – or risk being left behind while your competitors scoop up those sales.
Top tip: Include countdown timers in your emails to create urgency once deals are launched. This makes sure your audience knows the exact time limit they’re working with to bag a discount.
- Upselling (with discounts)
Bringing in a new customer can be up to 25 times more expensive than retaining one you already have.
This means it’s super important to maximize sales from your existing customer base. One of the most effective ways of doing this is upselling, especially during a sales powerhouse like Black Friday.
When a customer is ready to checkout, show them a product related to what they’re buying – at a discount. A great way to do this is with a popup. Keep the discounted rate super visible, and make sure it’s clear why this extra product will enhance what’s already sitting in their cart.
The result? More money is spent, boosting the long-term health of your store. And your customers will have the opportunity to grab something they otherwise wouldn’t have thought about. It’s a win-win!
- Trigger FOMO
No one likes to feel they’re missing out. And this can be an incredibly powerful technique in boosting sales, provided you get the balance right.
Almost 70% of millennials experience some degree of FOMO daily. And which group tends to be our biggest spenders? You guessed it…
Millennials in the US alone spend a whopping $600 billion every year. And with FOMO likely playing an important role in how millennials spend their money, honing in on this could work wonders for your store.
Getting it right
You never want to make customers feel bashed if they don’t (or literally can’t) buy something.
But then you don’t want to make it seem 100% ok if they pass up on your deals, either. A great way to trigger FOMO without going overboard is to include flash sales in your Black Friday emails.
The whole “in it to win it” concept will be strong, especially with the time-sensitive nature of a flash sale. People hate to think of others getting in before them and grabbing all the best discounts. Your audience will be a lot more likely to engage and buy from you, simply through fear of missing out and being left with the ‘least popular’ items.
Top tip: You can encourage even more sales by offering further discounts exclusive to your email list. Us humans are simple at heart: we hate missing out, and we like to feel special. By offering exclusive deals to your list with flash urgency, you’ll achieve both. And more holiday sales should roll in.
So what are you waiting for?
Black Friday is always super busy. But by planning your strategy now, you’ll be 100% prepped and ready to go when November 27 hits. More sales will come your way, and you’ll have a lot more time on your hands to focus on other things. Like actually enjoying the holiday season?!
But we get it. It’s a lot easier said than done, especially if your store’s success isn’t quite where you want it to be. And if the thought of planning a bunch of new email campaigns for the holidays is already stressing you out, we can help.
We’ll take the entire email marketing process off your hands. From sending targeted content to creating killer subject lines, we’ve got you covered. You’ll worry less about getting those sales, and will have more time to decide how to enjoy your extra revenue!
