Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) are no longer just two days on the calendar. They’re the official kick-off to the festive shopping season.
Last year, Australian consumers set a new record by spending A$2.2 billion online during the sales. This was a 10% jump on the previous year.
BFCM isn’t just a sales event. It’s a massive opportunity to find new customers and boost your revenue before the end of the year.
If you’re an eCommerce brand, this is your Superbowl! You need to be ready. Here are some of our best tips and marketing ideas. They will help you create your Black Friday marketing strategy.
Plan your campaign early
The biggest mistake an eCommerce brand can make is waiting until November to start its BFCM planning. Shoppers are more likely to shop with you if they know you are offering Black Friday sales.
Start building anticipation for your sales as early as October. You could launch previews to your email subscribers or gain new ones by asking prospects to sign up to your emails for exclusive deals. You could look at running giveaways on social media in the weeks leading up to the sales or even collaborate with influencers to create exclusive “first-look” content.
These tactics not only build excitement but also grow your contact list. This means you’ll have an even stronger communication channel to notify customers when your sale officially begins.
Starting early allows you to:
- Build anticipation: Hype up your Black Friday deals in the lead up with earlybird deals and sneak peeks.
- Test your messaging: A pre-sale period is a great time to try different ads, messages, and audience groups to see what works.
- Avoid the rush: Get your campaigns approved and running before the inevitable increased competition in November.
Kmart's masterclass in hype
Kmart does all of this well with earlybird campaigns and countdowns. They create a sense of urgency long before the actual sale begins.
They take it a step further by sending pre-release products to key influencers who post “sneak peek” unboxing videos. This has the potential to create massive hype. It also builds social proof and drives a huge amount of traffic to their website before the sale goes live.
This strategic use of a longer campaign period is a great example for any brand. It can help them get the best results during BFCM.
Know your audience with data
The most effective campaigns are built around an understanding of your customers.
Use the pre-sale period to review past data and advertising campaigns. This will help you understand trends and choose the right products to centre your new campaign around.
- Analyse past campaign data: Look at your performance from the last BFCM events. Review what products sold best and what channels drove the most conversions to know where to focus your efforts this year.
- Leverage first-party data: Your customer list is your most valuable asset. Deliver personalised offers to your customers by segmenting your list by past purchases and loyalty status. A customer who bought sneakers from you last year could be the perfect person to receive a special offer on running gear this year.
- Study broader consumer trends: Make sure you stay up-to-date with what’s happening in your industry.
Google Trends is a great place to start, helping you identify what’s trending with consumers. This will give you an advantage. It will help you find trending products or changes in what customers want, which youou can then take advantage of.
Use interactive and innovative ad formats
Stand out from the sea of static ads with interactive ads. They are a proven way to grab attention and boost engagement. These ads will captivate your intended audience's attention and foster brand recognition.
- Countdown timers: Incorporate dynamic countdown timers into your ads and on your landing pages. This creates a sense of urgency in the lead up to BFCM. This Fear of Missing Out trigger is a great model to use during a limited-time sales event.
- Shoppable videos: Instagram Shopping has made it easier to turn a video ad into a direct sales channel. Don’t forget Google Shopping ads too. Show your products in action. Let your customers purchase with a single click. This will make it easier for them to go from knowing about your product to buying it.
Tell your brand's story
People want to buy from brands they feel connected to. Don’t let your BFCM campaign be just about a sale and the discounts. Use the event as an opportunity to reinforce your brand’s values and personality.
- Tap into the festive mood: Many consumers use these sales for their Christmas gift shopping so lean into this. Your campaign can be a guide to finding the perfect gift, a story of holiday cheer, or a message of gratitude to your customers.
- Leverage video: Use video to tell a compelling story. This could be behind-the-scenes content. It might show your team getting ready for the big day.
You could also include customer testimonials that share the joy of a past purchase. A funny take on preparing for BFCM could work too. The goal is to build an emotional connection that lasts long after the sales event ends.
Master retargeting campaigns
The path to purchase for most shoppers isn’t a straight line. Data shows that most eCommerce customers will interact with your brand 6 to 20 times before buying. Using retargeting strategically allows you to re-engage with potential customers and convert them into buyers.
Take a strategic approach to retargeting through repeated exposure to your ads. You may find that conversions become easier the more someone sees your ads.
- Segment your retargeting audiences: Don’t just show the same ad to everyone. Target users who abandoned their cart with a Black Friday ad for the products they left behind. Show previous customers an ad for a new product or something you know they would love based on their past purchases.
- Start building your audience early: Run brand-building campaigns in October to build your retargeting pool. As BFCM approaches, you can target that audience with your best deals to encourage them to convert.
Ready to make your Black Friday and Cyber Monday marketing campaign a success?
Whether you need a full eCommerce strategy or a focused Black Friday ad campaign, we are here to help.
If you want to see how well your ads are doing, we can help. We have a free Google Ads Performance Review to help youmake sure your ad campaigns are BFCM ready. Get in touch to kickstart your most successful festive season yet.
