Be Prepared For Black Friday With An Active eCommerce Strategy
Black Friday is approaching fast, and it’s important to implement a winning eCommerce strategy to maximize your Black Friday sales. There are many ways to help boost your startup brand sales. Let’s explore some and get ready for your best Black Friday sale ever!
Black Friday is an eCommerce juggernaut. It offers your startup brand a golden opportunity to boost sales and attract new customers. It is important to be prepared, ready, and able to capitalize on this event.
To make the most out of this retail extravaganza, you need a well-thought-out Black Friday eCommerce strategy. In this blog, we’ll explore how to develop and implement a successful eCommerce sales strategy for this year.
Understanding A Black Friday eCommerce Strategy:
Black Friday is a post-Thanksgiving shopping frenzy that presents a massive opportunity for retailers. In 2021, US shoppers spent an astonishing $9.03 billion on Black Friday alone.
This is followed by Cyber Monday, which surpassed Black Friday with a staggering $10.90 billion in sales. To harness this potential, you need a comprehensive strategy.
Key Components of a Black Friday eCommerce Strategy:
Here are 11 important steps towards developing a successful Black Friday eCommerce strategy:
#1 Optimize for SEO:
It is important to elevate your online presence and visibility. You can do this by enhancing your website's SEO. This helps people find your website organically without the exposure to a paid advertisement.
A good idea is to use a SERP checker. SERP analysis is the process of exploring search engine results pages in order to discover what top ranking websites are doing to be in such good positions. This will indicate what you can revise on your site to outrank them.
#2 Mobile-Friendly Website:
79% of Black Friday and Cyber Monday purchases occured on mobile devices in 2021. It is absolutely necessary to make sure your website is mobile-friendly. Test your mobile site and optimize it now. That way you will be ready when the big shopping events happen.
#3 Early Campaign Launch:
Don't leave your Black Friday campaign until the last minute. Begin nurturing your audience through social media and email months in advance. Get started today!
It’s a good idea to provide exclusive early access to deals for your email subscribers. Also, conduct A/B testing on ad campaigns to identify which ones have the best impact on your sales and revenue.
#4 Anticipate Higher Traffic Than Normal:
You should anticipate an influx of new customers. Be ready for them, and check your website thoroughly. Make sure your product pages are accurate, informative, and user-friendly.
Use high-quality images and accurately detailed specs. If you have them, include customer reviews. They can help increase sales by as much as 10%.
#5 Make Your Customer The Star:
It is important to provide exceptional customer service during this busy time. Invest in a retail chatbot, like Heyday. That can provide instant customer service. A chatbot can handle up to 80% of inquiries. That can free up your support team for more complex issues.
Great customer service is especially crucial for first-time shoppers who may need assistance navigating your store. Hopefully, on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, you will attract many first time shoppers, and you want to maximize their customer experience.
#6 Collaborate With Influencers:
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are critical times to leverage influencer marketing and reach new audiences. While the world is on an online shopping frenzy, influencers can help you grab attention and attract new buyers.
Focus on finding influencers whose values and audience align with your brand. These are the people in your target market and it is critical to reach out to them.
#7 Utilize Promo Codes:
Offering promo codes creates urgency and encourages conversions. Make sure your codes are easily accessible to prevent cart abandonment.
It is also a good idea to make the codes trackable so you know where that buyer came from. Consider using pop-ups, email sign-ups, or floating bars to display codes prominently.
#8 Use Email Marketing:
Build anticipation amongst the customers on your mailing list by promoting your Black Friday deals directly to them. It’s a great idea to offer a special VIP promo code that only they can use.
If you want to have maximum impact, segment your offers and promos based on customer history. The brand loyal buyers can get rewarded with a better offer and discount. Customers that have not purchased can get a different promo and discount code. The results can give you valuable learning you can use in the future.
#9 Extend Deals:
Consider extending your Black Friday/Cyber Monday offers to catch second-time shoppers. It is important not to extend the offer too long because it can eliminate the urgency to buy now.
It is a good idea to keep your Black Friday offers open for shoppers who visit you on Cyber Monday. Always make sure your communications clearly communicate offer dates and also shipping dates so customers can plan for the holidays.
#10 Create a Gift Guide:
Gift guides can work wonders for a shopper with an extended gift list. Help them out with a holiday gift guide. You can even create sets and bundles with different themes. Segmenting your offers by theme can make it easier for customers to find what they're looking for.
#11 Use Social Media Advertising:
At a time when there are so many shoppers online, it is essential to try to maximize your impact with social media advertising. This is a great time to utilize paid social media advertising and reach your target audience.
Take advantage of platforms like TikTok, which has seen a 700% increase in effectiveness for businesses. Instagram and Facebook are also excellent sources that people consult when they are making fashion buying decisions.
Automate and Streamline with eCommerce Tools:
There is a lot to do and not a lot of time to do it. It is a great idea to take advantage of automation that is readily available to you. Here are a few ideas:
Heyday: A retail chatbot that offers instant customer service. It can help save time and resources.
Hootsuite: Streamlines and improves marketing efforts by scheduling content across platforms and providing performance data.
Facebook Messenger: Connects you with customers on one of the most widely used social media platforms.
Google PageSpeed Insights: Helps improve website speed to enhance search rankings and keep customers quickly engaged.
Instagram Shopping: Taps into the growing social media eCommerce market.
TikTok Shopping: Leverages TikTok's massive user base for retail success.
Shopify: It’s a user-friendly platform with various apps for an enhanced customer experience.
By incorporating these eCommerce strategies, tactics, and tools into your Black Friday/Cyber Monday marketing plans, you can be prepared to take advantage of the buyer frenzy at this time. A well-planned Black Friday eCommerce strategy will help you navigate the holiday shopping season and use this important time to boost your startup brand.
Start early. Now is not too late for this year. Optimize your online presence, and engage your audience through various channels. Remember, a successful Black Friday strategy is not just about immediate sales, but about building long-term customer relationships and brand loyalty.
Don't miss out on this retail bonanza. Prepare now for your best Black Friday sale ever!
What’s your breakthrough fashion concept? If you feel you have an idea that may have some promise, schedule a free strategy call and let's talk about it. You may have discovered a niche and a fashion product that could become a successful start-up and the fashion business of your dreams.
Stuck on product Production? At V.Mora we can help you through the entire production process from designing, to sourcing and so on through our Production Development services. If you are in need of the following Development and Production services:
Sourcing
Technical sketches
Pattern Making
Prototype making
Sample Making
Fittings
Digitizing and Grading
Marker Making
Manufacturing
Please contact us at: vmorainquiry@vmora.com
About the Author
Fashion expert, Allison Howmann, graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology where she majored in Fashion Design and Minored in International Trade and Marketing. She has spent over 6 years in the NYC Fashion Industry utilizing her Design and Marketing skills. Allison has worked with several successful brands to help create their winning fashion development, small business operations, and sales and marketing strategies. You can find her creating original content on the V.Mora blog and the V.Mora Instagram.
