The Best Black Friday Tips You Will Read This Year

When you think of Black Friday, you might think of getting trampled at Walmart trying to snag a half-price TV or the latest toy phenom for your kids. (“Baby Yoda purchase, you must.”) This year is a bit different though — COVID-19 has upended the economy and new social distancing measures have changed the in-person shopping experience.

Some experts say the writing is already on the wall: Black Friday, the most important shopping day of the year, is either dying or already dead. Nobody wants a crowd of people rushing around their store in 2020, and small businesses already feeling the pinch from months of lower sales volumes aren’t gonna be able to offer the same level of discounts.

Online shopping though? That’s a completely different story.

For ecommerce and DTC brands, Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2020 are poised to be bigger and more competitive than ever before. Not only have online shopping sales doubled during the pandemic, research from Google shows that 69% of holiday shoppers will be doing more shopping online this year. Plus, a whopping 77% of people say they will be browsing for more gift ideas on the internet instead of in-store. Turns out, folks are happy to stay home in their turkey stretch pants and see what’s available, rather than line up outside in the freezing cold at 5 AM and hope they get a doorbuster deal.

Every year, online sales for Black Friday and Cyber Monday break new records. 2020 looks to be no exception. (Source: Statista)

This is a major opportunity for small and medium-sized businesses that are already set up to sell online. Shoppers will be actively looking for deals in categories like clothing, health, beauty, food, electronics, and subscription services—and they won’t just be looking on Amazon, either. This year, more people are showing an openness to try new brands, experiment with new products, and make an effort to shop local.

While big name stores get the largest piece of the revenue pie, there’s still a lot of opportunity for small and medium sized businesses. (Source: Is Black Friday Dead?)

But you can’t just put out a simple discount and hope online shoppers take notice. To get the most out of this Black Friday weekend (which is coming up fast, btw!), you need to set up meaningful deals that are worthwhile for your customers, craft compelling messaging to stand out from the competition, and use psychological triggers to get more clicks. This article is the perfect read for marketers who are still working on their strategy for the big weekend, or still mulling over which deal they want to promote. Use these tips from the leading ecommerce experts to develop your game plan and boost your online sales.

Expert Tips to Win More Online Sales on Black Friday and Cyber Monday

Set Up Clear Communication on Deals

Like pumpkin spice lattes, every year the Black Friday deals tend to start a little bit earlier. This year is no exception, with brands like Home Depot, Walmart, and Macy’s having already announced their sales would be starting as early as October (well over a month before the actual calendar date).

Ben Jabbawy, Founder and CEO of Privy, says that while this puts less pressure on the Black Friday weekend itself, it also creates a new challenge for marketers. Online shoppers will be less likely to make a purchase if they think a better deal is still coming down the pipe.

"What was all concentrated on one day will now spread out and continue to grow. Because of that, I think the consumer is going to be more numb and confused about Black Friday. If everyone’s emailing their customers earlier this year to try to get the wallet share—as a consumer, I’m like, well, should I wait? Or should I buy now?"

Ben suggests the best way to reassure your customers is to be upfront and clear with your communication. Having a popup or sticky bar show up on your website can help you neatly explain what deals will be available, and when they expire.

"My common advice is just don’t make the customer think. Immediately greet all traffic in the holiday season with a notification or a screen takeover. Reduce friction and just make it clear what you’re doing up front. Clear communication."

Ben suggests the best way to reassure your customers is to be upfront and clear with your communication. Having a popup or sticky bar show up on your website can help you neatly explain what deals will be available, and when they expire.

Use Dollars Off, Not Percentages

Discounts are the most common perk associated with online shopping during Black Friday weekend. (Well, that and cans of unicorn meat. Yum.) It’s not uncommon to see brands offer site-wide discounts like “40% OFF ALL PURCHASES” or global coupon codes that visitors can apply at checkout.

But Patrick Campbell, CEO of Profitwell, says that in order for your discount to hit the sweet spot it needs to be framed so customers can visualize how much cash they’re actually saving. This is especially important during COVID-19, when so many people are being more prudent with their purchasing.

"With discounts, the instinct is to do a percentage off. But it’s almost always better to use a physical dollar amount off (or a buy one, get one free) instead. Percentages tend to work worse unless you’re doing a really high amount, like 70% off. The reason is the human brain… I can very quickly and very concretely imagine a hundred dollars. Whereas a percentage is harder."

This example from Belk shows how confusing it can be to shoppers when you offer a percentage off instead of an actual dollar amount. Not only am I unsure how much money I’m saving here, but I’m also unclear how to even claim this offer on their website. (It says “Get coupon” in the top banner, but then “Doorbuster prices so low you don’t need a coupon!” below. You’re tearing me apart, Belk!)

Make a Personal Connection with Customers

COVID-19 has changed the world in so many large ways that we’re still coming to terms with many of its effects. Millions of people have lost their jobs, and over 150,000 small businesses have closed since the beginning of the pandemic. For many entrepreneurs, this means it’s going to be very difficult to offer discounts or free items over the Black Friday weekend.

But that doesn’t mean you’re out of options. Vivian Kaye, Founder and CEO of KinkyCurlyYaki, says there are other ways to show your appreciation for shoppers during these difficult times.

"COVID has made everyone feel lonely and isolated. Try doing things that make your customer really feel like you’re paying attention and you did this just for them. Remind them that you are also a human being—you are not Amazon. Customers will remember those personal touches, like a handwritten note you include with their package."

This is something the Vanness Pen Shop does on the regular when they ship out orders, and their customers absolutely take notice. If you’re able to interact in ways the impersonal big box stores will never be able to match, you’ll be able to build stronger long-term relationships with shoppers.

For more expert tips to tackle this year's Black Friday and Cyber Monday, check out the full post.

Get Ready for an Unprecedented Black Friday Weekend

No matter what happens this Black Friday weekend, one thing is for sure: it’s going to be very different. More shoppers will be staying at home and doing their shopping online, which means marketers have to be ready with their most competitive deals, compelling messaging, and optimized landing pages. (Also, you’re going to need coffee. Lots of coffee.)

Originally published by Luke Bailey at https://unbounce.com on Oct. 22, 2020.