Falling on the last Friday of November, Black Friday has emerged as a pivotal day for consumers seeking incredible discounts and deals across various retail sectors. For small businesses in Australia, it represents an unparalleled opportunity to showcase offerings, attract new customers, and fortify relationships with existing ones. In this article, I delve into five things small businesses should be doing to capitalise on this bustling shopping phenomenon to ring in the holiday cheer and bolster their bottom line.
1. Plan early
It’s crucial to begin your preparations with a well-thought-out plan. This should serve as your roadmap throughout the entire process. Start by setting clear and specific goals that you want to achieve during the Black Friday season. These objectives could include increasing sales by a certain percentage, attracting a specific number of new customers, or boosting brand awareness.
Make a list of things that need to be done and ensure you include due dates. This could include things like making signs for in-store, letting your digital marketing provider know of any sales and rostering extra team members on.
2. Run an audit on your website
Running a manual website audit before Black Friday is key to ensuring a seamless and successful shopping experience for your customers. Optimising website speed guarantees that your site loads quickly, preventing potential customers from leaving due to sluggish loading times. Accurate NAP (Name, Address, Phone number) information fosters trust and helps local customers find your physical store easily. Ensuring updated content keeps your site relevant and credible, which is vital for conversions. Finally, checking functionality identifies and rectifies any glitches or broken links that might deter potential buyers.
3. Update your opening hours
If you’re planning on trading later or opening on additional days, be sure to let your potential customers know. Remember to adjust your opening hours on all your online platforms including Google Business Profile, Localsearch Business Profile, website and social media.
4. Prepare your marketing materials
Creating visually compelling and persuasive Black Friday marketing materials is crucial in engaging your audience with enticing deals. This involves designing eye-catching graphics that showcase your promotions, crafting engaging email campaigns for your customer base, creating attention-grabbing social media posts, ensuring consistent messaging across all channels, and strategically scheduling the release of your materials across all channels to build anticipation. These will ensure that your marketing materials are not only visually appealing but also strategically designed to engage your audience and drive excitement about your Black Friday promotions. If you’re looking for a place to find inspiration for your marketing materials, head over to Canva and check out their templates.
5. Make the most of paid advertising
Make the most out of your paid advertising, such as Google Ads and social advertising, during the Black Friday season, by focusing on precision and optimisation. Meticulously target your ads to reach your ideal audience, taking advantage of location, demographics, and interests. Craft ad copy and visuals that are tailored to Black Friday, emphasising the urgency and value of your promotions. Allocate your budget strategically, prioritising high-performing campaigns and keywords.
Continuously monitor and optimise your ad campaigns by adjusting bidding strategies, refining keywords, and A/B testing ad variations. Leverage retargeting to re-engage potential customers who have shown interest but haven’t converted yet. Lastly, schedule your ads to coincide with peak shopping times, making sure your brand is at the forefront when customers are ready to make their Black Friday purchases.
Conclusion
By following these tips, you can get your business ready for a successful Black Friday, attracting new customers, boosting sales, and bolstering your bottom line.
