8 Ways to Have Your Best Black Friday Ever

Today is the first day of the rest of your BFCM preparations. Even if you’re one of these amazingly organized brands that start planning next year’s campaigns as soon as the Black Friday dust settles, there are a few lesser-known hacks for early-bird marketers to ensure you’ll get the most out of the busy holiday season. And there’s one thing that unites them all — the sooner you start, the better.

The first step to a successful BFCM? Optimize your website. A solid chunk of consumers will browse for ideas or inspiration for the holidays on search engines, so early touchpoints are increasingly important. Look out for glaring drop-offs in the customer journey and aim for quick wins by optimizing weak points.

Showing up in search results is one of the best ways for eCommerce brands to increase discovery in the weeks leading up to Black Friday. Ensure your products are optimized for search, with customer reviews, the right keywords, and as many synonyms and variations on the name of each product as possible. For example: “pants,” “trousers,” “slacks,” etc. It’s important to get your brand in front of audiences early to start generating anticipation. And with 91% of customers making online purchases via their phones, make sure to optimize checkout and offer seamless mobile-first shopping experiences.

“In recent years, we’ve seen a definite trend with consumers who are searching and shopping earlier than ever, looking for sales and generally much more price aware,” says Sam Sherson, Group Chief Marketing Officer of Overdose.

Another reason to start BFCM-ing ASAP is your audience. Even the greatest email of all time won’t bring you revenue if you have no one to send it to. Start growing your lists of subscribers early so that when the time for campaigning comes, you’ll have a solid audience to market your products to. Collect phone numbers and email addresses at checkout, via an engaging pop-up, or use other effective methods such as keyword campaigns on social media or QR codes on your packaging. And if you’re already doing all this, try A/B testing some variations of the design and messaging to see if you can improve performance before the busy holiday season.

Starting your BFCM communication now will do wonders with your ad budgets too! Spending more on ads earlier in the season while the prices are lower and focusing on retargeting later might just be the biggest cost-saving secret no one is talking about.

Now is also the best time to try out new marketing channels, solutions, and integrations. Think about your BFCM goals and identify the areas where you’re lacking in your ability to meet them. Looking to boost customer lifetime value? Consider starting a loyalty program or tweaking your existing promos. Trying to optimize operations with accurate inventory planning and secure recurring revenue throughout the entire holiday season? Launch a subscription service or migrate to another provider to explore your options. Compare pricing and functionalities, test new features, and make sure you’re all set for success this BFCM.

“Especially given the lingering death of third-party cookies and the impact of iOS updates, now is the time to begin experimenting with different channels that you haven’t considered before in order to meet your buyers where they are,” says Tom Logan, Co-founder, Cohley.

They say that hard work is the formula for success, but it’s 2023 and smart solutions are here to make our lives easier. Not to mention optimized performance. Don’t be a tech stack wrangler, let technology do it for you! From fully automated marketing operations to smart assistants and generative AI — spending less time on repetitive tasks allows you to focus on more important aspects of your business and make the most out of the busiest time of year in eCommerce.

Start by optimizing your day-to-day routine with effective marketing automations. Got a new subscriber? Send them a cheerful welcome-to-the-family text message. Yet another abandoned cart? Remind shoppers of the products they left behind with an engaging email. An item is back in stock? Send a personalized notification to high-intent customers who have shown interest in that product a while ago. Quick, seamless, and most importantly — on autopilot. Leverage automations to streamline marketing operations this BFCM, orchestrate multichannel communication, and watch your conversion rates hit the roof.

Artificial Intelligence is another thing everyone in eCommerce is raving about. And for good reason! Marketers today can enjoy various solutions that bring intelligence and impact to their strategies (and save hours of work, too!). Yotpo brands such as PSD Underwear and Chaser already see the power of AI-driven copywriting, personalized recommendations, predictive segmentation, and smart scheduling in action, achieving amazing results from the get-go.

“With Yotpo predictive segmentation, we can ensure our customers are receiving the message because it’s relevant to something they’re interested in, what they’ve done before, or even what we predict they’re going to do,” says Gian Singh, eCommerce Director at PSD Underwear.

And even though powerful marketing automations and AI-powered solutions will significantly enhance your performance, you need one more thing to ensure you’re on the right track this BFCM: data, the holy grail of eCommerce!

Brands spend so much time aggregating data from all the various martech solutions and still can’t see the big picture. Disjointed data leads to disjointed shopping experiences and eventually, customer blind spots lead to broken customer journeys. Having accurate, real-time performance data all in one place, in a single marketing platform, will make it easier to build an effective Black Friday marketing strategy and be agile and quick when the time for tough decisions comes.

“Embracing solutions that share the same data set and are able to seamlessly communicate with one another is essential to maximizing efficiency and making faster, data-driven decisions,” says Sophie Seaton, Commercial Director at Underwaterpistol, a Shopify Plus agency.

The buyer’s journey is often complex and non-linear, and it’s especially tricky during the influx of the holiday season. In today’s eComm reality, creating engaging and seamless experiences at every brand-customer touchpoint is the greatest challenge for every marketer out there.

Take Jeanie, for example. Jeanie is a loyal customer who has clicked on a promotional email and purchased makeup with a 10% discount from your latest collection. One week after delivery, Jeanie gets another email from your brand offering a 30% discount on that same collection. Not removing Jeanie from your retargeting follow-up marketing campaign has just made her feel frustrated and alienated from your brand. And we don’t want that, right?

The key to delivering unique shopping experiences this holiday season is knowing your customers on a deep, individual level. Don’t fall for a one-size-fits-all approach: you need data that does more!

So how can you really get to know your customers? Your tech stack is the key and if you’re only working with disjointed solutions that make it hard to see your customers’ journeys and engagements across channels, you’ll always be stuck. Much like how performance data can be improved with a consolidated tech stack, so can customer data. Why? Because you can do so much more with the results! Without truly understanding your customers, it’s impossible to deliver consistent logical engagements. Each shopper must be met with the right experience, at the right time.

According to McKinsey, 76% of consumers are more likely to consider purchasing from brands that personalize, and 78% are more likely to make repeat purchases. And data from a recent Yotpo survey confirms it: customers expect brands to know them at their core. Feeling like a brand knows them influences 82.5% of global respondents to buy again from that brand.

Personalization goes beyond simply inserting a name at the beginning of every text and email you send around BFCM. Using valuable zero- and first-party data, brands can personalize every step of the customer journey, from the first interaction to their latest purchase. Elevate your communication with various personalization strategies, such as congratulating shoppers on their birthdays or helping them discover products relevant to their interests based on previous interactions.

“One of the biggest mistakes brands make with their marketing strategies around BFCM: not segmenting properly,” says Matt Coleborne, CEO & Founder of Growth Gurus.

Now that you know who your customers are, it’s time to make sure you’ll cut through the noise this holiday season by offering them top-notch shopping experiences. Stop doing what you always do, and try something entirely new: instead of just putting your brand and products in the spotlight, focus on your shoppers’ needs and preferences. Not sure where to start? Just ask them!

Let customers choose how they want to be approached. Do they prefer SMS, email, or spend their time mostly on social? Shifting communication to your shoppers’ favorite channels will ensure your message gets seen. And a bonus tip: leverage the conversational nature of SMS to understand customer preferences from the start and help them receive tailored Black Friday deals.

Another way to empower your customers this BFCM is to put the spotlight on all the perks they get for purchasing from your store or subscribing to your products or services. For example, help them be more informed and proactive when it comes to their loyalty status and benefits. Send timely updates about their VIP tier, how many loyalty points they have left, and provide quick and seamless options to redeem these points however they like.

Redemptions are crucial for the success of your loyalty and subscription programs — eCommerce brands see 89% more revenue from loyalty redeemers compared to non-redeemers and a 164% higher repeat purchase rate on average. But redemption doesn’t just happen; brands need to ensure they entice customers effectively. Take skincare brand DIME Beauty — they managed to nearly double their participation rate at an unprecedented speed by coupling Yotpo Loyalty with Subscriptions.

You can let customers take the lead on their subscriptions too! Ditch the old “take it or leave it” model — advanced subscription solutions enable shoppers to customize their experience in many different ways: set up shipping dates, add more items to their recurring order to save on shipping costs, skip upcoming orders, or change the order frequency instead of canceling. Consider offering prepaid subscription plans and package deals to best meet shoppers’ needs, not to mention it’s a great way to plan in advance for the busy holiday season and have cash upfront.

“Test specific subscription offerings to gain valuable insights into customers’ preferences and determine which options resonate most effectively. This approach not only helps businesses better understand their customers but also allows them to identify subscription models that have a positive impact on the brand’s overall profit margin,” adds Drew Himel, CEO of Fireside Digital.

Putting your customers at the forefront of your marketing strategy might even mean giving them the option to opt out of BFCM completely. It might seem counterintuitive at first, but respecting your customers’ preferences and letting them set their boundaries can be empowering, making them even more loyal to your brand and bringing even more value in the long term.

To discount or not to discount — that’s the question. As retailers brace for discount-heavy holidays, you might be wondering if there are other ways to grab the attention of your customers this BFCM without losing your profit margins along the way.

As Sam Sherson, Group Chief Marketing Officer at Overdose shares: “Moving to a heavy and frequent discounting will hurt long-term brand perception and is difficult to recover from.”

If you want to launch a marketing campaign that doesn’t necessarily involve a discount, make sure your offer is as relevant and as tailored as possible. A recent Yotpo survey showed that 60% of consumers think messages from brands are most engaging when they are relevant to their interests and past purchases. Does the prize really matter if you’ve found just the right product? Leverage your hard-earned data and make your offers stand out in customers’ inboxes.

According to Louis Thompson, Chief Marketing Officer at Eastside Co., “personalization will help when a customer is deciding whether or not to come back without the lure of a deep discount.”

Next up, make it visually appealing. Carefully curated product images in your text messages, creative and engaging social ads, and stunningly styled emails will make your offers pop even more. Use visual user-generated content and leverage social proof to boost conversions like never before.

Another proven technique to instantly grab the attention of shoppers and make your offer irresistible even without heavy markdowns is using psychological triggers such as FOMO or urgency.

“Even though BFCM promotions are inherently time-sensitive, it’s crucial for brands to incorporate urgency into their on-site messaging,” says Michael Wadsworth, Partner Marketing Manager at EcoCart. “With more choices than ever, consumers are more likely to window shop and leave your site without converting.”

Can you include non-monetary incentives in your offering instead of a plain discount that can be appealing to shoppers? It could be anything from extended warranty, money-back guarantees, bonus loyalty points, or a “free gift” above a certain threshold.

And if you still decide to hop on the discount train this BFCM, pull another psychology strategy out of your bag of marketing tricks and make customers feel they’re doing the right thing by purchasing from you. The secret to guilt-free shoppers is actually speaking to what they’re trying to accomplish. Make BFCM feel not so much as a splurge but rather — a responsible move. It’s the season of gifting and taking advantage of Black Friday deals will help customers tick the holiday shopping off their to-do list and, at the same time, save money.

This BFCM, it’s time to show extra care to your VIPs — your most loyal customers. And this doesn’t necessarily mean shoppers that are part of your loyalty program but also those who often purchase from your store.

You’ve heard this before: you have a 60-70% chance of selling to an existing customer versus a 5-20% chance of selling to a new prospect. Focusing on your high-intent customers is always a winning strategy.

“Your most loyal customers will drive 50% of your brand revenue. So focus on your repeat customers, keep them coming back and purchasing,” says Nikki Tooman, CEO and Co-Founder of Sticky Digital.

Or as Joe Tatarski from Tomorrow puts it: “The best customers are the ones you already have. Show your existing customers love by rewarding their loyalty through a loyalty program. This can be as simple as rewarding frequent purchasers with points or offering priority shipping.”

For example, you can reward repeat shoppers with double or triple loyalty points with each purchase around BFCM. Send them timely updates about their VIP status and collected points via personalized texts or emails. Not part of your loyalty program just yet? Not a problem — offer shoppers quick sign-up in just a few clicks and let them know they can instantly redeem their newly acquired points with their next purchase.

Want to spice things up even more? Think beyond points! What experiences or exclusive perks can you provide your customers so they really feel like they’re getting the most value? Give shoppers early access to your new collection or invite them to exclusive VIP events.

Don’t have a loyalty program just yet? Now is the right time to start one! According to Salesforce, 78% of consumers are more likely to buy from a brand with a loyalty program, and according to a Yotpo survey, 83% of global respondents say belonging to a loyalty program influences their decision to buy again from a brand.

“Focusing on building long-term, loyal relationships with customers creates a foundation for sustained business growth, customer advocacy, and a competitive edge in the market. By delivering exceptional experiences, personalized engagement, and consistent value, brands can forge deep connections that go beyond one-off transactions,” adds Mark Peters, Head of Sales at Ask Phill.

Think of your loyalty program as a retention engine: it provides the experiences that will keep customers coming back, even after their holiday purchase. And, as a bonus, when shoppers are more engaged with your loyalty program, your brand can collect more first-party data, which is a must in the age of consumer-first, privacy-first regulations.

And remember that investing in long-term customers is investing in your long-term success. Make your customers happy, and they’ll keep coming back.

When times are tough and budgets are tight, brands should look for quick wins and try to squeeze whatever extra value they can get. Honing in on just a few little optimizations in your marketing strategy can have a major impact and significantly boost your overall performance this BFCM.

What works best for each brand will vary, and you should focus on areas you know are in need of improvement for your brand. But if you’re not sure where to start, there are some common techniques that can make a big difference during the holiday season.

For example, instead of falling victim to steep acquisition costs, you can use your existing customers to spread the word about your brand and products. In the weeks before BFCM, launch a promotion that pushes for referrals and enjoy a wave of new users coming to your store. It’s quick, strategic, and cost-effective.

If subscribers refer a friend during the holiday season, tack on an extra sample or a bonus box. With this strategy, your brand not only increases awareness with word-of-mouth marketing beyond the holiday, but you also encourage shoppers to expand their preferences beyond the hero products.

“By adding value in an authentic way to your brand, your community, customers, or other stakeholders will be happy to help you build your business,” says Daniel Kouchnir, VP Commercial Strategy at VaynerCommerce.

You can also see huge gains from small improvements in the path to purchase. Did you know that a whopping 72% of consumers will pay more if it’s more convenient? Or as Al Salomon, Director of Retention at DIME Beauty puts it: “to win and keep customers, you have to not only be convincing, but also convenient.” Especially around Black Friday and Cyber Monday, you want to make the most of sky-high holiday traffic and use every opportunity to score a sale.

“There’s so much competition in the space and attention is very hard to keep for a long time in our digital and mobile age,” says John Surdakowski, Founder and CEO of Avex.

This BFCM, you can encourage quick decision-making, incentivize immediate action, and turn each shopper-brand interaction into a sale. Accelerate the path to purchase with ultra-fast checkout experiences, shoppable social media content, and advanced Click-to-Buy SMS solutions.

And one last tip when looking for quick wins: out-of-the-box packaging pays off. Exceed customer expectations by offering one-of-a-kind unboxing experiences, like surprise gifts, personalized thank-you notes, or useful product instructions.

“Rather than putting your product in a generic box, try making the unboxing experience unique. Provide anything your customer would possibly need like instructions, warning labels, etc. while including a unique branding experience: a letter from the founder, best way to use, or a coupon/special Black Friday deal,” says Matt Coleborne, CEO & Founder at Growth Gurus.

Squeeze even more value from packaging by adding a product sample to help customers discover new products, or a QR code that shoppers can use to learn more about the product, sign up to your SMS club, watch a video message from your brand, or leave a review.

Making small improvements like these might feel minor in the grand scheme of your business, but with the influx of traffic that BFCM brings, they can make a major impact on your bottom line during your busiest season.

Let’s face it: most of your BFCM traffic and revenue come from one-time shoppers. They see your product, click on a link, make a decision, and poof — they’re gone. Well, not if you play your cards right!

To move past that first-time purchase and make shoppers come back to your store again and again, you have to build a solid retention strategy.

According to our recent survey, over 42% of brands agreed that their biggest challenge in improving customer retention is the lack of engagement between purchases. “Learn customer shopping preferences to cater holiday sales, and then leverage the additional behavioral data you collect during BFCM to cater your post-holiday communications as well,” says Joshua Aven, CEO & Founder of CURIO.

The first step to winning post-purchase care is a seamless shipping experience. It might sound like an easy-breezy process, but many things could go wrong, especially in the hectic holiday season. Sending transactional texts and post-purchase emails informing customers of the status of their order, expected time of arrival, and possible delays and providing advanced shipment tracking options will give shoppers peace of mind and build trust in your brand in the long term.

Next up: collect valuable feedback. The most natural conversation after the purchase is… about the purchase itself. Don’t miss this excellent opportunity to engage with your customers once again, thank them for their support, and request a review.

According to Mark Peters, Head of Sales at Ask Phill: “By not actively seeking feedback, brands miss out on valuable insights for improving their products or services. Actively collect and analyze customer feedback to identify areas for improvement. Make necessary changes based on customer insights and involve customers in shaping future products or services.”

But how do you make sure you get this valuable feedback? It’s not enough to just ask — you have to be effective in how you do it too! For example, US skincare brand Bubble was struggling to get responses but, after switching to Yotpo, doubled their review collection rate reaching 100 new website reviews in just 90 days.

Don’t forget to reward shoppers with bonus loyalty points for their reviews, making for yet another great post-purchase interaction between them and your brand. Keep sending occasional follow-up messages via SMS or email (or both!), depending on which channel your customers prefer, and encourage them to engage across your social channels or in-store to continue to rack up points. Promote other related products, upsell higher-priced packages, and make sure to make the most out of each interaction.

Even with your best intentions, sometimes things might not go so well post purchase, so it’s important to integrate your martech stack with your help desk solution to streamline chat support and ensure all your customers’ needs will be met promptly.

“Retention is a long-term game,” says Regan Colestock, Associate Director of Email & Lifecycle Marketing at Wpromote. “It’s essential to get anchored in that long-term mindset because the right strategy is something that’s worth investing in.”

Conclusion

Now that you’re equipped with the right tools and have powerful Black Friday strategies up your sleeves, it’s time to start implementing some of these into your overall marketing plan for the upcoming holiday season.

And if you want to learn more about how Yotpo can empower your store for BFCM and beyond, get in touch with an expert today.