19 Black Friday Promotion Tactics to Implement in 2023

Optimizing your Black Friday promotion strategy is essential to rise above the noise in today's competitive advertising landscape. Consider this: both physical stores and eCommerce platforms are vying for attention with their deals, and shoppers are on the hunt. So, how can you capture their interest?

By deploying innovative and effective tactics.

Crafting a standout Black Friday promotion plan doesn't have to be daunting. With the right approach, you can differentiate yourself even on the busiest shopping day of the year.

Discover 19 proven Black Friday promotion techniques to implement now!

Understanding Black Friday Promotion

Black Friday, falling right after the American Thanksgiving, is renowned for its massive discounts across both eCommerce and physical stores, leading to a significant boost in consumer purchases.

Marking the commencement of the festive shopping spree, Black Friday has often been associated with chaotic scenes at retail outlets. The term 'Black Friday' traces its roots back to 1950s Philadelphia. It was coined by the police to depict the overwhelming crowds pouring into the city post-Thanksgiving, especially before the iconic Army-Navy football clash.

Retailers later embraced the term 'Black Friday Promotion' as a strategy to shift from operating in losses or 'being in the red' to making profits, symbolically referred to as 'being in the black'.

In the modern era, Black Friday promotions have evolved beyond just physical stores. eCommerce platforms have enthusiastically adopted this shopping holiday, extending the sales period to encompass the entire weekend, culminating with Cyber Monday.

The potential of online Black Friday promotions is evident in the staggering numbers. For instance, in 2021, merchants on Shopify witnessed sales amounting to an impressive $6.3 billion USD globally during the Black Friday to Cyber Monday window, marking a 23% growth from the previous year. This sales frenzy involved 47 million unique buyers, with the average shopping cart exceeding $100 USD.

Such lucrative opportunities await your venture as well. The key lies in crafting an impeccable Black Friday promotion strategy to distinguish your brand amidst the competition."

19 Unbeatable Black Friday Marketing Tactics

Black Friday marketing approaches aren't universally applicable. While you have the best understanding of your clientele and their preferences, there are certain proven tactics that can enhance your Black Friday promotional efforts.

Explore these 19 unbeatable strategies tailored for Black Friday marketing success.

Leverage Social Media to Showcase Upcoming Deals

While some consumers relish the excitement of spontaneous shopping, others like to strategize and capitalize on early deals. Cater to both by spotlighting your upcoming sales on social media platforms. Introduce 'hidden offers' or clearly outline your forthcoming promotions.

By unveiling sneak peeks of exclusive discounts, integrating countdown clocks, and sharing captivating content, brands can amplify the excitement and steer consumers to their outlets on Black Friday. Moreover, social media platforms serve as an ideal medium to interact with potential buyers and address any queries related to your Black Friday promotions.

Explore our assortment of Black Friday-themed social media content for creative ideas.

Instill A Feeling Of Immediacy

To ignite enthusiasm for your discounted products, craft content that emphasizes immediacy. Instilling a feeling of immediacy or limited availability in your Black Friday promotions prompts customers to act swiftly.

A key advantage of emphasizing immediacy is its ability to grab attention. In a cluttered inbox, for instance, an email that radiates urgency tends to stand out more than one that lacks it.

Photo from Poshmark

By presenting a time-sensitive offer or granting exclusive access to promotional items, you can motivate customers to seize your Black Friday bargains before they vanish.

Email Marketing Campaign

Initiate an email marketing initiative and witness your ROI soar exponentially. On average, email yields a return of $36 for each dollar invested, outperforming all other channels.

Who can resist enticing offers and discounts landing in their email daily? Start rolling out these promotions a couple of weeks before Black Friday, exclusively for your subscribers.

Enhance Your Website For Users Conducting Searches On Google

Black Friday sees a surge of eCommerce platforms competing for prime visibility on Google's top results. To secure a position, it's crucial to tailor your website for the online shopping audience.

Start by identifying keywords that consumers commonly use while hunting for festive offers. After conducting thorough keyword research, integrate these terms seamlessly into your website's content. Ensure the integration feels organic and avoid overloading your content with excessive keywords.

Furthermore, prioritize optimizing your website for mobile users, considering the growing trend of individuals shopping via their smartphones during the holiday season.

Enhance Customer Support with a Chatbot on Your Website

As shopper traffic increases, so do customer support queries. It's inevitable. Shoppers will have questions about orders, delivery, and returns, among other things.

Integrating a chatbot on your site can enhance and automate your customer service operations. The chatbot can manage basic FAQs, and if a more personalized touch is required, a customer service representative can intervene. This approach alleviates the routine tasks burdening your team, allowing them to concentrate on more significant challenges.

Integrate a Chatbot into Your Shopify Store

For optimal customer conversion, simplify their experience. If you're utilizing platforms like Shopify, think about integrating a chatbot.

Chatbots on Shopify can access your store's data to automate various functions. This encompasses essential customer interactions, inventory checks, managing returns, and boosting sales.

In peak times such as Black Friday, ensuring your customers receive adequate support is crucial. Chatbots can assist in achieving this.

Leverage Chatbots for Quicker Product Discovery by Shoppers

In addition to streamlining customer queries, AI-driven chatbots such as Heyday can boost sales. By selecting the right chatbot, you can facilitate a swift and smooth product search for shoppers.

You can achieve this by configuring your chatbot to pose a sequence of questions to shoppers, refining their search to a select few products. Subsequently, shoppers have the option to buy the product online or locate it in a physical store.

Furthermore, chatbots can offer tailored suggestions rooted in past buying behaviors. Especially during the bustling period of Black Friday, such assistance is invaluable.

Source: Heyday

Exclusive Discounts for Loyal Customers: Rewarding Long-Term Loyalty

Customers appreciate recognition, especially when they've been with your brand for a while. Black Friday presents an opportunity to express gratitude to your dedicated patrons.

Providing special offers and savings to these longstanding clients is a savvy promotional strategy that can enhance customer retention and stimulate ongoing transactions. Demonstrating that you cherish their continued support can motivate them to remain loyal, even beyond Black Friday events.

Direct Sales on Social Media: A New Approach

Many individuals turn to social media platforms to explore products or investigate a brand. In fact, nearly half of users have stated they discover new brands or products on Instagram.

During Black Friday, the hunt for discounts and special offers intensifies. By leveraging direct sales on platforms such as Instagram, you position your offerings directly in the line of sight of potential customers. Facilitating purchases directly within the app streamlines the buying process for consumers.

Moreover, social media platforms offer a gateway to a worldwide audience. Take Instagram, for instance, where users are accustomed to brand promotions. A staggering 90% of its users are connected to at least one brand.

With Hootsuite, you can schedule your shoppable Instagram posts well ahead so you can focus on other brilliant Black Friday marketing strategies.

Maximize The Advantage Of Using Hashtags

Black Friday presents a chance to engage with fresh audiences on social platforms. Leveraging hashtags allows you to tap into communities eager for Black Friday specials, guiding them to your offerings.

For retailers aiming to attract bargain hunters, employing hashtags like #blackfridayfinds or #blackfridaysavings can be effective.

Engage with Customers Post-Black Friday

Capitalizing on Black Friday sales is fantastic, but the real goal is to nurture those one-time buyers into long-term loyalists.

Research by Shopify indicates that the lifetime value of customers is often at its lowest during peak sale events like Black Friday. In fact, a staggering 64% of retailers found that customers acquired during Black Friday or Cyber Monday tend to have a lower lifetime value compared to those acquired at other times.

To counteract this, consider sending a heartfelt thank-you note, a survey to gauge their shopping experience, or simply request feedback. Such gestures not only enhance the customer experience but can also pave the way for future interactions.

By proactively engaging with your customers post-purchase, you're signaling that your brand genuinely appreciates their patronage and is dedicated to ensuring their satisfaction.

Referral Codes

Referral marketing is a powerful tool for brand promotion, especially during Black Friday sales.

Consider dispatching referral codes to your email list. By providing enticing rewards like gift cards or enhanced discounts, you not only motivate them to spread the word but also appreciate their loyalty. Such strategies can attract new clientele while simultaneously reinforcing the bond with your existing patrons.

Rewards on Minimum Spend

Provide incentives for reaching specific spending thresholds. For instance, customers with a $100 purchase could qualify for complimentary shipping.

Incentives based on spending levels can significantly boost your conversion rates and motivate customers to increase their purchases. Implementing a tiered reward system can enhance this effect. For instance, a $50 purchase might earn a 10% discount, whereas a $100 purchase could secure a 20% reduction.

Giving Freebies with Purchases

Customers cherish the sensation of receiving a reward.

Offering a complimentary item with their order can motivate them to make a purchase. Plus, it fosters a positive sentiment that can encourage repeat business.

Naturally, it's crucial to ensure the freebie is something your customers will value. When deciding on the gift, consider the preferences and interests of your target audience.

Concentrate on Reducing Your Cart Abandonment Rates

Ever browsed an online store, considered leaving without purchasing, and then got interrupted by a sudden pop-up? Whether it's a prompt for a discount or a quick questionnaire about your shopping preferences, these pop-ups can feel intrusive. But that's their purpose.

Their primary goal is to capture your focus and diminish cart abandonment. By allowing customers to share their reasons for leaving or offering them a reason to finalize their purchase, you can potentially reduce the number of abandoned carts.

Ensure your pop-up highlights the exclusive Black Friday deal to make it even more compelling.

Make a Guide for Gifts

Ah, the allure of Black Friday gift guides!

A gift guide is basically a handpicked assortment of your items, organized in a manner that simplifies the shopping experience for buyers. Consider crafting a 'For the Style-Savvy Pal' guide that showcases trendy apparel from your collection.

Such guides are instrumental in spotlighting particular items, attracting visitors to your site or shop, and building enthusiasm around your brand.

Build Social Signals via Contents

Hosting a social media competition can boost visits to your site or shop, gather potential leads, and amplify your brand's visibility.

Present a reward that resonates with your desired audience and motivate individuals to participate and spread the word among their peers and followers. This acts as a testament to your brand's credibility.

When a friend vouches for a brand, your trust in that brand naturally increases. Encourage your audience to mention their buddies or share your material on their stories as contest entries.

Plan your competition and its associated posts in advance using tools like Hootsuite to ensure you're well-prepared for the eventful day.

Be Weird!

Let's face it, the marketing landscape on Black Friday is going to be a whirlwind.

Every retailer will be trumpeting their unbeatable prices, enticing deals, and rapid delivery. To make a mark, you need to capture attention. Dare to be different.

Take Deciem as a case in point. They took the bold step of opting out of Black Friday altogether. They halted their website and shuttered their physical stores, taking a stand against the frenzied buying that characterizes the day. Subsequently, they revealed a month-long sale for November.

Source: Deciem

Make a Stand

Rather than jumping on the Black Friday bandwagon, how can your brand make a meaningful impact? Numerous independent retailers globally are challenging the Black Friday norm by either donating their profits, going offline, or even shutting their physical stores.

For instance, Pantee, a sustainable underwear brand from the UK, takes a unique approach. On Black Friday, they restrict website access to only those on their mailing list, effectively combating the rampant unsustainable impulse purchases that the day is notorious for. They steer clear of discounts and discourage hasty buying.

Their core message? Reflect before you spend.

Connect with potential buyers on social platforms and transform those interactions into sales using Heyday, our specialized conversational AI chatbot tailored for social commerce businesses. Offer unparalleled customer experiences, all while maintaining efficiency.