As we enter the month of October, you’ve probably already started receiving tips, tricks, tools, and tactics on how to approach the whirlwind that is Black Friday/Cyber Monday. We’re here to help keep you grounded and share some real advice on how to go about this significant moment in the e-commerce calendar.

Align with your brand values

First up, when you think about your brand values and what you stand for, is Black Friday really for you? No doubt you’re already aware of the connotations of the weekend, so is that the direction you want to take your brand in, the way you want to engage with your customers? We’re big believers in long-term sustained growth and while the quick boost of revenue can be alluring, we want to encourage being steadfast in your brand vision and values. 

That’s not to say that you need to miss out on the financial aspect of sales, but you could choose a different moment as opposed to that weekend specifically. Or you could use slightly more covert strategies, such as rewarding loyal customers, gifting options, or offering exclusive collections.

It’s important to recognise that Black Friday can be more than a weekend whirlwind for revenue, it can also provide momentum that helps with longer-term growth. Here’s how you can make the most of it if you choose to participate.

Collect first-party data

The buzzword of the year; first-party data. With data acquisition costs rising and the recent changes in consent/cookie collection policies, it’s important to collect information about your customers that you can use for longer-term strategies. The simplest way to do it is to extend your sign-up forms with more fields which could help you create more elaborate retention strategies. When adding fields, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer on what to include. It’s a fine line between gathering your information and creating an obstacle for customers that puts them off. Our team can help you strike the right balance, let us know how we can help.

Clean up your subscriber database beforehand

Before you launch ahead with sending your beautifully designed emails, make sure they’ll have a chance of being read. In the weeks before Black Friday, dedicate time to cleaning up your newsletter subscriber database to ensure that you only communicate with the readers who actually read your mail. 

This is super important because; if you send to your entire database, it costs you more overall. By sending to more subscribers (including those who don’t open your mail), you run the risk of ending up in everyone’s spam folder, missing out on your active readers. It will also inaccurately affect your open rate % and give you inaccurate data. That’s why database hygiene should be prioritised, not just for Black Friday, but to help you throughout the whole year. And make sure you give yourself enough time before, don’t just leave it to the last minute.

Make it a unified concept

It’s essential to create a full unified concept that spans an omnichannel presence. From in-store POS materials to your webshop, social media channels, SMS (if applicable), and out-of-home material, it all needs to align across the board. Be mindful of how you communicate your brand during this time. Stay aligned with your brand identity and values, rather than being swept up in the generic Black Friday communication. Make use of important integrations that connect the data across these channels, for example, Klaviyo and Meta Ads integration.

Reduce return rates and boost customer care

Product returns are a big burden on businesses and sale periods encourage people to buy more impulsively due to price drops. Take an active approach to reducing your return rates so that customers hold onto their items. Prepare in advance by adding more product descriptions and sizing information, plus adding more photo content if possible – that includes older products! If customers know what they’re buying, they’re less likely to return and be more satisfied.

Customer satisfaction should be a high priority and the best way to ensure this is by investing more energy in customer service. Take time to update your policy regarding returns and delivery, don’t be afraid to communicate potential delays as failing to do so will probably mean frustrated customers reaching out. Make sure you have a big enough team to handle the extra requests across channels (emails, socials, phone), and invest in freelancers for the period if necessary. Customers need to feel cared for, even if it is a busy time for your business.

What happens after BFCM?
Prepare ahead to redirect focus to your brand identity

Don’t go silent after the Black Friday madness, make sure you have something new to share with your community. It’s a great moment to boost the brand’s creative spirit with a new campaign or launch a new product that aligns with your purpose. Prepare strong content with a good story to remind audiences of your brand vision and values.

If you’d like more guidance on how to approach Black Friday - whether that’s taking part or not - don’t hesitate to reach out and we’ll help you choose​​ the best strategy for your brand.