How to Prep for Black Friday: A 10-Step Guide
Black Friday is gaining traction in Australia, quickly becoming one of the most popular sale events and a wonderful opportunity for brands to drive traffic and sales over a short period of time.
Here are some ways as a brand, you can prepare for Black Friday sales, if you wish to participate. However we also want to note that we encourage brands to determine if this is the positioning strategy they want to align themselves with. You may wish to forgo Black Friday sales, and instead focus on building trust and consistency with your audience without the use of sales.
Whether your brand chooses to dive into Black Friday or not, taking a planned and tactical approach is important. So here are some recommendations on how to prepare for Black Friday:
Start Planning Early
Begin at least one to two months out to organise inventory, develop marketing materials, and build a promotional strategy. Analyse data from last year to see what worked and what didn’t, focusing on best-selling items and successful promotions.
Define Clear Goals
Set specific, measurable objectives, like increasing sales by a set percentage or boosting average order value. Identify metrics you’ll track, including revenue, customer acquisition, and traffic, to track success.
Optimise Your Website
Ensure your website can handle a surge in traffic to prevent crashes. Test your checkout process, offer guest checkout, and minimise form fields. With a significant portion of Black Friday shopping happening on mobile, confirm your site is mobile-friendly to avoid losing customers. Note: Websites built on Shopify are perfectly capable of handling high traffic surges.
Plan Your Promotions
Decide on your main offers, such as site-wide discounts, tiered pricing, or buy-one-get-one-free deals. Set a budget to ensure the promotion remains profitable. Adding limited-time flash sales can create urgency and keep customers engaged throughout the day.
Create Product Bundles and Gift Sets
Product bundles are a great way to increase average order value. Consider exclusive Black Friday bundles or gift sets, which are especially popular during the holiday season as ready-made gifts.
Build a Targeted Marketing Campaign
Use email marketing to build anticipation and share sneak peeks with your list in the weeks leading up to Black Friday. Run social media ads with a countdown and feature special product teasers. For greater reach, consider using paid ads or collaborating with influencers.
Offer Early Access to Loyal Customers
Treat loyal customers to early access to deals, making them feel valued. You can share exclusive access codes or links via email or social media to drive anticipation and increase brand loyalty.
Prepare Your Customer Support Team
Train your customer service team on Black Friday deals and shipping policies, ensuring they’re equipped to manage high demand. Consider adding live chat or a chatbot to address frequent queries, reducing wait times and enhancing customer satisfaction.
Stock Up and Streamline Fulfilment
Perform a stocktake to ensure you have enough inventory, especially for popular items. Organise storage and streamline fulfilment processes for fast delivery. Clear labels on sale items can expedite packing and minimise mistakes.
Optimise Shipping and Returns
Free or discounted shipping is a big draw for customers. Ensure shipping costs, delivery times, and return policies are clearly stated on your website. Extending return windows for the holiday season can increase purchase confidence too.
After Black Friday, maintain momentum by encouraging customers to join your email list, follow you on social media, or join a loyalty program. Plan a follow-up campaign with incentives for future purchases and cross-sell related products.
Ensure you put in the work for Black Friday prep so that it can run smoothly, and once it’s over, continue to leverage the customer base throughout the Christmas and the New Year.