By: Chiara Squillantini

Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) aren’t just shopping days — they’re opportunities to drive revenue, expand your customer base, and boost your brand’s visibility. The National Retail Federation says that the holiday season represents about 19% of annual retail sales. In addition, Mailchimp’s top 100 users saw a 325% increase in daily order value last year during BFCM.

An early and well-planned strategy is key for businesses looking to meet or exceed sales goals. From building pre-event excitement to optimizing your website and engaging customers post-sale, these strategies will help you create a seamless shopping experience and make the most of the holiday rush.

Build Hype for Black Friday and Cyber Monday

The excitement of BFCM isn’t just about the day itself — it’s in the anticipation! Creating excitement before the event is crucial to make your audience feel like they’re part of the build-up to something amazing.

• Teaser Campaigns: Share sneak peeks of upcoming deals or offer mystery discounts — think of it as a movie trailer that leaves people wanting more.
• Countdowns: Add an email countdown or banner on your website to build urgency with each passing day.
• Social Media: Use polls, countdowns, or giveaways on social media to keep followers involved and excited for what’s to come.

Maximize Reach With a Multi-Channel Strategy

Consumers today move between multiple platforms, whether that’s browsing online, using apps, or visiting the physical store. In fact, according to Google, “a majority of shoppers take six or more actions, like researching or comparing products, before purchasing from a brand or product they’re unfamiliar with.”

This shows how the customer journey has become more complex as they expect the same smooth experience on each one. In order to keep up with consumer behaviors, businesses need an omnichannel approach.

• Engage on Social Media: Launch targeted ads to reach the right customers based on their interests, behaviors, and demographics to optimize your ad spend. Partner with influencers to tap into their reach of followers who are often looking to them for recommendations, especially during holidays. Post organic, engaging holiday-themed content on your social media to keep your audience excited and connected.
• Personalized Email Campaigns: Stand out with tailored emails that make each shopper feel special and ready to buy.
• Send SMS Alerts for Timely Deals: During the holiday season, 75% of shoppers are on the lookout for promotions and deals. Capture their attention with instant offers and reminders that shoppers can’t resist.

Leverage Paid Ads and Retargeting

While SEO strategies are important, they often take time to generate results. On the other hand, paid advertising and retargeting strategies can help fast-track results for BFCM!

• Leverage Paid Ads for Quick Wins: Make your ad spend go further by reaching the right audience at the right time. Paid ads deliver immediate visibility to capture holiday shoppers’ attention right when it counts.
• Retarget Engaged Visitors: In today’s programmatic advertising landscape, most consumers need to encounter your ads several times before they are likely to convert. Retargeting is a great way to re-engage visitors who showed interest but didn’t buy. Show them personalized ads and discounts to convert curiosity into purchases. Reaching a consumer repeatedly requires less effort than reaching consumers who haven’t engaged with you.
• Consider Influencer Collaborations: Influencers can amplify your reach by sharing your brand message through trusted voices, building buzz right before the big shopping days.

Get Your Site Ready for the BFCM Traffic Surge

Prepare your website for the holiday rush with these essential optimizations to capture every sale.

• Mobile Optimization: With 70% of Black Friday shoppers using mobile devices, a mobile-friendly site is a must for seamless navigation, browsing, and checkout.
• User-Friendly Experience: Clear navigation, smooth checkout, and trust signals (like reviews & security badges) make shoppers feel comfortable and ready to buy.
• Fast Loading Speed: Don’t let slow pages cost you sales! Even a one-second delay can reduce conversions by 7%, so ensure your site loads quickly for a strong first impression.

Post-Sale Engagement: Turn BFCM Shoppers into Loyal Customers

Though BFCM may begin with making a sale, it also continues beyond the holiday season by building customer relationships. The surge in traffic and new customers during this period is a “golden opportunity” to expand your customer base. Here’s how you can turn one-time holiday shoppers into repeat customers for long-term growth:

• Send Thank-You Emails with Future Discounts: Show appreciation and invite them back with a special offer.
• Run Follow-Up Campaigns: Try post-holiday deals or early access to new products to keep the excitement going.
• Gather Feedback and Engage on Social Media: Use polls, surveys, and social replies to build authentic connections and strengthen brand loyalty.

Conclusion

Don’t let your business miss out on this year’s holiday shopping rush! Use these tips to get a head start with smart BFCM tactics that maximize reach, attract new customers, and boost revenue.

Are you ready to make the most of this BFCM? Get started and launch a BFCM campaign with Otis at meetotis.com.