How were Black Friday and Cyber Monday for You?
The holiday season is rolling on, continuing its determined march towards 2018. Stores everywhere are getting rid of the brown, yellow and orange decorations of fall to pave the way for the new season of red, green and gold, and yes… that is the sound of the first Christmas songs hitting the airwaves.
Of course Thanksgiving and Christmas aren’t the only games in town. Of equal or maybe even greater importance to many business owners are newer sales holidays like Black Friday and Cyber Monday. If these holidays were in your plans from the beginning, did they work out the way you expected them to? Did you meet your marketing and sales goals? Did your new promotions bring people in your door, or were they ignored? What worked well and what needs some improvement?
If Black Friday and Cyber Monday weren’t on your calendar this year, it might be time to add them. There’s no reason not to take advantage of them even if your business isn’t primarily a retail one and even if you don’t have a brick and mortar store. Here’s why:
Visibility. Even if November isn’t a big month for you sales-wise, there are a lot of people out holiday shopping. They’re visiting malls or going online looking for deals. It’s the perfect time to work on increasing awareness of your brand.
Sales. Events of any kind are a great opportunity for marketing. You could actually create your own sales event the way giants like Amazon or Toyota have, but since everyone already knows about Black Friday and Cyber Monday, it makes using them that much easier. How about promoting your business on Small Business Saturday?
Meet and greet. Rock stars use these sessions to interact with fans and to generate positive press. They know that there’s no better advertising than word of mouth. Impress a fan with how down to earth you can be and they’ll tell their friends how cool you are. If it works for rock stars, it can work for you. If you don’t want to stake out the local mall, take advantage of increased online traffic to hold a virtual meet and greet. They’re your customers or potential customers. Talk to them.
Even if Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping isn’t ‘a thing’ for you and your industry, they are marketing opportunities, and there’s no sense in letting them pass you by. So make them a thing, and plan early for them. The more time you allow yourself, the easier it is to set up a marketing plan and to adjust it as needed. If you did take advantage of them, use the data and experience you gathered to make next year even better.
Good luck and Happy Holidays.