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The Black Friday marketing strategies that drove record sales

Now that the big day* is over, we can let you in on some of the secrets and industry best practices we applied to generate record-high sales for our clients.

So here they are (sshhh!) – our not-so-secret secrets:

  • We gave sales the spotlight across multiple touchpoints
  • We increased advertising budgets
  • We optimised websites
  • We used power words that sell
  • We scheduled ads in advance
  • *We didn’t see Black Friday as a one-day event
  • We turned Black Friday into Green Friday

01 We gave sales the spotlight across multiple touchpoints

Black Friday can feel a bit like a battle of discounts, but it’s actually a battle for attention. To win the battle, you need to get noticed. And to get noticed, you can’t rely on just one channel to communicate your sales.

In fact, the more channels you use (suited to your customer, of course), the better. Think organic posts, website banners/pop-ups, emails and ads. It goes without saying that messaging across these channels should be updated to ensure the sale on offer takes centre stage at all times.

The proof:
We applied a multi-channel approach with sales-focused messaging to the Black Friday campaign of a water cooler retailer and boosted their November sales by 109%.

02 We increased advertising budgets

Black Friday tends to be the most profitable time to run ads. Unfortunately, it’s also the most competitive. An increased ad budget ensures your brand can compete against the increased ad budgets of competitors.

The proof:
Boosting the social ad spend of an outdoor accessory brand by 55% resulted in a 213% increase in sales from social compared to last November. We increased the ad spend of a home decor brand and expanded from one to two advertising channels, yielding a 111% spike in its November sales.

03 We optimised websites

A website doesn’t have to completely crash for you to be left with frustrated customers and abandoned carts. In fact, 40% of customers will wait no longer than three seconds before leaving a site.

Brands need to be certain their website follows best user experience practices in the lead up to sale events. And, with 65% of Australian shoppers purchasing on mobile this Black Friday, it’s also crucial that websites cater to mobile shoppers.

04 We used power words that sell

We looked back on the year that was. Which messaging strategies proved most effective for our clients? Which words meant something to their customers? These power words, along with urgent messaging, triggered a sense of scarcity and pressure to boost conversion rates.

05 We scheduled ads in advance

Scheduling ads at least a week before a sale event means you’ll be prepared to face any obstacle. Like this year, for example, when Facebook ads were plagued by a huge bug which saw ad buyers facing several error messages and delayed approval times.

06 We didn’t see Black Friday as a one-day event

Customers see Black Friday as a four-day long event extending through to Cyber Monday, but we know it’s important to build excitement long before the weekend approaches in order to optimise brand communications.

For existing customers, it’s a good idea to send out teaser emails, ensuring customers have your brand on their radar. To acquire new customers, run competitions and make use of website pop-ups offering VIP early access and exclusive discounts.

07 We turned Black Friday into Green Friday

One of our ethically-positioned clients was hesitant to participate in what some see as a consumerist frenzy. But hey – a sustainable brand needs to be sustainable in terms of profit too, right?

Using ethically-focused messaging, we redefined this day to be one of sustainable and mindful consumption. Talk about standing out.

The result?
Monthly sales doubled – all without compromising the client’s ethical values.

Need help coordinating and optimising your brand communications during sale time? Our team of skilled developers, creatives and digital specialists can do it with their eyes closed. And they’ve got tricks up their sleeves we weren’t allowed to share here. So let’s chat.