Whether you’re a new brand or an established seller, Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) offer great opportunities to boost your sales. They mark the start of the holiday spending season, when shoppers actively look for deals and discounts on all kinds of products.
To get the most out of these high-traffic shopping days, you need to prepare early and promote your products and brand effectively.
In this guide, you’ll learn:
- What Black Friday and Cyber Monday are
- Why you should participate in these sales events
- How to get ready for Black Friday and Cyber Monday
- How to promote your store and deals for these events
- Which Amazon tools and programs to consider to help increase your sales
What are Black Friday and Cyber Monday?
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are two major shopping events that originated in the US. Black Friday traditionally occurs the day after Thanksgiving, while Cyber Monday falls on the following Monday.
Black Friday got its name by marking the day retailers turn a profit, shifting from “in the red” to “in the black” in accounting terms. Cyber Monday emerged in the early 2000s with the rise of online shopping, as people used high-speed internet to shop after Thanksgiving.
These shopping events have gained international popularity, with many retailers across the globe offering huge discounts and deals to attract customers. It’s a time when shoppers are looking for bargains on things like gifts, decorations, and hosting supplies, making it a good opportunity for businesses to increase sales.
Why participate in Black Friday, Cyber Monday?
Increase sales volume potential
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are a chance to make extra sales and revenue for the year. During these days, there’s a surge in shopping activity as many customers are on the lookout for great deals and are ready to buy. It’s a great time to show off your products and draw in new customers with competitive pricing.
Boost brand visibility and attract new customers
Participating in Black Friday and Cyber Monday isn’t only about making sales. It’s also a great way to get your brand noticed. By offering enticing deals and promotions, you can attract more customers to your store, helping you gain popularity and build a strong reputation. During these events, showcase your brand’s unique qualities to stand out. If customers remember your name and logo, they might return and tell their friends after the sales events.
Manage your inventory
During these events, you have a chance to sell slow-moving products that have been sitting in your inventory. By offering discounts and special deals, you can help clear space to make room for more popular new products. And by managing your inventory during these big shopping days, you can better understand which popular products to stock up on in the future.
How to prepare for Black Friday, Cyber Monday
With the right steps, you can make your store ready for two of the biggest shopping events of the year.
Plan your promotions and discounts early
To make the most out of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, think about what products you want to put on sale and how much of a discount you can offer. A key aspect of effective Black Friday, Cyber Monday marketing is to make sure your prices catch the attention of deal-seeking shoppers while also resulting in a profit.
Stock up on inventory
Make sure you have enough inventory to meet expected demand. Running out of popular items can result in missed sales opportunities and disappointed customers. Check your catalog and replenish products you aim to promote during these events. It’s also wise to have a backup plan for quickly restocking, if needed.
Optimize your online store
Your online store should be easy to navigate and ready to handle increased traffic. Ensure your website loads quickly and can withstand a surge in visitors. And remember to create and update product listings, upload high-quality images, and make sure all links work properly.
Create eye-catching marketing materials and spread the word
To promote your product effectively, you’ll need a BFCM marketing plan and materials. Marketing materials can include email newsletters, social media posts, and advertisements.
Use clear, compelling messages and high-quality visuals to grab customers’ attention. Also highlight the best deals and any limited-time offers to create a sense of urgency.
Consider teaming up with influencers to spread the word about your Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals. Influencers can help you reach a larger audience and generate buzz around your promotions.
Offer excellent customer service
Get your customer service team ready to respond to any questions or issues that might pop up during these busy shopping days. Make sure you have enough staff on hand to respond to customer inquiries quickly and efficiently.
Review key learnings for next year
After the events, take time to review your sales data and customer feedback. Look at what worked well and what didn’t. Use these insights to refine your strategies for future sales events.
How to promote during Black Friday, Cyber Monday
Use different types of promotions
Several types of promotions can work effectively during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Here are a few to consider:
- Discounts: Give big discounts on popular products to draw lots of shoppers hunting for the best deals.
- Bundle deals: Create attractive bundles that add value. Customers are more likely to buy if they feel they’re getting more for their money.
- Fast, free shipping: Shipping costs or long transit times can hold customers back from buying. Try offering free or expedited shipping to boost sales.
- Limited-time offers: Use scarcity to drive urgency and incentivize purchases. Limited-time offers can create that “act now” feeling, encouraging customers to move fast.
Craft effective marketing campaigns
Start promoting for Black Friday, Cyber Monday about three weeks ahead of the event. This early start will give you time to build excitement and reach more customers.
Effective marketing campaigns, or a BFCM campaign, can include:
- Email marketing: Send out well-timed, engaging emails to let your audience know about your exclusive offers and promotions.
- Social media: Use social media to build hype and engage with your audience. Create excitement around your Black Friday, Cyber Monday deals and interact directly with shoppers.
- Influencer collaborations: Influencers can help amplify your message and provide credible endorsements of your products, driving more traffic and sales to your store.
- Sponsored advertising: Try using sponsored, or paid, ads to reach a bigger audience and get more traffic to your store.
Post-Black Friday and Cyber Monday strategies
After the excitement of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, remember to keep the momentum going. Here are some strategies to consider:
- Follow up with customers: Reach out to customers with thank you emails or messages. Show your appreciation for their business, and consider offering a small discount on their next purchase, encouraging them to return.
- Evaluate your sales performance: Look at your sales data to understand what worked well and what didn’t. Identify which products were most popular and any areas that could use improvement. Use this information to refine your strategies for future sales events.
- Restock popular items: Make sure to restock items that sold well during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. You don’t want to miss out on potential sales from returning customers.
- Plan for future promotions: Think about upcoming holidays or events where you can offer promotions. Start planning early to give yourself plenty of time to prepare.
- Engage on social media: Keep the conversation going on your social media platforms. Share highlights from Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and keep your followers informed about new products, restocks, and upcoming sales.
Amazon tools and strategies for Black Friday, Cyber Monday
As an Amazon seller, you have access to a variety of tools and programs that can help you prepare for high-traffic shopping days.
Improve the customer shopping experience
A+ Content
With A+ Content, your product listings can stand out with videos, enhanced images, shoppable product-comparison charts, and more. Think of it as a way to tell the story of your products and brand. Adding this type of content can help shoppers get to know your brand, understand your products, and help them feel more confident about buying.
Brand Stores
Brand Stores can help you build a customizable storefront that’s all about your brand. You get to design your storefront with your own branding, display a curated selection of your products, and share your story with customers. With cohesive branding and a layout that matches your website, you can help build customer trust and make your products easier to find and buy.
Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA)
With Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), your products are stored in Amazon’s fulfillment network, and we handle packing, shipping, customer service, and returns on your behalf. Customers enjoy benefits like fast, reliable delivery, which can help make your products more attractive.
Boost your brand’s visibility
Deals, Promotions, Coupons, and Prime Exclusive Discounts
Deals provide limited-time discounts, creating urgency and encouraging quicker purchases. Promotions offer special discounts like “Buy One, Get One Free,” which can help encourage bigger orders. Coupons provide instant savings at checkout, making your products even more appealing by lowering the final price. Prime Exclusive Discounts give special price cuts to Amazon Prime members, helping boost sales and visibility by reaching a high-value customer segment.
Learn more about Amazon discounts
Amazon Ads
Amazon Ads help you reach customers wherever they spend time. Use cost-per-click (CPC) sponsored ads like Sponsored Products to promote your products in the Amazon store, plus premium apps and websites. Sponsored Brands ads let you promote your brand with a custom headline and logo, driving more shoppers to your entire catalog.
Learn from Prime Day
Prime Day can give you great ideas for your Black Friday and Cyber Monday strategy. By checking out the top-selling items from Prime Day, you can spot popular categories and specific products that shoppers love. This info can help guide your inventory planning, promotional strategies, and marketing campaigns, ensuring you stock and promote in-demand items.
Tap into Black Friday, Cyber Monday momentum year-round
To make the most of the momentum from Black Friday and Cyber Monday throughout the year, try implementing these strategies:
- Price competitively: Ensure your products are competitively priced, which can help you become the Featured Offer.
- Optimize product listings continually: Keep listings updated with high-quality images, detailed descriptions, and positive reviews to help maintain shopper interest.
- Continue advertising and promoting your catalog: Use Amazon Ads to keep your products in front of shoppers, and consider running periodic promotions to keep the excitement going.
- Delight customers: Wow customers with top-notch customer service, and give them a delightful shopping experience every time to help keep them coming back.
If you stay on top of these strategies, you can keep attracting customers and boosting your sales even after the rush is over.
Get ready for Black Friday, Cyber Monday with Amazon
Shoppers are often ready to buy during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. But if you don’t prepare for and promote your business, your products might get lost in the many promotions that run during this time of year.
Proper preparation can help you reach new customers and lead to an uptick in sales. By using Amazon tools like Sponsored Ads, A+ Content, and Brand Stores, your products can also become more visible and appealing beyond Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
