Black Friday Tips for Small Businesses: Hack Your 2024 Sales

While large retailers can dominate Black Friday, it doesn’t mean small businesses can’t benefit from the biggest shopping day of the year. In fact, with the right strategy, small businesses can use Black Friday to attract new customers, increase sales, and boost brand awareness.

In this guide, Techopedia interviews industry experts to gain Black Friday ideas for small businesses and all the advice that leaders need to succeed.

So, what are some ways to get ready for Black Friday? Let’s explore.

Table of Contents Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. How to Prepare Your Small Business for Black Friday
3. The Bottom Line
4. FAQs
5. References

Show Full Guide

Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. How to Prepare Your Small Business for Black Friday
3. The Bottom Line
Show Full Guide
4. FAQs
5. References

How to Prepare Your Small Business for Black Friday

1. Preparing Your Shop for Black Friday Success

Having a plan and being prepared is the smart way to go if you do not want to be left behind or see your shop sink into chaos as the Black Friday rush begins.

Techepedia spoke with Tim Peters, the CMO of Enghouse Systems (TSX: ENGH), a company with over 25 years of experience in leading marketing strategies for technology-driven businesses, omnichannel sales, and customer support solutions.

Peters spoke about the importance of a strategic marketing plan.

“A strategic marketing plan is essential for Black Friday success. For small businesses, the complexity of this plan should align with their goals and resources.”

Peters explained that a strategic plan should focus on identifying target customers, selecting the right channels (e.g., social media, email marketing, and in-store promotions), and setting clear, measurable objectives.

“A well-crafted plan allows businesses to be agile, responding to customer demand and market conditions in real-time.”

Having a plan can help business leaders better evaluate supply and demand, decide whether to offer Black Friday discounts, what they plan to sell the most, and how to keep up with online and in-store traffic surges.

“Small businesses should assess their capacity and consider hiring extra seasonal staff if they anticipate a significant increase in customer traffic,” Peters from Enghouse told Techopedia.

Kristie Tse, founder of New York-based Uncover Mental Health Counseling, a business owner who has developed effective strategies tailored specifically for small businesses, also spoke to Techopedia about seasonal staff.

Tse said that small businesses can determine if they will need extra staff by analyzing past sales data and considering the scope of planned promotions.

“If historical data shows a significant upturn in sales during this period, it’s important to assess whether current staff can handle the anticipated demand.

“Hiring additional staff can enhance customer experience and ensure smooth operations.”

2. Maximize Black Friday Online Sales

Global online sales in 2023 accounted for $5.8 trillion, a number expected to rise to $6.33 trillion this year and peak to more than $8 trillion by 2027. Small businesses looking to capitalize on this trend can look into optimizing their online site and running social media and email campaigns.

Peters from Enghouse said that businesses should ensure that their websites are optimized for all devices, including mobile. The website should also be easy to navigate and run fast checkouts. “Special landing pages for Black Friday deals can help convert traffic into sales,” Peters said.

Techopedia also spoke with Brook Hiddink, founder of HighTicket.io, an education-centric company offering online courses, coaching, and AI-powered technology to streamline the process of building an e-commerce business.

“To really drive online sales, put your e-commerce, social media, and email together in an all-encompassing strategy. Each of these elements should complement one another, driving activity and ultimately conversion.”

When it comes to social media marketing, companies can build anticipation before Black Friday by teasing deals and engaging with followers. “During the event, real-time updates and promotions can drive traffic to both online and physical stores,” Peters said.

Email campaigns also need a clear plan. It’s worthless to send a generic email to everyone on your list without personalizing it.

Furthermore, sending emails to contacts who are not customers can be counterproductive, as these may be considered spam.

Peters from Enghouse offered some key points for email marketing on Black Friday.

“Personalized email campaigns that offer exclusive deals to subscribers can be highly effective. Segmenting the email list based on past purchasing behavior allows for more targeted and relevant offers, increasing the likelihood of conversion.”

Phillip Dane, founder and CEO at Ultimate WP SMS, developer of a WordPress plugin designed to drive SMS, MMS, and Voice messages without third-party providers, told Techopedia that email marketing is not the only way to go.

“SMS marketing will be key for small businesses to reach customers this holiday season.”

“Social media advertising has become too noisy, and email marketing is on the brink of extinction, but texts meet customers where they already spend all of their time — on their phones,’ Dane said.

Dane explained that the open rate speaks for itself—SMS marketing has a 98% open rate, compared to less than 20% for emails.

3. Use In-Store Strategies For Foot Traffic

Tom Jauncey, who calls himself the Head Nerd (a cool way of saying CEO) of Nautilus Marketing, a recognized full-service digital marketing agency, spoke to Techopedia about the importance of in-store actions.

“In-store store strategies are crucial for driving footfall into stores,” Jauncey said.

“Give your customers exclusive offers in your store and think outside the box with your displays. Catchy signage will bring in way more walk-ins on its own.”

Ilija Sekulov, Digital and Content Marketing (SEO, SEM) at Mailbutler.io, a smart email management platform for businesses, said that for Black Friday, small businesses should focus on what matters most.

“Instead of getting lost in a complicated plan, concentrate on a few strategies that you know will work for your customers.”

Sekulov added that owners can learn a lot from paying attention to what their customers are asking for or what orders they are placing. This may reveal a trend and other small business Black Friday ideas.

“Even with all the online buzz, your physical store can still be a big draw on Black Friday.

“People love a good in-store deal that they can’t get online. Make your store inviting with creative displays, but don’t overcomplicate it — clear signs that guide people to the best deals can make a huge difference in how smoothly things go.”

4. Offer Customers Unique Offers

With so much competition and big brands offering massive discounts, small business owners are challenged when creating unique offers. But slashing prices to a minimum is not always the most effective tactic.

Sekulov from Mailbutler.io said businesses can stand out through offers designed to make their customers feel valued.

“Instead of just slashing prices, try offering something special, like free gift wrapping or a bonus item with certain purchases.

“Limited-time deals can create excitement, and giving your loyal customers a little extra can keep them coming back, making both them and your business happy.”

Katelyn Daniell, co-founder of Precision Retail, an artificial intelligence-powered retail survey tool, spoke to Techopedia about brick-and-mortar strategies.

Daniell said that while Black Friday shopping has been shifting online, still, 76.2 million people in the U.S. visited brick-and-mortar stores on Black Friday last year.

“For retailers who want to incentivize people to come in, they first need to know who these customers are. That’s why it’s so vital to capture this kind of data ahead of time.”

5. Customer Support is Super Important During the Holidays

A business can have a well-rounded Black Friday strategy, the best deals in town, and be prepared for an increase in customer demand, but it is bound to face big problems if it provides poor customer support.

This is especially true in today’s world, where everyone can leave reviews that can make or break a business.

Who better to talk to about customer support than Michael Podolsky, the co-founder and CEO of P*ssedConsumer.com, a review and reputation management platform? Speaking with Techopedia, Podolsky gave us some useful Black Friday tips for small businesses to consider.

Knowing your customers is vital to improving customer service channels. Maximizing online sales means reaching your customers where they are most engaged.

P*ssedConsumer data shows that 25.7% of consumers find out about deals through email campaigns, 24.5% via online ads, and 24% through websites, while only 7.8% and 4.9% discover deals through social media and offline ads, respectively.

“For small businesses, this highlights the importance of knowing where their customers are and what is the best way to engage with them. Whether through digital platforms or offline, the business should choose the most effective ways to target its specific audience.”

Podolsky said a data-driven approach to hiring extra staff helps predict peak times and ensures the right number of employees is available when needed, enhancing customer satisfaction while managing costs effectively.

“The key is not in making the plan overly complex but aligning it with consumer expectations.”

Many small business owners fear that the pressure from customers and product returns can be too overwhelming on Black Friday. However, experts say that investing heavily in extra staff to deal with them is not always the solution.

P*ssedConsumer data also shows that Black Friday buyers tend to be highly satisfied. About 64% of customers surveyed never had an issue with a Black Friday purchase that left them feeling “p*ssed”.

Additionally, 75.9% of surveyed customers would be open to writing an online review after making Black Friday purchases.

Combining the right deals with the right marketing and knowing your customers helps business owners overcome the fears of dealing with Black Friday that might paralyze them or drive them towards hiring unnecessary personnel.

The Bottom Line

Black Friday for small businesses is ripe with myths; however, with the right information and proper resource allocation, small companies can benefit as much from it as big brands do.

From online to in-store strategies to customer support or standing out from the crowd with unique deals that do not break the bank, small businesses — the backbone of our modern economy — have a unique advantage.

By playing to their strengths and planning ahead, business owners can thrive during Black Friday and beyond.

FAQs