Black Friday brand boost
Black Friday has become quite the phenomenon in the UK in the past five years. Originally an American craze to mark the day after Thanksgiving, UK retailers – and customers – have rapidly caught on and now it cannot be avoided from early November until the big day.
Thought to be named Black Friday because it’s the last day that bank balances are in the black before the Christmas shopping begins, the name actually originates from the traffic congestion when Americans hit the sales whilst recovering from their Thanksgiving turkey the previous day.
It’s predicted that 3 in 5 UK adults (59% of the population) plan to spend during Black Friday weekend, which provides huge opportunities for brand exposure. Millennials are expected to spend on average £188 each, while Gen Z’s follow closely behind with an average of £181 per shopper.
Clearly there is a huge opportunity for businesses to boost sales! So what can you do to make the most of Black Friday for your brand? As a specialist home and garden PR agency, we have some Black Friday top tips for marketing success…
1. Get social!
Social media is the best way to spread the word about the details of your Black Friday deals. Have a strategic plan with targeted content all based around what you’ve got to offer and why consumers should choose you. Consider digital advertising to reach your exact demographic; utilise hashtags; pin promotions to the top of your pages; stress deadlines and “limited time offers” so people know to act quickly. Make your followers feel special with exclusive discounts that are just for them – you could even have hourly deals too! Seeking back links and referrals from other accounts is a great way to spread the word.
2. Content is King
Don’t forget that your content must also be engaging and eye-catching – Facebook suggests the average attention span on the platform for video content is about 2 seconds, while “TikTok Brain” is the latest phenomenon to blame for our ever-dwindling attention spans. If you’re not sure how to nail the art of content creation, check out our blog here for some top tips.
3. Stand out
PR opportunities and chances to be newsworthy are limited on Black Friday with everyone having something to shout about. So be creative to stand out, create a sense of intrigue to get people talking! Working with influencers and utilising strategic partnerships are great ways to generate brand endorsement on a day where people don’t know who to trust. If you’d like more of our top tips on how to make a story hit the headlines, check out our blog here!
4. Use email for direct communication
As specialist home and garden content creators and copywriters, we know the power in a well-crafted email. E-newsletters are a great way of letting your database know what deals you’ve got going on. Inboxes are always busy on Black Friday so be succinct. Make the subject line stand out, and communicate exactly what you are offering. Then the email body needs to be to the point with simple links to your website so it’s easy for customers to make a purchase
5. Be mobile friendly
Last year, mobile devices accounted for 54% of the online sales during Black Friday, according to Forbes, and reports suggest mobile will continue to be the consumer-preferred method this year. so make sure all your content is mobile friendly, easy to use and working properly! Shoppers will be in a rush to hunt down the best bargains so won’t want to wait whilst pages load, baskets freeze and links fail.
6. Finally, don’t get carried away
Stay true to your marketing plan – Remember the “who, where, what” mantra. Keep your audience and target customer in mind constantly. There’s a lot of active people to reach on Black Friday but not all of them might be right for your brand.
· Who are you trying to reach?
· Where are you able to reach them?
· What do you want to say?
If you’d like help with your Black Friday strategy, and how to make the most of the opportunities that it brings, get in touch! As a specialist home and garden communications agency, we can provide help with PR strategies and media relations, social media management and asset creation, copywriting, email campaigns, influencer marketing, and so much more!
