Black Friday Tips 2024: Lessons Learned from BFCM 2023 to Convert Better

The Black Friday and Cyber Monday season of 2023 - one of the most crucial periods in E-commerce retail had come to an end. You all want to learn more about Black Friday Tips and expert strategies for higher conversions.

As we reflect on the trends and strategies that emerged in BFCM 2023, we would like to share some key takeaways and expert tips through different stages for you to be well-prepared and increase conversion rates for the next sales season.

Before diving into some detailed tips, Fordeer would like to ensure that you have a good grasp of the essence of this shopping season.

What is Black Friday, Is Black Friday Tips useful for all?

Black Friday is the biggest holiday shopping season in the United States. While Cyber Monday is a marketing term designed especially for online shopping.

Over time, it evolved into a positive association with retailers aiming to increase profits. This day has expanded beyond the U.S. and is now all the rage in various countries worldwide, both offline and online, with discounts on a wide range of products.

Due to the cost of living crisis and inflation, businesses that aim to conquer the digital shopping area have had to face many challenges. There are many factors that business owners should take into account, such as things that they should and shouldn’t do during the BFCM holiday. But don't be worried; with the implementation of the right and effective strategies and preparations, Black Friday and Cyber Monday will provide your business with an opportunity to boost sales.

Black Friday Tips 1: Start early - Engage longer

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To make your business enter customers’ heads, you should engage in every stage of customers’ journey and shouldn’t miss out on the BFCM promotion timeline. It involves a series of well-planned stages to maximize sales and engagement. Here's a general breakdown:

Early Black Friday

There is a saying that: “Early bird catches the worm”. In the early stages, since buyers are looking for BFCM deals, you can motivate them to shop early by utilizing email marketing, social media teasers, and sneak peeks to keep your audience hooked. Here’s why:

Become and stay top of mind among target customers

Higher visibility and continuous engagement through marketing tools as mentioned above, could do good for your brand as you stay at the forefront of customers’ minds.

By showcasing in advance what your brand has, you will capture the attention of potential buyers and ensure they consider your brand when making purchase decisions.

Encourage early action that makes mutual benefits

Ensure you make your deals at this stage appealing to customers so that they can shop earlier to secure their products of desire. It is a win-win relationship when your business can anticipate demand for this sales season and manage inventory more effectively.

Nowadays, there are still several brands that tend to underestimate the process of prepping before BFCM. However, BFCM 2023 showed that brands that engage early and have a consistent communication campaign with customers tend to stand out from the crowd and witness higher sales, engagement, and conversion.

It sets a good foundation for a successful BFCM event to engage potential buyers. Customers love good deals, so make sure you offer them appealing sales to catch their attention but do not make them as enticing as the official BFCM.

Black Friday week and Cyber Monday

This is of paramount importance, as this part makes the main contribution to business sales and revenues. Be cautious, because ads can be exciting but also annoying as each generation has a different tolerance for BFCM messaging and ads. And business should focus thoroughly on it due to several key factors:

A peak sales period

The majority of revenue for Black Friday week and Cyber Monday comes from this period. Buyers at this stage actively seek deals, discounts, or promotions. This is the best period to drive up conversion rates.

Various players are on the field

All businesses try to seize consumers' hearts and attention, and the competitive landscape is so hectic. By offering compelling deals and promotions, businesses can stand out in their target customers’ minds and gain a competitive edge.

The ideal time to increase traffic and visibility

BFCM offers an opportunity to acquire new customers. Businesses with good service and offers can easily convert first-time customers into repeat and loyal customers.

Most importantly, make sure that you understand your target audience. For example, Millennials find it exciting and appealing, while Gen Z prefers something more low-key and isn’t easily attracted. Target your Millennial audience with messages that suit them best, and keep them specific to your Gen Z audience.

Post-Black Friday

This phase presents an optimal opportunity to sell surplus inventory, items from the end of a season, or products from previous collections.

There’s a gifting season followed up

Shoppers still have a demand to buy gifts post-BFCM as it aligns with the holiday gifting seasons. Therefore, there’s still an opportunity for businesses to continue to offer discounted items and sales to boost sales.

Clear inventory to prepare for new collections:

Businesses often have leftover stock that didn’t sell during Black Friday. Clearing items makes inventory management easier and frees up storage space for newer products, as new launching products and collections are crucial for businesses to grow.

In short, items that remain unsold can pose a threat to businesses. They should provide discounts on expedited shipping to create a sense of urgency and motivate customers to buy, especially for gifting purposes, guaranteeing prompt delivery.

Black Friday Tips 2: Invest in the ongoing supreme tool: Mobile Shopping

According to TapCart BFCM 2023 Consumer Trends Report, there are mobile preference trends in E-Commerce Retail. Consumers now prefer shopping on mobile phones because of their convenience. There are several takeaways that you should keep in mind.

Give App Users an exclusive offer on BFCM

To encourage your users to buy on your app, you should offer them some additional discounts or incentives. This is the way to get to your customers’ hearts as it arouses a feeling of specialness among your customers and drives them to be your loyal customers.

You can use push notifications to deliver your promo codes to directly increase sales and conversions. In this fast pace of life, people have FOMO, so limited-time offers or exclusive discounts encourage immediate action, driving users to make purchases swiftly.

Take capital of the home screen

In this hectic life, customers would love your brand if you could create an easier life for them. Customers love the convenience of having shopping apps on their phones.

Ensure you have your app icon updated on their phone screens during the BFCM period to attract customers’ attention. New icons present something new and special so that they can trigger users to explore the app and discover BFCM deals and promotions.

Make your customers notice that your products are on sale now. An updated icon serves as a constant reminder of ongoing BFCM sales and deals.

Those specific BFCM icon act like free advertising to alert your best customers

Invest in the mobile app now for the next Black Friday season

If you don’t want to be left behind, you should start building and launching one for the next BFCM. This will open a brand new way for your business to keep in touch with your top customers.

A direct channel to communicate with target customers

Shoppers now are seeking more personalized products and seamless shopping experiences. Apps can facilitate interactivity and foster higher engagement.

A tool to increase brand loyalty and retention

Customers who download and have an app of a business on their phone tend to stay loyal, which can help businesses increase repeated purchases. The convenience of shopping through apps can adapt to customers' preferences, which encourages frequent sales.

Building an app is a good investment as it offers a wide range of benefits. However, it is not only about your presence on their phone; it’s also about offering what customers are craving.

Black Friday Tips 3: Take advantage of User-Generated Content

Trust plays a pivotal role in customers’ buying decisions. When your customers are involved in the creation of content, it also helps your business to build a strong relationship with shoppers.

Before, during, and after BFCM, remember to encourage your customers to share their experiences and testimonials, and give feedback,...

• You can offer incentives like discounts or prizes to motivate participation.
• Use customer photos, videos, or reviews to highlight product benefits and social proof, attracting potential buyers.
• Respond to their posts, share their content (with permission), and show appreciation. This encourages continued participation and loyalty.

You can use our Review Product Review App designed to help you showcase all of the positive feedback from your customers and encourage potential buyers to take action.

In a nutshell,

BFCM is not just about making sales; it’s an investment and an opportunity to gain data, build trust, and refine strategies. Continuously analyze data, stay updated on consumer trends, and be willing to innovate. By learning from past successes and failures, you’ll be better equipped to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of digital commerce and achieve remarkable rewards in the future. Your effort will pay off, and you will soon harvest what you crop.

With all the tips above, we hope that you will be well-equipped with useful information to prepare for the next big sale event. We hope it’ll help. For more expert tips, follow Fordeer Commerce!