If I’m going to be one of those people with Black Friday theories, you’re going to send me somewhere far far away, am I right?
Makes sense, I’d do the same if I were one of those “smartasses” speaking about Black Friday.
But it seems like this morning on my way to the office I woke up (in a way) with girls just want to have fun and I realized that I was daydreaming and thinking about Black Friday.
Why is Black Friday so important these days? What have brands done right and what have they done wrong? How important is a marketer in this campaign? Why did Adina say that she thinks about emag when Black Friday comes up? Yes … unnecessary thoughts too early in the morning, right?
And yet, how is a marketer supposed to think during Black Friday?
1. Think ahead of time.
Not during the month but not more than 6 months in advance. Of course, you can plan it 4 months ahead, but it’s important for the timing of this event to have a few spare days. Because what happens if you run out of a star product, what happens if you can’t get the papers signed or you have to cancel a meeting because your colleagues are away?
So think about the timing.
2. Involve the other departments as well
Because you alone as a marketer are the evangelist of this campaign. You will be asked by your colleagues if it’s a special campaign of the company or if are you copying e-Bay, you will be backed into a corner by your colleagues if you’re going to call them to the office at 5 in the morning and you will be scolded with questions like “why aren’t we doing it like these other guys?”
So your role in the company is to involve only the departments that can help and must help this campaign. Starting from the colleagues in the warehouse who will get the merchandise ready and continuing with supplies, IT, sales, call center, etc. They all have to understand their role in these campaigns.
You will not be able to single-handedly carry it.
3. Go for a smart campaign
If others will be painting blogs and websites in their brand and campaign colors, and if others will adopt aggressive email marketing, why shouldn’t you choose a smart campaign? One that is thoroughly thought ahead (see point 1) laid out in advance with that much needed small buzz.
I stand against aggressive campaigns and I get that a day doesn’t need that much noise but still … if we’d see the full glass of permissive marketing we could understand what a good campaign means.
4. Think about plan B
Sounds like a Gladwell title :)) but if I’d ask you the following things how would you respond: “do you have a backup list in case you run out of stock?” “Did you secure the server problem?” “Did you make a backup web page if the usual page doesn’t work?“, “Do you have a phone number ready for the customer if the website crashes right during the order placement?” “Do you have enough colleagues to handle Black Friday before Black Friday?”
And my list of questions could go on. So, think about plan B.
5. What will you do after Black Friday?
Sleep and let the grass grow under your feet? Enjoy a paycheck raise? Write your resignation for the monstrous disaster that you provoked the company?
Now that Black Friday has passed think about ways to thank the customers who bought from you.
What will you do for them? Just send them the products? Give them a thank you note? Give them a customer fidelity card for being up at 5 in the morning to buy from you? What do you do with all those people who have bought from you in this particular day?
Because it’s a really great time to show them that your brand is different from others.
6. The design
Try to give a well thought design to your website and newsletters at least during this time. Take advantage of the occasion to do something professional. My wife has taught me that the house must always be clean when someone comes to visit us.
So please tell me how “clean” is your site, how “clean” is your brand, how clean is your newsletter, etc.
I know it’s kind of late for these tips but maybe next year you’ll still be reading this blog and you will consider the above.
Best of luck with your sales!
P.S. Leave them with a few bucks in their pockets for the holidays as well.
Black Friday | Shutterstock
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