Black Friday is the biggest shopping event of the year, and it’s getting more competitive every time! If you’re looking to grab your audience’s attention and boost your sales, you need to get creative with your overall digital marketing business strategy.
In 2023, Black Friday sales hit over $9 billion? That’s a lot of potential revenue waiting for you!
To run a successful campaign you need to map out a strategic plan and use the right Black Friday marketing tools to stand out.
In this guide, I’ll share some tried-and-true Black Friday marketing ideas to help you crush your goals this year.
Black Friday Marketing Ideas at a Glance
1. Prepare a Comprehensive Black Friday Marketing Plan
Creating a comprehensive Black Friday marketing plan is all about having a clear roadmap.
From setting your goals and deciding on promotions to using email and social media effectively, each piece needs to be in place to drive those Black Friday sales.
Believe me, it’s the difference between “meh” results and a record-breaking day. Get organized, plan early, and you’ll be set to make the most of the biggest shopping event of the year!
Here’s how I typically break down a Black Friday marketing plan:
Set clear goals: Are you looking to increase sales, grow your email list, or boost brand awareness? Knowing your main objective will shape the entire plan.
Decide on promotions: Whether it’s a sitewide discount, flash sales, or buy-one-get-one deals, decide what promotions will work best for your brand. One client in the tech industry found that bundling products led to higher average order values during Black Friday.
Map out the timeline: You need a clear schedule for when to start promoting your offers. Early-bird promotions, teaser Black Friday marketing campaign, last-minute pushes, and even post Black Friday deals all have their place.
2. Optimize Your Online Store Shopping Experience for Conversions
One of the most crucial parts of any Black Friday campaign is ensuring that your online shopping experience is optimized for conversions. I’ve seen clients lose out on potential sales simply because their websites weren’t user-friendly or the checkout process was too complicated.
A smooth, seamless shopping experience can make or break your Black Friday sales. For example, I worked with a fashion client, and we simplified the checkout process by reducing the number of steps and adding a guest checkout option. The result? A 25% increase in conversions during Black Friday.
Sometimes, those small tweaks can make a massive difference!
Here are some ways to optimize your online shopping experience:
Simplify the checkout process: Remove unnecessary steps and offer guest checkout options for a faster experience.
Reduce friction points: Ensure that customers don’t abandon their carts by offering multiple payment options and displaying clear shipping information.
Use videos to showcase products: Short demos or how-tos can help customers see your products in action, driving more conversions.
Invest in clean, eye-catching design: A well-designed product page that’s easy to navigate keeps customers engaged and focused on making a purchase.
Feature promotions prominently: Use banners, pop-ups, or callouts on product pages to keep deals front of mind for shoppers.
Offer site-wide deals: Customers love simplicity, and a clear, site-wide promotion can encourage them to add more to their cart.
3. Launch Early Black Friday Marketing Campaign
Starting your Black Friday campaign early is like throwing the first pitch in a big game, you set the tone. Sometime back, I witnessed a client make the mistake of waiting until the last minute to promote their Black Friday deals, and it showed. Sales were sluggish because we didn’t build any anticipation.
The next year, I flipped the script and we started teasing offers two weeks early, and it made a huge difference. People were excited and ready to shop as soon as Black Friday hit.
Here’s the key: use every channel you’ve got. Social media, email marketing, even SMS if you can. I always kick off with a series of teaser posts on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook, dropping hints about the upcoming deals.
Then, I’ll follow up with an email campaign that gives my loyal customers early access, because everyone loves feeling like a VIP.
Pro tip: If you can offer exclusive early deals to your most loyal customers, do it! It drives early sales and builds buzz around your main event. Trust me, starting early gives you the momentum you need to crush Black Friday sales.
4. Grow Your Email Marketing List
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from working with clients before Black Friday, it’s how important it is to grow that email marketing list early. It can make or break a holiday shopping season campaign.
The key is to get creative with your opt-in forms and place them strategically throughout the website. Here’s what I always advise:
Use incentives: Offer discounts, early access, or other perks to motivate sign-ups.
Place forms on key pages: Don’t just stop at the homepage—include forms on product pages, blogs, and checkout pages to capture visitors wherever they land.
Highlight exclusivity: Early access to Black Friday deals is a major draw. Everyone loves getting first dibs on deals, so make that part of the sign-up pitch.
Once you’ve built a solid list, it’s time to reward those subscribers. For one client, we ran a “subscribers-only” deal the day before Black Friday, and it created a buzz that led to early sales. Subscribers who feel valued are more likely to engage and shop again.
Finally, email marketing automation is your best friend. Set up automated, personalized emails based on customer behavior, such as product recommendations or abandoned cart reminders.
This not only saves time but also drives conversions by keeping the content relevant to each subscriber.
5. Use SMS Marketing to Build Anticipation
One of the most effective strategies I’ve implemented for clients leading up to Black Friday is SMS marketing. With the right approach, it’s a direct and personal way to connect with subscribers.
I’ve helped clients offer early access to Black Friday deals exclusively to SMS subscribers, and it works like a charm.
One client’s early access promotion, sent via SMS, had an 80% open rate, and those subscribers were some of the first to take advantage of the deals.
Plus, it’s an excellent way to make subscribers feel special like they’re part of an insider’s club.
I also recommend using SMS to send reminders. Something like a “Last Chance!” text the night before Black Friday can cause an uptick in sales. It served as a quick nudge and helped boost engagement right before the big day.
When paired with email marketing, SMS helps keep your brand top of mind during this crucial time.
6. Create FOMO with Hourly Deals
If there’s one tactic that really gets customers in a buying frenzy during Black Friday, it’s the fear of missing out (FOMO). And nothing amplifies that quite like hourly deals. This always works like a charm.
One client in the fashion space offered exclusive discounts that changed every hour on Black Friday, and it created an almost electric atmosphere.
People didn’t want to miss the next deal, so they kept checking back to see what would drop next.
To pull this off successfully, you need to create a real sense of urgency. For one client, we promoted these hourly deals through both social media and email marketing.
We used Instagram Stories to post “next hour’s deal” previews and sent quick, snappy emails like, “Hurry! This deal ends in 30 minutes.” This kept customers engaged and created an adrenaline rush that pushed them to act fast.
An extra trick I’ve seen work is to offer exclusive deals during off-peak hours. For one client, we noticed that sales dipped a bit during the late morning and mid-afternoon, so we launched flash deals specifically during those times. It worked!
By offering special discounts when traffic typically slowed down, we were able to keep the momentum going all day long. It’s all about keeping customers engaged and eager to grab the next great deal!
7. Run Flash Sales for Limited-Time Offers
If there’s one surefire way to get customers to act fast during Black Friday, it’s through flash sales and limited-time offers. The sense of urgency is unbeatable.
A beauty brand I worked with, ran a 3-hour flash sale on their best-selling product during Black Friday, and the spike in traffic was unbelievable. People can’t resist a great deal with a ticking clock, it’s all about creating that rush to buy before the offer disappears.
To make flash sales work, you’ve got to be strategic with your promotion. Here’s how I’ve helped clients pull off successful flash sales:
Leverage email marketing: Emails with attention-grabbing subject lines like, “Flash Sale: 50% Off! Only 2 Hours Left!” create urgency and drive clicks.
Promote across multiple channels: Use a mix of email and social media to reach your audience everywhere they are. Instagram Stories work wonders for teasing flash sales. Add countdown stickers to build anticipation.
Sweeten the deal with exclusive discounts: Offering something extra for loyal customers can push them to act even faster. One client gave an additional 10% off to loyalty members who shopped during the flash sale. It was a hit and created a sense of exclusivity.
By making the offer feel special and urgent, flash sales can give your Black Friday a serious boost.
People love feeling like they’re getting in on something limited, and if you promote it right, they’ll jump at the chance to snag a deal before it’s gone!
8. Run a Social Media Contest to Engage Customers
The goal with social media contests is to get people talking about your brand, sharing your deals, and even getting their friends and family involved.
For one client in the fitness industry, we ran a contest where followers had to tag a friend in the comments for a chance to win an exclusive Black Friday bundle. Not only did it boost engagement, but it also expanded the brand’s reach by bringing in new potential customers.
The key to making this work is offering exclusive deals and prizes to contest winners, which gets people excited about participating.
Here are some key elements for running a successful social media contest:
Encourage tagging and sharing: Get participants to tag friends in the comments or share your post to expand your contest’s reach.
Offer appealing prizes: Whether it’s gift cards, exclusive product bundles, or early access to Black Friday deals, great prizes draw more attention.
Make entry easy: Simple entry rules, like tagging a friend or following your page, increase participation.
To maximize the contest’s reach, I always recommend using social media advertising. You can run targeted ads on Instagram and Facebook, to boost the contests to a wider audience.
These ads usually feature EYE-CATCHING visuals and clear instructions on how to enter, which not only increases participation but also brings in new followers.
A well-promoted contest can be a game-changer, it drives engagement, expands your audience, and gets potential customers hyped just in time for Black Friday sales.
9. Partner with Influencers for Promotions
Influencers have built-in audiences that trust their recommendations, which makes them the perfect partners to promote your Black Friday deals.
To make these partnerships more appealing, I always recommend offering exclusive deals for the influencer’s followers. You can also sweeten the deal by giving the influencer a commission for every sale they bring in.
I’ve had clients create unique discount codes just for the influencers they partner with, like “INFLUENCER20” for 20% off.
It adds that personal touch and gives followers an extra reason to shop.
The beauty of influencer marketing is that it opens up your brand to an entirely new audience. For one beauty brand client, we partnered with a skincare influencer who not only promoted our deals but also created tutorials using the products.
This type of authentic content led to more trust and engagement, which translated into sales.
Influencers help you reach new customers, and when paired with Black Friday promotions, it’s a win-win for both the brand and the influencer!
10. Use Design and Video to Showcase Products
High-quality visuals are powerful, especially when customers are scrolling through endless Black Friday deals.
Video content allows you to engage customers more deeply than static images. Whether it’s a quick product demo, a behind-the-scenes look at how a product is made, or even a tutorial on how to use it, videos can build excitement.
Of course, it’s not just about creating the content, you’ve got to promote it effectively. Use social media and email marketing to push your videos and designs out to your audience.
With one client, we promoted their product videos on Instagram Stories, using swipe-up links for easy access to their Black Friday deals.
We also embedded the videos in email campaigns, which saw higher open and engagement rates.
Whether through video or design, creating engaging content for Black Friday can be the difference between a casual browse and a sale.
11. Set Up an Email Marketing Funnel for Black Friday
The power of a well-crafted email marketing funnel cannot be overemphasized. A single email blast isn’t enough anymore, people need to be nurtured.
By setting up an email funnel, you can gradually build excitement, keep your brand top of mind, and guide customers toward making a purchase.
Here’s how to set up a successful Black Friday email funnel:
Start teasing your deals early: Send a “coming soon” email one to two weeks before Black Friday. This builds anticipation and keeps your audience curious about what’s coming.
Use personalized emails: Follow up with emails tailored to your subscribers’ preferences or past purchases. This is where email marketing automation shines.
Offer exclusive deals to email subscribers: To boost sign-ups, promise early access or extra discounts for those who opt-in to receive your Black Friday emails.
With the right funnel, you’re not just driving one-time sales. You’re creating a seamless customer journey, turning curious subscribers into enthusiastic shoppers who can’t wait to see what’s next.
12. Use Abandoned Cart Emails to Recover Sales
It’s always surprising how many potential sales can be recovered with just a simple email reminder.
People get busy or distracted, leaving items in their cart without checking out but you can recover a significant chunk of revenue that would’ve been lost just by sending timely abandoned cart emails.
To make these emails even more enticing, I often suggest offering exclusive promotions to customers who abandon their carts. Sometimes all it takes is a small nudge, like an extra 10% off or free shipping, to push them toward completing the purchase. For example:
Time-limited discounts
Free shipping offers
Another key to success is personalizing these emails. Using email marketing automation, I’ve helped clients send targeted reminders that not only highlight what the customer left behind but also recommend similar items based on their browsing history.
This approach feels more like a helpful nudge rather than a robotic follow-up.
By combining reminders with personalized offers and discounts, you create a win-win situation for both the customer and the brand. Abandoned cart emails are an easy, automated way to recover sales that might otherwise slip through the cracks, especially during the Black Friday rush.
13. Use Referral Marketing to Encourage Word-of-Mouth
One of the best ways to boost your Black Friday sales is through referral marketing.
Why? People trust recommendations from friends and family, making word-of-mouth marketing one of the most powerful tools you can use.
One tech client I worked with saw a massive increase in traffic after we set up a referral system that rewarded customers with an extra discount for every friend they referred who made a purchase.
Here’s how to make your referral marketing work:
Offer exclusive deals for both parties: Make it enticing by giving discounts to both the referrer and the new customer.
Use unique referral codes: This makes it easy to track referrals and ensure that customers get their rewards. For my client, this led to a huge surge in new customers right before Black Friday.
To ensure your referral program gets the attention it deserves, promote it through social media and email marketing.
I’ve seen success by creating email campaigns that break down how the referral program works, paired with eye-catching social media graphics to get followers excited.
Engaging subject lines: Try something like “Share & Save: Earn Exclusive Discounts for Black Friday!” It grabs attention and explains the benefits upfront.
Social media buzz: Use your channels to spread the word, ensuring your referral program reaches both existing and potential customers without a huge marketing budget.
With the right referral program, you can create buzz, generate word-of-mouth excitement, and get your Black Friday deals in front of a wider audience—all while encouraging your loyal customers to spread the word. It’s like free advertising, but better, because it’s personal.
14. Introduce New Products or Pre-Sell for Holiday Season
Black Friday is the perfect opportunity to introduce new products or start a pre-sale for the holiday season. I’ve worked with several clients to build excitement around their product launches, and trust me, it works wonders for creating buzz. The anticipation you build with teaser emails and social media posts will have customers lining up to buy even before the official launch!
Here’s how you can make the most of a product launch or pre-sale:
Use teaser campaigns: Send out teaser emails and post on social media in the weeks leading up to Black Friday to create hype around the product.
Offer exclusive deals for pre-orders: A 10% discount or free gift with a pre-order can go a long way in pushing early sales. For one tech client, offering a 10% discount to those who pre-ordered during Black Friday weekend led to a surge in early orders and helped manage inventory.
Use Instagram Stories and countdowns: These visuals help create urgency and keep your followers hooked.
Send targeted email updates: Keep your subscribers in the loop with email campaigns that build excitement and provide early access to deals.
15. Entice Customers with a Loyalty Program
By rewarding repeat customers, you’re not only driving immediate sales but also building long-term relationships that pay off year-round.
For one of my retail clients, we launched a Black Friday-specific loyalty program where customers earned double points for every purchase made during the weekend.
The result? A surge in both Black Friday sales and returning customers long after the holiday season.
Offering exclusive deals and rewards to loyalty members is crucial to making this strategy work. One client gave loyalty program members early access to Black Friday deals along with additional discounts, creating a VIP experience.
Customers loved the idea of being treated like insiders, and it drove a huge increase in early sales.
To maximize the impact, use social media and email marketing to promote the program.
A loyalty program is a win-win—it boosts Black Friday sales and strengthens customer retention.
16. Gamify Purchases with Additional Discounts
Another unique way to really boost excitement during Black Friday is to gamify the shopping experience by offering extra discounts and rewards.
One client in the electronics industry ran a “Spin the Wheel” promotion, where customers could win discounts ranging from 5% to 20%.
It wasn’t just a sales boost—people were talking about it and sharing the game with their friends, which brought even more traffic and a nice uptick in sales, all while giving customers a fun experience.
Here’s how to set up a successful gamification strategy:
Create a fun, interactive promotion: Consider options like a “Spin the Wheel” or scratch-off cards that give customers a chance to win discounts or rewards.
Offer a range of discounts: Discounts ranging from 5% to 20% can motivate customers to participate and make purchases, no matter what they win.
Use social media visuals: Show the game in action through Instagram Stories or Facebook posts to catch attention and drive traffic.
Send engaging email blasts: Use subject lines that build excitement, like “Your Chance to Win Big—Spin to Save!”.
17. Host an Interactive Live-Stream Shopping Event
One exciting way to engage customers during Black Friday is by hosting an interactive live-stream shopping event. I’ve helped clients set these up, and the results have been amazing.
Live-stream shopping creates an immersive experience where customers can see products in real time, ask questions, and feel part of something special.
One client in the beauty industry hosted a live-stream showcasing their top Black Friday deals, and the interaction was incredible. Customers were asking about product details, sharing the stream with friends, and—most importantly—making purchases during the event.
Real-time interaction and Showcasing products live can make your live-stream shopping events more effective:
Here’s how to boost participation for your live-stream:
Exclusive, time-limited offers: Give viewers discounts that are only available during the stream to create urgency and encourage purchases.
Engage viewers throughout: Keep them hooked by answering their questions live and offering special promotions during key moments.
Promote through multiple channels: Promoting the event is just as crucial as the event itself. Use social media teasers and email reminders to create excitement ahead of time.
Use countdowns and previews: Tease the event with sneak peeks of featured products to build anticipation.
A live-stream shopping event adds a fun, interactive element to Black Friday while bringing customers closer to your brand. And, with exclusive, limited-time offers, it’s a powerful way to drive real-time sales!
18. Run Last-Chance or Extended Black Friday Sales
Not everyone is ready to pull the trigger on Black Friday itself, and offering extended deals can be a great way to scoop up those who missed out or needed more time to decide.
For one client in the tech space, we extended the Black Friday deals through the weekend and even into Cyber Monday. The result? A huge surge in sales from customers who didn’t want to miss out on their final opportunity to save.
To make this strategy even more effective, offer exclusive black Friday sale for those shopping during the extended period. It will give customers a reason to act quickly and still feel like they are getting a special deal, even though they missed the main event.
As always, promotion is key. I’ve found that using social media and email marketing is essential for getting the word out about these extended deals.
Extending the deals helps you catch all those late buyers and maximize your Black Friday campaign’s impact.
19. Offer Anti-Black Friday Promotions for a Unique Twist
Instead of competing with the frenzy of deals on the actual day, some clients have opted for a more unique approach—offering exclusive promotions on non-peak days.
This not only helps avoid the overcrowded Black Friday campaign landscape but also grabs the attention of customers who are overwhelmed by too many deals.
For example, one business in the eco-friendly fashion space ran an anti-Black Friday marketing campaign where they donated a portion of every sale to charity and offered exclusive discounts leading up to the big day. It resonated with their audience and created a lot of positive buzz.
Offering exclusive deals to customers who shop outside of the traditional Black Friday rush can be incredibly effective. It is equally important to always promote this deals to increase participation levels.
Black Friday Marketing Strategy: Wrapping Up
At the end of the day, nailing your Black Friday strategy is all about preparation, creativity, and knowing your audience.
I’ve seen time and time again how a well-executed plan can turn what could be a stressful day into a record-breaking success.
So, take these Black Friday marketing ideas, make them your own, and watch your black Friday sales soar. Hope it helps!
