The 25th of November is approaching in leaps and bounds. Is your online store’s Black Friday strategy revved up and technology ready for record-breaking sales?
According to one explanation, “Black Friday” refers to the day when retail stores get out of the red and into the black. In this year of all years, this may well be true. As people try to make do in the throes of record inflation and soaring prices, the alluring offers of competing stores provide a brief respite from mundane worries.
We created a list of seven tips to help you get through the day.
1 – Know your customers and start planning in good time
Continuous analysis and taking relevant action form the foundation of a successful online store, whether it focuses on the selling of goods, marketing or technology. Having an overall understanding of the clientele and being aware of where potential new customers can be found are crucial for growth.
Electronics, household appliances, clothes, shoes and cosmetics are some of the most anticipated Black Friday products year after year. This year, we also expect holidays and events to be among the most sought-after deals.
Do you need some help building a customer management model? Read more about our services.
2 – The ultimate challenge: spruce up your technology
Actively analysing your customer base and its needs and making sure your marketing process is well thought out are all important steps. However, there’s no use paying attention to such things if your customers can’t access your online store, your store is too slow or the connection is dodgy. These things are bound to make your customer not want to come back.
That’s why stress testing is one of the most important things you should do before it’s show time.
In early autumn, at the latest, you should begin your technical preparations by going through all the stumbling blocks of the previous year. Websites should be tested for, at least, category page properties, search functions and functioning of the shopping cart. You should also bear in mind that customers often like to use the shopping cart for product comparisons. Can your online store handle hundreds of simultaneous visitors, many of whom have dozens of products in the shopping cart?
Each web site is unique, so load testing should always be customised according to the customer’s needs. If available, this is the perfect time and place to put site traffic analytics and the figures of previous years to good use.
The busiest day of online sales is also a busy day for cyber criminals. Complementing your stress testing with additional tools helps you to spot any weak areas and bottle necks.
3 – Employ web analytics and strike gold by making use of data
Data is fuel for business. When used correctly, it can provide valuable information on the way to success.
This is particularly true when it comes to online stores, since web stores and websites are nearly always able to provide fairly detailed customer journey-related data. With some good planning and use, analytics data can be turned into insights, which can help you decide the future direction of your company or give you information about the changes your online store needs. Above all, these insights provide valuable information on your customers and their behaviour.
Basic website metrics are familiar to many, but online stores also have their own instruments and add-ons. The reason for having these specialised tools is that online stores often have specific metrics and objectives as well as a sales funnel, which the customer is expected to hopefully pass through. Customised metrics and tools help determine and optimise the customer journey.
With Black Friday fast approaching, your analytics should be up and running to enable professionally supported insights-based decision making. The use of online store analytics requires patience. Good-quality data cannot be gathered, let alone acted upon, over night. On the positive side, the use of analytics can be introduced at any point – the more quickly this is done, the more efficiently the online store and entire business can be developed in the future.
Get in touch if you want to know more about how we help our customers utilise data in their business.
4 – A smooth purchase journey and engaging elements
When it’s finally show time, everything needs to function like clockwork. Ensure that your online store can be accessed without a hitch, that your pages look nice and well-structured, that your offers are on display and that your SEO and order and payment functions are in order and running smoothly.
In short: make sure you’re ready for business in terms of functionality and accessibility.
Remember also to check that your store works smoothly on both mobile and desktop devices.
As the customers start parading in, your online store will also attract some new visitors. If you create a landing page just for your campaign, you can easily provide access to your most popular products, FAQ and customer service – preferably a live chat with a genuine customer service agent instead of a chatbot.
Don’t forget to add some recommended gifts, references and user reviews to support the customers’ purchase decisions and boost additional sales.
5 – Customer service all the way
A small thank you in the form of, for instance, a bonus code builds customer loyalty. Why not surprise your customers by adding a discount code to your order confirmation?
Replacement guarantees, shipment tracking and short delivery times are also all part of customer service. Once Black Week is over, it’s time to send your customers an electronic thank you note and a short satisfaction survey. By the beginning of your Christmas campaign you can once again contact your customers to thank them for their support and to spread some Christmas cheer.
6 – Enjoy the entire week
Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Black Weekend or Black Week? Your customers are on the prowl for offers so it makes sense to take advantage of all the sales opportunities. If the idea of a full week of special offers strikes you as a bit excessive, why not consider organising a weekend-long campaign? It may even out your online store traffic and give you an opportunity to increase your sales even further.
7 – Reach out
If you’re feeling even slightly insecure, don’t hesitate to get in touch. We’re here for you and the success of your online store.
Together, we can make sure that next year the 25th of November is a day of joy not only for your customers but for you as well!
