10 Black Friday marketing strategies for small businesses

With Peak Season nearly here, your Black Friday preparation should be underway. As your trusty SME sidekick, we’ve put together 10 marketing strategies to help your e-commerce business deliver an impactful Black Friday campaign that stands out from competitors. Read on and get planning!

What is Black Friday?

Black Friday is the Friday after Thanksgiving in the US that traditionally marks the start of the holiday shopping season. This year, that date is November 29. Retailers offer huge discounts and promotional deals, and some extend their opening hours.

The event has become a global phenomenon, attracting staggering numbers of consumers looking for bargains. 2023’s Black Friday statistics reveal the extent of the shopping bonanza: a record US$9.8 billion was spent online last year, up 7.5% on the previous year¹.  

Black Friday sales: SMEs’ golden opportunity

The sheer scale of the event means there are plenty of sales to go round – for businesses of all sizes. It’s a great opportunity to shift any excess inventory you may have with some enticing Black Friday discounts. 

80% of consumers typically discover a new online store on Black Friday², which means there’s a good chance your business will have some new customers through its online doors on the day. And new customers can be converted to repeat customers – providing you deliver a winning Black Friday campaign. 

10 Black Friday marketing strategies for small businesses

1. Tease the sale

Begin promoting your Black Friday sale a few weeks in advance to build excitement. Use social media posts, email newsletters, and your website to create anticipation.

2. Leverage social media

It’s a relatively cheap way for small businesses to reach an audience of millions. Keep content fun and engaging, and encourage your followers to share the posts by offering incentives like additional discounts or giveaways. Use popular hashtags like #BlackFriday to increase your visibility.

3. Create a Black Friday landing page

Visitors to your website should know immediately that you’re running a Black Friday campaign. Put your best deals front and center of your homepage, use bold headlines, high-res photos, and strong calls to actions. A countdown timer is a great way to add a sense of urgency to your deals.

4. Optimize your online store for mobile

A big portion of your customers are likely to be browsing your e-commerce store on their smartphones, so make it easy for them. Offer Guest Checkout, autofill address fields, and the option to pay via digital wallet.

5. Ensure your deals are competitive

Look at what price points your competitors are selling their products at – can you price match? Or, even better, go lower? Create special bundles or exclusive product sets available only on Black Friday. Perhaps you can throw in some freebies or samples with every order, too – anything that will give your business a competitive edge. 

6. Create a sense of urgency

Use social media or your website to give live updates on stock levels or when deals are about to sell out. Highlight limited stock or limited-time offers to push hesitant customers to make a purchase.

7. Email marketing: think personalization

Segment your email subscriber list and send personalized deals based on customer preferences or past purchase behavior. An extra tip: use the phrase “Black Friday” in the subject line – emails containing this phrase have a +64% Click Through Rate³.

8. Reward existing customers for their loyalty

Drop your existing customers an email with an extra Black Friday discount code. Use engaging copy to thank them for supporting your business – they’ll appreciate the personal touch.

9. Consider free shipping

In a survey by the National Retail Federation, 49% of (US) survey respondents cited “free shipping” as the biggest incentive to shop on Black Friday⁴. Consider if you can absorb the cost of free shipping elsewhere in your business – it’ll be worth it if it secures you extra sales.

10. Remember the after-sales opportunity

Your post-sales engagement with your customers will influence whether they come back to your online store again. Send a thank-you email to customers who made a purchase, along with a discount code for their next purchase. Encourage them to leave reviews or share their purchase on social media with a specific hashtag.

Did you know that at least 129 countries observe Black Friday in some form or another?⁵ With a DHL Express Business Account, you can ship to customers across the world, seamlessly.