by Lindsey Andrick Sanders, Account Coordinator
Do you plan to hit the stores this Black Friday? While some eagerly await the crack of dawn to fill their carts to their hearts’ content, others would rather sleep in than shop. Whether or not you are a Black Friday fan, you can still learn many communication techniques from this unofficial holiday that are applicable to your everyday business.
The first lesson all businesses can learn from Black Friday is to craft a compelling hook to pique the interest of consumers. On Black Friday, many shoppers are enticed by doorbusters and complimentary gifts. While you don’t necessarily need to resort to gimmicks, you do need a hook to lure people to your company or clients. What is your business’ “doorbuster” equivalent? Shoppers need an incentive to wake up at 5 a.m. to visit stores; consider what is going to make people use their valuable time to visit your website or business. If you offer something that people need or want, make sure they know it exists!
Promote the superior services and products you offer so potential clients become excited about visiting your website or using your business. Try to think like your target audience and envision what they believe is worth their time and money. Tailor your communication strategies to reflect their preferences.
After getting your customers excited about your business, make sure to sustain that enthusiasm. Black Friday usually is enjoyable for those who participate. Stores make it fun with adrenaline-inducing flash sales, festive decorations and other unique additions to their typical retail environments. By actively attempting to increase the fun factor, retailers have transformed shopping into a form of entertainment that appeals to many demographics. Contemplate how you can incorporate fun into your business too! Though you might have less obvious opportunities in your profession, there are still many ways you can distinguish your business, such as through humorous social media posts or informative blogs on current topics. From your customer relations to your social media sites, strive to create a cohesively pleasant experience.
Although Black Friday is widely anticipated, it is only one day out of the year. It is difficult to maintain that magnitude of fervor throughout the entire year. Even the most reverential Black Friday shopper balks at waking up at dawn to shop on other days. Find an event or significant date for your business and capitalize on it. Make it something people look forward to each year. Focus your intensive promotions and communication efforts for the most critical moments so you do not exhaust your audience throughout the rest of the year.
Another key lesson we can learn from Black Friday is to avoid neglecting your biggest customers while working to attract additional groups. Loyalty is paramount to success in business and communication. On Black Friday, people automatically head to their favorite stores. Make people loyal to your business; become their favorite provider so they flock to you. Endeavor to gain faithful followers online. Recognize those who enthusiastically retweet you, “like” your posts and attend your events; they are the foundation of your success! Develop social media content that people find interesting and make them want to check for new updates.
The final piece of Black Friday wisdom is to adapt to emerging trends and technologies. There are rumors that Cyber Monday will soon surpass Black Friday as more consumers shop online. Retailers who want to capitalize off every aspect of the holiday shopping season are promoting both unofficial holidays. To keep your business on the right side of progress, regularly take a step back and evaluate your communication tools. Find ways to better your current communication methods as you also actively seek more information on innovative ways to do business.
When crafting communication strategies, you do not have to make the boldest proclamations or have the flashiest advertisements to achieve your objectives. Reflect on the techniques demonstrated by retailers on Black Friday and adhere to the most thoughtful and intuitive methods to yield the greatest success.