Increase your holiday sales in-store and online

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are quickly approaching. To help retailers prepare and be more successful during this time, below are 5 tips to seriously consider.

Do you have any tips? Send them in!

If you have any good tips, please share them with us by emailing marketingteam@celerant.com. We will select the best one and include as a bonus tip (along with your name and company).

Tip #1: Offer Incentives so Shoppers Purchase From YOU

• Deals and Coupons: Shoppers love deals! You can leverage deal sites, such as Groupon, or offer deals directly to your customers. Offer larger deals for first-time shoppers.
• Double Rewards: Offer “double rewards” for purchases made on Black Friday/Cyber Monday.
• Charity Giveaways: Make charitable donations for purchases made on Black Friday/Cyber Monday. For example, donate a pair of socks to a homeless shelter for every pair of socks purchased.

Tip #2: Add Incentives Online

Add all your Black Friday/Cyber Monday offers to your website’s homepage. That includes items you want to sell quickly, big-ticket items, best-sellers and items with the best deals. And make sure each offer has an action item, even if it’s just a link to the product on your website.

Also, ensure your eCommerce functions properly before Black Friday/Cyber Monday begins. Set up a “fake” product and purchase it; make sure everything works (check out, email notifications, etc.)

Tip #3: Create Personalized Email Marketing Campaigns

We recommend personalizing your email campaigns instead of sending the usual “blind holiday promo emails.”

With an integrated email marketing tool, you can send personalized (and automated) emails to your entire list based on their shopping behavior, past purchases, brand preferences and demographics. This ensures consumers receive emails that are actually meant for them, increasing the chances they will click and convert into a sale.

If you don’t have integrated email automation, you can still email your shoppers. Simply export ALL contacts into a marketing tool (there are some free ones), and set up a few emails.

Tip #4: Stock Up On Supplies

Stock up on the supplies you need to run your business, such as gift cards, receipt paper and barcode labels. There is nothing worse than running out of supplies during the busiest time of year.

Tip #5: Guarantee Fast Check-Out

Finally, ensure your checkout lines run as fast and smooth as possible. Purchase temporary licenses from your POS provider for any temp staff you hire so they can ring up sales. Use tablets as an extra POS instead of full cash registers (this saves money and enables you to assist shoppers from anywhere in your store). Also, it’s always a good idea to have an extra EMV device to prevent any downtime, if one of your devices malfunctions.

We wish every retailer a successful (and smooth) Black Friday/Cyber Monday!