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Black Friday might have its origins in the United States, but it has become a massive calendar event in South Africa, showing no signs of slowing down in 2022. It also helps that this day of savings falls right after payday, which means shoppers are more likely to splurge than at any other time of the month. Furthermore, with the festive season around the corner, many are looking for bargain buys to put under the tree this year to make more room in their budget for entertainment this holiday season.

However, Black Friday is not what it used to be. Whereas your brand could probably get away with a once-off 10% discount a couple of years ago, this is no longer the case. Consumers are becoming increasingly savvy, and their expectations have only increased.

So, are you sure that your business is ready for Black Friday this year? Here are some tips for preparing your business to handle this year’s splurge season.

Tip 1: Start early

It’s almost impossible for your offer to stand out in a sea of others, especially if you’re a small business. That’s why it’s important to start promoting your deals early in November already.

Today’s consumers are more strategic with their Black Friday purchases than before and will note down specific deals they’ll go for on the day, so make sure you’re on their list.

Tip 2: Make it Black November, not Black Friday

Why only offer a deal on one day when you can spread it over the whole month? Consumers are already looking for deals to take advantage of now.

So, consider offering a series of deals leading up to Black Friday or simply extending the period that your deal is on offer to the entire month of November.

Tip 3: Take your online reputation seriously

Managing your online reputation is one of the most overlooked but vital elements of having a good Black Friday strategy. But what does it actually mean to take control of your online reputation?

The first step is to listen to what consumers are saying out there. Invite them to leave reviews about their recent experiences with your business on trusted review platforms like Hellopeter so that you can be aware of what the perception is around your brand. Then, make your business part of the conversation by replying to all your online reviews, good and bad.

“Online reviews and the buyer journey are more important than ever. Whereas word of mouth used to be the most powerful form of marketing, it’s even more effective today. And anything a consumer says in the digital landscape has a far-reaching impact,” says Alon Rom, CEO of Hellopeter.

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Tip 4: Offer seriously good value

Don’t just give consumers a meagre 10% off. Make it worth their while, and they will shop. For example, if you promise a 60% off deal and deliver on that, consumers will trust that you’re really giving them a deal.

Also, don’t fall into the trap of pushing up prices before Black Friday to give the illusion of a good deal. Consumers will see right through your facade, and it will cause more reputational damage than any good.

Is your business prepared for the Black Friday splurge season?

Tip 5: Divide and conquer

If you stretch your existing team too far, you’re setting yourself up for failure. Instead, get some temporary staff to alleviate the workload and train everyone well in advance, so there’s a clear plan of action on the day.

Tip 6: Use social proof to increase sales

Social proof is a psychological phenomenon where people follow the actions of other people. So, it’s natural for consumers to trust reviews written by real people on impartial platforms like Hellopeter when deciding to buy from your business.

“Having your Hellopeter metrics on your website is extremely important. It adds a lot of confidence to potential customers’ buying decisions, and we’ve seen a good increase of about 25% in conversions through just having reviews on your checkout page,” explains Rom.

Is your business prepared for the Black Friday splurge season?

Tip 7: Optimise your online shopping experience

Consumers will abandon their carts if your website takes too long to load. Ensure that your site can handle the influx in traffic, and test, test, test your online shopping experience to make sure there are no hitches.

Tip 8: Get a trusted tool to help you

The customer experience will often make or break a sale and prevent a once-off customer from becoming a repeat customer. Therefore, the experience they have with your brand from start to finish is the most important thing to focus on this Black Friday.

Hellopeter Business is a platform designed to help you tap into, manage, and leverage your online reputation through the power of online reviews. It has grown immensely in popularity among South African businesses, especially in industries where competition is fierce.

“These days, businesses are very surprised by what we offer as Hellopeter Business. We’ve come a long way since the original perception of the platform being a complaints platform. And today, we’re proud to be South Africa’s number one online review platform. We even achieved a 50/50 balance of positive versus negative reviews this year, which we believe brings the most credibility. If you only see positive reviews, it just looks too good to be true, so there’s inherent trust in our platform from the consumer’s point of view,” explains Rom.

You can sign up for a Hellopeter Business account for free (no credit card details required) or opt for one of their paid plans. However, keep an eye out for a really big Black Friday deal coming soon!

Is your business prepared for the Black Friday splurge season?

Source: bizcommunity.com