In 2023, US consumers spent $9.8 billion on Black Friday showing, representing 7.5% growth year-on-year. 90.6 million people made online purchases on Black Friday in 2023, while repeat purchases made up 56% of all purchases.
With numbers like this, it’s no surprise that Black Friday has become a make-or-break moment for businesses.
But with so many brands competing for attention, it’s easy to get lost in the noise. And that’s where the challenge lies- how do you capture audience attention and drive sales when every retailer wants to grab audience attention?
Every brand is vying for attention, from global giants to small startups, offering irresistible deals.
And if you don’t have a well-crafted strategy, it’s easy to get drowned out by the noise. So, how do you break through, connect with your audience, and turn the holiday shopping season into a sales bonanza for your business?
In this guide, we’ve gathered 29 Powerful Black Friday marketing Ideas to help you rise above the competition and supercharge your sales, from smart promotional tactics to out-of-the-box strategies that help you grab customers’ attention and increase sales.
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1. Using Wisernotify
Boost your conversions by leveraging Wisernotify, a social proof tool that displays real-time notifications and creates FOMO-like inline social proof and countdown timers.
It helps to boost conversions using trust signals like showcasing sales activities, sign-up actions, reviews, social media activities, visitor counter, urgency & promotions.
For example, showing “50 People Purchased this item today” creates a sense of urgency and trust, encouraging more purchases.
Adding these notifications a week before Black Friday helps to build momentum and continue during the event, which can drive more sales.
Moreover, it’s easy to integrate with popular e-commerce platforms and software like Shopify, Wix, BigCommerce, CRM, Billing, and Review platforms to help you convert traffic into more sales, demos, and leads.
Boost Conversion Instantly
Add Social Proof & Urgency to your website
2. Create an Early Access Email List
Build excitement by offering your VIP customers exclusive early access to Black Friday deals. In addition, it also includes capturing the email addresses of potential customers and informing them about the black Friday deals.
For example, send out an email to your early access list 2 days before Black Friday with special discount codes or a product sneak peek.
This helps to generate buzz and pre-event sales while giving loyal customers a first-mover advantage, encouraging repeat purchasers, and fostering a sense of exclusivity.
Other than this, craft a personalized email based on subscribers’ needs, preferences, and purchase history.
You can start promoting the early access list 2-3 weeks before Black Friday, offering deals right before the main event.
Here’s an example from Sound Stripe that offers early access to special deals and offers to its customers. It encourages customers to secure the best subscription price and emphasizes the deal’s value.
3. Design a Dedicated Black Friday Landing Page
Create a landing page specifically for your Black Friday deals to keep visitors focused. This page should feature exclusive offers, a countdown timer, social proof, and easy navigation to ensure a smooth customer journey.
Landing pages load quickly and help shoppers find what they’re looking for without complicated menus or distractions.
Also, add the relevant keywords to your landing page to ensure they appear higher in search results.
A well-designed landing page must encourage visitors to click on products, so making a good impression is important.
Here’s an example of a Landing page from the DJI Store with a unique and simple design grabbing visitor’s attention.
The landing page gathers all their best product deals on a specific landing page and influences customers to grab the deal.
4. Start Media Buying on Facebook and Google
Launch Facebook and Google ads targeting specific audiences interested in your products. These ads can attract new shoppers to your brand and engage loyal followers.
Create ads with catchy headlines, vibrant visuals, urgency & scarcity in ads, and a clear CTA.
By strategically targeting your audiences and utilizing effective ad creatives, you can drive significant traffic to your website and boost sales during the holiday shopping season.
For example, this ad from Dollar Shave Club uses humor, showing a grumpy grandma and a biker to hint the product is for “Almost” everyone.
The ad grabs the audience’s attention, and the clear CTA “Shop Now” influences audiences to check out the products.
Start your ads 2-3 weeks before Black Friday to build momentum, and ramp up spending during Black Friday and Cyber Monday to capitalize on high buying intent.
5. Use Countdown Timers
Countdown timers create a sense of urgency and encourage quick actions. The countdown timer plays around with the perception that there’s a shortage of time, and seeing the numbers decrease will urge customers to decide to purchase before time runs out.
The countdown timers on the landing pages can attract attention to specific products or services or a campaign like Black Friday is coming up.
Place a countdown timer on your Black Friday landing page or in email campaigns, showing how long g it takes until the sale ends.
You can also use timers for flash sales or limited-time offers.
For example, Feel Good Contacts uses a countdown timer, which is hard to miss out on. The use of the content “Hurry! Offer ends in: ” with red color stands out among the other content.
6. Offer Limited-Time Black Friday Deals
Short-term, high-impact deals during Black Friday help create urgency and excitement. Flash sales, offering significant discounts on selected products for a limited time, are proven strategies to encourage impulse buying.
You can promote these deals on your website, social media channels, and email marketing campaigns.
By running multiple flash sales throughout black Friday sales, you can keep customers engaged and incentivize repeat customers to your side, ultimately boosting sales and maximizing your promotional efforts.
You can run flash sales throughout Black Friday to keep customers engaged and encourage repeat customers to your site.
For example, Macy’s black Friday special sale attracts customers, showing how long the until the sale ends.
7. Provide Exclusive Deals for VIP Customers
Make your loyal customers feel special by offering them exclusive deals that aren’t available to the general public. These offers make customers feel valued and more inclined to be a member, sign up for a loyalty program, or be a VIP member, resulting in more sales for you.
Give your VIP customers a unique discount code that gives them an extra discount or offers during Black Friday or early access to the best deals.
This strengthens customer loyalty and increases repeat purchases.
You can roll out the deals a few days before Black Friday to make your loyal customers feel appreciated and keep offering them perks during the event.
For example, Brett/Robinson offers early access and exclusive discounts to their VIP customers to make them feel valued and enhance customer loyalty.
8. Offer Free Shipping
Free shipping is one of the best black Friday marketing strategies and incentives to close a sale. During Black Friday, customers expect deals and free shipping to sweeten the pot.
Promoting “Free shipping on all Black Friday orders” across your marketing channels reduces cart abandonment and increases conversions.
Pair this with a minimum order threshold, such as “Free shipping on orders over $50,” to drive higher order values. These offers can be run during the Black Friday weekend to maximize the impact.
For example, OneAdaptr promotes free shipping Worldwide for its customers by using the code Blackfriday17.
9. Include a Free Gift with Every Purchase
Want to encourage customers to purchase more and increase sales?
A free gift adds an element of surprise and value to every purchase, encouraging customers to buy more.
You can even make it irresistible by adding scarcity to the offer by promoting this gift in your Black Friday campaigns, which can attract more buyers.
Promote the gift offer a few days before Black Friday and continue throughout the sale.
Make it clear that the gift is available while supplies last to create urgency. Moreover, you can add urgency by showing “Just 100 gifts remaining!” which influences customers to act faster.
For example, Sephora promotes free gifts for Black Fridays, providing them with an option to choose from 80+ gifts.
10. Create Bundle Deals
Bundling products together at a discounted price increases the average order value (AOV) and gives customers a feeling of getting more for less.
You can package 2-3 popular products together and offer them at a discounted price. Moreover, you can showcase them at the full price versus the bundle price, offering them total savings.
Like, offer a bundle like “Buy 2 skincare products and get a free cleanser” or “Bundle your winter wardrobe with a jacket, scarf, and gloves for 25% off.”
You can start promoting deals a week before Black Friday and continue throughout the weekend to encourage larger purchases.
For example, Nguyen Coffee Supply offers multiple bundles and various price points that help it connect with customers who have different budgets.
11. Start a Lucky Draw
Gamification in the black Friday offer can be an excellent way to increase audience engagement.
Incorporate a lucky draw where customers are automatically entered when they purchase on Black Friday.
A classic giveaway like a lucky draw probably never goes out of fashion, which encourages shoppers to purchase and spend more.
Like, “Spend $100 and enter our lucky draw to win a $500 gift card!” This adds excitement and an incentive to shop more.
Promoting lucky draw a week before Black Friday and keep it running throughout the sale weekend.
For example, Romwe offers a Black Friday lucky draw reward in the form of points to encourage customers to purchase more.
12. Spark Curiosity with Mystery Savings
Adding an element of surprise to your Black Friday marketing campaigns with mystery savings options adds an element of fun and surprises.
Scratch cards or open a discount code are great ways to do this. These options not only build anticipation but also make the shopping experience interactive.
Like, “Save between 20% to 50% off! Scratch off or open a mystery discount code to find out your savings.”
These black Friday promotion ideas draw customers’ attention and excitement among them. You can start offering mystery savings on the day of the Black Friday offer.
For example, Forever 21’s Black Friday scratch card campaign is a winner that urges customers to scratch these cards; they’ve made sure their recipients click and reveal additional offers.
13. Offer BOGO (Buy One, Get One) Deals
BOGO deals are highly attractive during Black Friday as they offer more value. These are win-win deals for both customers and retailers.
These deals drive more sales and encourage potential customers to purchase specific items that you’d like to sell.
You can enhance the effectiveness of your marketing by combining a limited-offer popup with a BOGO deal.
Like “Buy One pair of shoes, het the second at 50% off” encourages customers to buy more and increases the likelihood of higher AOV.
You can promote BOGO deals on Black Friday at the last X hours for maximum impact.
For example, Vitamin World offers a BOGO deal by promoting “Buy One and Get One 50% off Everything,” encouraging customers to make a quick purchase.
14. Reward Customers with a Coupon Code
A coupon or discount code is used to persuade site visitors to purchase by offering them a coupon code that they can use to get a discount on their items.
Discount popups are best added to popular web pages to encourage customers to purchase items before leaving the website.
This is an effective way to encourage users to complete the sales. Giving customers an incentive to return by offering a discount code for future purchases helps to generate repeat business after the Black Friday rush.
Like, Spend $100 on Black Friday and receive a 20% off coupon for your next purchase.
For example, Fall Frenzy provides coupon codes to customers that offer them “30% OFF + Free Shipping!”
15. Send Cart Abandonment Emails
Cart abandonment rates skyrocket during Black Friday due to the overwhelming number of deals.
You can send cart recovery email sequences with special black Friday incentives to lower these rates.
When a customer leaves an item in the cart without completing the purchase, send them an email reminder with Black Friday discounts on those items.
Sending targeted cart abandonment emails with an extra discount or free shipping offer can help recover lost sales.
Include a compelling copy with visuals to encourage them to return and finalize their purchase.
Example: “Complete your purchase now and enjoy 10% off!” Send these emails within an hour of abandonment to increase the chances of conversion.
OverTone’s cart abandonment email uses engaging content that influences customers and offers them 15% off on their next order, along with the limited-time offer.
The engaging and simple design grabs customer’s eyes and offers to influence them to complete the order.
16. Upsell and Cross-Sell Products
Encourage customers to buy complementary products using upselling and cross-selling strategies during checkout.
Upselling is to encourage customers to buy a higher-priced version of what they’re already planning to purchase or have in their cart.
Cross-selling is recommending related products relevant to their products.
Like, If someone buys a laptop, offer a discount on accessories like a laptop case or mouse. This boosts the overall order value.
On Black Friday deals, you can offer discounts on upgrades as an upsell or a special bundle Black Friday promo on related cross-sell items.
Promotes these offers during checkout and follow up post-purchase with cross-sell recommendations.
Here’s an example of upsell that uses comparison, showing what customers might miss or gain after investing in a more amazing room with more amenities.
17. Offer Installment Payments to Customers
Installment payment options like “Buy Now, Pay Later” (BNPL) make high-ticket items more affordable, encouraging customers to make larger purchases.
It allows customers to purchase a product immediately and pay later via installments over a specific period.
You can strategically partner with the other service providers to boost BFCM sales as your customers have flexible payment options.
You can “Split your payment into 4 easy installments with no interest!” This reduces the perceived financial burden and makes it easier for customers to justify buying expensive products.
Offer the installment payment options throughout the black Friday weekend!
Here’s an example from Vistek, offering an installment payment to its customers with “pay as low as $214/month.”
18. Create Engaging Black Friday Popups
A popup of black Friday deals can make a lot of difference for your business. Use popups to highlight key Black Friday deals or exclusive discounts for visitors.
An exit-intent popup that offers a last-minute discount code can save a lost sale.
It helps to increase urgency, conversions, and customer engagement, and targeted promotions help to improve your customer base.
For example, a popup example tells audiences they can save 70% on the products and shows the countdown of the deal.
For example from Adoric, Displays these popups starting on Black Friday and continues them throughout the weekend to capture visitors’ attention.
19. Make It Interactive with a Discount Wheel
Gamified Black Friday deals add a bit more fun to the process and create excitement among visitors.
For example, add a “spin-the-wheel” feature to your website, where visitors can win discounts, free gifts, or other perks. This gamification element makes your sale more interactive and fun.
“Spin the wheel to win up to 50% off!” can help attract new visitors who only visited one page on your site and tried to leave.
For example, Wheelio is an app that turns email collection into a fun game for customers. The customers play a slot machine-style game and hope to grab a huge discount.
20. Run Mini Giveaways to Collect Emails
Hosting mini giveaways can be a powerful tool to create excitement and engagement during the Black Friday shopping frenzy.
By offering smaller, more frequent prizes, you can keep your audiences excited and returning for more.
Consider offering a mix of products, discount cards, or coupons that appeal to a wider audience and increase the chance of engagement.
In addition, you can add limited offers to create a sense of urgency and encourage participation.
For example, “Enter your email for a chance to win a free product, and stay updated on our Black Friday deals!” This strategy helps you capture leads that can be nurtured through email marketing.
Start the giveaways 2-3 weeks before Black Friday and follow up with your best deals during the sale.
Fashion Nova creates excitement among participants by offering 3 gift cards and early access to the Black Friday offers. That makes more visitors sign up and builds an email list of the target audience.
21. Reward Referrals
Encourage your customers to refer friends and family during Black Friday by offering incentives like discounts or freebies for successful referrals.
A referral discount is cost-effective for Black Friday’s acquisition of new customers.
You can run the referral discount campaign ahead of time to acquire new customers and begin warming them up for the BFCM.
For example, “refer a friend and get $10 off on your next purchase, plus they’ll get 10% off on their first order.”
Here’s an example from Love Bonito, which emails its existing customers asking them to refer a friend.
The brand promises $10 to the customers and the referral plus a bump in their loyalty points.
22. Create Social Media Posts
Building excitement about Black Friday deals is crucial, and Social media platforms are great ways to create a buzz.
You can craft teasers, countdowns, behind-the-scenes looks at upcoming deals, and customer testimonials.
Additionally, Instagram stories or Facebook Live can showcase product demos and partner with influencers to create excitement and curiosity for the followers.
Moreover, use hashtags effectively, do paid ads, engage with active customers, and post-black Friday follow-ups to drive sales, increase visibility, and foster customer loyalty during the holiday season.
Start your social media posts 1-2 weeks before Black Friday to create audience buzz and excitement.
Here’s an example from Murad that incentivizes customers to shop with it on the black Friday sale by offering them 30% off on all orders.
23. Create Offer Reels on TikTok
Tiktok’s short, engaging video format is perfect for promoting Black Friday deals. It includes running flash sales, partnering with influences, using video ads, and promoting exclusive offers that grab audiences’ attention.
Tiktok’s ad platform helps to target the right audiences, while exclusive Black Friday promotions attract customers looking for special deals.
You can announce the sale ahead of time through teaser videos and go live to showcase the products. You can also offer limited-time discounts on Black Friday Sale Day.
Focus on creating engaging and holiday-themed content that showcases your products, user-generated content, and interactive challenges to drive promotions.
Here’s Sephora partnered with an influencer on the TikTok.
24. Partner with Influencers
Collaborating with the influencers who align with your brand can significantly amplify your Black Friday promotions.
It’s about partnering with influencers to promote your Black Friday deals and offers.
It’s about tapping into the credibility reach of their audience and connecting with them to convert them into customers.
Have an influencer create content showcasing their favorite picks from your Black Friday sale or provide them with a unique discount code for their followers.
You can start the promotion 1-2 weeks before Black Friday to build awareness and keep them engaged throughout the event.
Here’s an example of social media posts on how brands can partner with influencers to increase engagement and new customers and improve sales.
25. Get Listed on Black Friday Deal Pages
Many shoppers search for deals on dedicated Black Friday websites and platforms. Ensure your store and deals are featured on these pages to drive additional traffic.
Black Friday deals are curated lists of the best discounts and offers available during the Black Friday shopping event. Listing your products or services on these pages can significantly boost your visibility and sales.
By implementing these strategies and providing exceptional customer value, you can improve your chances of being featured on popular Black Friday deal pages and driving significant sales.
Submit your offers to popular deal sites like BlackFriday.com or Brad’s Deals.
Submit your deals at least two weeks to ensure they’re listed before Black Friday.
Here are 90+ Black Friday deal pages where you can list out your product to grab more customers, boost visibility, and increase sales.
Click “Fill Out This Form” and add your products to these deal pages.
26. Provide Live Chat Support
Real-time customer support during Black Friday helps resolve issues and questions, which can reduce cart abandonment. The success of any Black Friday deal depends on the interaction with the customers.
Use live chat to greet your customers when they visit the website. You can implement the live chat on the website to offer quick responses to their queries about products, shipping, or stock availability.
Moreover, you can promote limited-time offers, provide efficient service, and thank customers for their businesses.
That helps to enhance customer engagement, increase satisfaction, and drive more sales.
Here’s an example of using Live Chat Support to promote your Black Friday deals.
A clear message to the visitors when they visit your website, along with offering them discounts and coupon codes to influence them to grab the offer and deal.
27. Use Strong Black Friday Calls to Action (CTAs)
Your CTAs need to be action-oriented and relevant to the event to drive conversions. You can use phrases like “Shop Now,” “Grab Your Deal,” or “Limited-Time Offer” to encourage immediate action.
Your Black Friday marketing campaign is only as strong as its Calls to Action (CTAs). These short phrases are the tipping point that transforms interest into action.
Effective Black Friday CTAs must be direct, urgent, and relevant to the shopping holiday to drive conversions and boost sales.
Also, you can craft personalized CTAs depending on where the customer is in the buying journey.
For example, in cart abandonment emails, use phrases like “Complete Your Purchase and Save 10%.”
Here’s an example from Anthropologie that uses two clear CTAs: “Shop New Clothing” and “Shop New Home & Furniture.”
28. Add Value by Offering Donations
Consumers are more socially conscious and want to shop with brands that align with their values.
While most shoppers seek the best deals during Black Friday, you can stand out by adding a charitable angle to your campaign.
Offering donations shows that your brand cares about more than just profits and resonates with socially conscious shoppers.
In addition to the warm feeling customers get from contributing to a cause, this strategy can increase customer loyalty and improve brand perception.
Highlighting the impact of their purchase makes them more inclined to complete their order.
You can start the campaign one week before black Friday.
Here’s an example of how brands can design their Landing page to ask customers to add donations for the charity along with the offer they might get in return.
29. Extend the Black Friday Celebration
Why limit the fun to just one day when you can keep the momentum going?
Extending your Black Friday deals over the weekend and into Cyber Monday can capture additional sales from customers who may have missed the big event.
Also see: 10 BFCM Marketing and Conversion Ideas
Many consumers are still in a shopping mindset after Black Friday, and giving them more opportunities to shop can significantly increase revenue.
This strategy can help you retarget customers who didn’t convert on Black Friday. You can send them reminder emails or display remarketing ads on social media platforms.
Start promoting your Black Friday sale immediately after Black Friday.
For example, the Chicago Tribune uses a clean and organized design with colorful elements to enhance the overall look without overwhelming the content and highlighting all the necessary information.
These few black Friday marketing ideas can surely help improve online sales for your online stores.
Over to you
As an online marketer, you always aim to get more sales and customer engagement, but getting customers’ smooth inflow still needs a strategy.
In this blog, we shared 29 Black Friday marketing tactics to help you intensify your marketing campaign, boost holiday sales, and attract online shoppers during the black Friday season.
The key is to create a sense of urgency, reward your loyal customers, and provide value beyond just discounts.
Whether counting timers, offering early bird access, exclusive VIP discounts, or partnering with influencers, each strategy helps capture attention and drive conversions.
