How Retailers Can Maximise The Potential of Black Friday

So, this is your chance to ensure they part with their cash in your business. A successful Black Friday strategy requires a finely tuned blend of omnichannel marketing and in-store experiences that convert those eager consumers into sales.

Standing out in a very crowded room is always tricky. And there aren’t many crowded rooms more packed out than the Black Friday marketing we see in the preceding weeks. Retailers spend a hefty amount promoting their deals on TV, radio and social media to ensure consumers are aware of their presence in the Black Friday sales and remember their brand. But if the customer journey doesn’t lead all the way into the store and past the checkout, then all that marketing spend may have been in vain. Successful retailers create a true omnichannel experience, that connects and reinforces their brand and sales messaging at all consumer touchpoints. This means that your store design needs to not only engage your customers for an immersive experience but also reinforce the messaging they’ve seen before they came in store. This recognition of the branding and information they’ve received on all other channels further strengthens your position, boosts brand recognition and creates cohesive omnichannel marketing.

Digital signage showcasing the videos and visuals consumers have seen online will reinforce the brand messaging and provide engaging, exciting and interesting content as they step in and continue their journey through your store. It allows you to make dynamic adjustments to your Black Friday strategy and deals and keep visitors informed about your latest promotions at all times. Furthermore, you will gain an edge over your competitiors, who may not have the same engaging visuals to capture Black Friday shoppers that you do.

You can further reinforce your strategy with retail media in-store advertising. The right combination of both audio and video creates an onmichannel experience that motivates consumer behaviour. By unifying on-site experiential media and in-store advertising within a single digital platform, businesses can digitalise and customise the shopping experience in a way that modern consumers demand, while influencing the customer at the most impactful touchpoints of the shopping journey.

If you’re successful, and consumers make the effort to come in store, don’t forget they’re ready to buy! They’ve set money aside and are willing to spend it! Now is the perfect time to back up everything you’ve been promoting, and craft the best retail experience to ensure they convert their curiosity at the checkout.

In order to connect with consumers, you need to resonate with them on their level. Audio messaging and music playlists that reflect what they’ve heard on the radio and soundtracks that resonate with them and the ‘sound’ of your brand build that consistency that’s needed for powerful branding.

Creating engaging experiences through carefully curated in-store playlists allows consumers to feel understood, seen and respected. If they feel like your brand knows them, gets them, they will feel a connection and affiliation with your brand on a subconscious level that simply cannot be achieved in any other way. The power of audio is palpable. It’s almost tangible in that we can feel the change physically in our bodies and emotions when music is played that we love. Immersing this with insightful, engaging in-store messaging and brand information enables you to resonate and motivate at the opportune moment of the purchase decision.

Let’s not forget that shoppers can, and have the right to, leave the store to spend their money elsewhere. Nothing is guaranteed. Respecting their choice to come in store, having noticed your brand above the noise is something that goes a long way. Messaging that reinforces your appreciation for their custom, and providing additional content, opportunities and deals they can enjoy for choosing you will go a long way to ensuring you stay top of mind and guarantee further word-of-mouth positivity long after they leave your store.

To coincide with digital solutions, the personal service provided by the staff in store also needs to reinforce every other aspect of the business. A study by Hubspot Research found that 93% of customers are likely to make repeat purchases with companies that offer excellent customer service. This means that great customer services provided by your staff will not only go a long way to create a great in-store experience, but you’ll see the positive impact in sales at the checkouts too. Ensure all staff members are fully briefed on the Black Friday mission, they’re aware of the deals, opportunities and exciting ways consumers can get involved and they know how to big up your brand at every opportunity. Let’s not forget that events like Black Friday can often feel frantic, stressful and intense for retailers and consumers alike. By offering a calming, relaxed, enjoyable retail experience you’re going against the grain to leave a lasting impression that remains long after they’ve left your store.

By curating the perfect mix of audio and visual in-store experiences alongside brilliant customer service, retailers can back up their marketing with surprising, engaging and exciting customer journeys that turn Black Friday from a spending frenzy into an enjoyable, fulfilling retail connection.

Black Friday has come a long way since its inception and the negative connotations of the 1950s. In recent years it’s felt a little frantic as consumers fight for the best deals, and retailers fight for attention. Yet with consideration and commitment, retailers can craft the perfect buying journey that’s satisfying and successful.