Black Friday is an important and crazy event for brands, marketers, and, of course, consumers! It changes, assimilates to the actual events and reality, and continues from year to year. Now is the time to discuss the circumstances of Black Friday 2021 and what marketers should replicate and pay attention to.
OFFLINE VS. ONLINE
COVID-19 gave a giant boost to the rise of online shopping and made it not just an alternative way to make purchases but a self-contained shopping method. However, there are traditional consumers for whom tactile, visual contact and the opportunity to try on clothes here and now play a vital role in the process. Also, with online shopping, strolling through malls is still one way to pass free time. If Shakespeare lived in the modern world, his timeless question would be “offline or online”?
Google research demonstrated that just 35% of consumers say that the situation with COVID-19 will influence how they plan to pass Black Friday compared to last year at 53%. An optimal decision for brands and marketers is to be ready offline and online to avoid losing clients.
LET'S HOLD OFF ON THE PUMPKINS, BLACK BACKGROUND, AND BORING BANNERS!
It’s time to break out of the box of stereotypical designs and surprise the audience. Now there are not a lot of people walking around the malls. They come to buy something they need and don’t stay any longer due to the safety risks. And that’s okay — we can reach them online. E-mailing, interactives, flash mobs, announcements in social media, photo and video competitions on YouTube — that’s all work for marketers and brands to attract the audience and raise Brand Awareness (read more about Brand Lift).
ATTENTION! REMARKETING IS ON BOARD
Last year, Barilliance found 82% of shopping cart abandoned on Black Friday, which is very high. It means that consumers were not warmed up enough to make an order or just forgot about their items. By the way, working on errors is a good habit, especially in marketing. To avoid such results, use e-mailing and remarketing to remind users that have left online stores about their abandoned items.
At the same time, remarketing can be a notification for old clients or those who used brands’ services but have not bought anything for a long time. And don’t forget about regulars! Increase their loyalty with e-mailing or social media by giving them special offers earlier.
A LITTLE PERSISTENCE WILL NOT BE EXTRA
Black Friday is every year. Consumers know it and, like marketers, have prepared for it, e.g., choose electronics or other high-priced items in advance but don’t buy in waiting for a profitable price. It reduces the distance between consumer and conversion, and it plays on brands’ hands. Our task is to persuade them to make this step beyond the purchase.
AND WHAT ABOUT DELIVERY?
We will not get tired of repeating that mobile apps are gaining popularity and are worth paying attention to (more about in-app advertising). Since the pandemic, about 44% of consumers have purchased smartphones, although they have personal computers. We need to remember that consumers don’t sit in one place, they move around, and the only thing always with them is smartphones. That’s the key to reaching a modern audience.
BOTTOM LINE
Our world is constantly changing, but it doesn’t concern Black Friday and the consumers’ desire to buy something for a profitable price. They are already ready for shopping, and our challenge is to stimulate them to do it accurately.
