Quick Guide to Text Marketing on Black Friday

As I write this, Black Friday is 7 days away.

That 168 hours and counting…

As business owners, we all know what a critical time of the year this is.  It’s literally Make it or Break it. 

I know some businesses are on the edge right now… and if they don’t have a stunning holiday sales season, they might have to shut down and lay off people.

Black friday is huge for everyone.  Tens of millions of shoppers will be filling up the stores and surfing online for Christmas deals. It’s estimated these shoppers will spend over $5 BILLION on this one day alone.

Thats a big slice of pie for business owners.

Don’t miss out on your fair share.

Here’s some quick tips on how to do Text Marketing right on Black Friday…

Black Friday Text Marketing Tips

We don’t have a lot of time, so I’m going to go quickly.

I’m going to assume you have your texting software all dialed in.  I’m assuming you’ve built your list the right way. You’ve also spent the time to segmented your customers, prospects and VIPs (the contacts).

I’m also assuming you’ve been in regular contact with your contacts… and they won’t be surprised to see your messages!

With that said, the first texting tip I can give is to plan out several days of marketing.

It always drives me crazy when I meet with a business owner and they complain that texting doesn’t work for them.  Normally it’s because they send out one text message and expect miracles!

That’s like going to the gym and jogging on the treadmill for 20 minutes… and being upset that you haven’t lost 35 lbs.

Plan out your text marketing to work WITH your other marketing activities.

Here’s a tip, Don’t be afraid to send several messages over text… between black friday and cyber monday people are looking for deals… don’t be afraid to tell customers about yours!

Remember to polish up your Black Friday advertisements (Probably on facebook or google).

Make sure your email sequence is loaded and ready to go.  I know people who are planning on sending upwards of 15 emails between Thanksgiving day and #GivingTuesday!

Now is the time to lock down any special offers you have in place… make sure your coupon codes work… and please, please, please, test your landing pages.

You don’t want to spend good time and money and effort and send people to a broken order page!

That’s worse than not doing anything at all!

When you plan your text marketing campaign, work it in and around your other marketing.

For example:

• Maybe you follow an email message with a text a few hours later… ask if they saw the email and provide the link a second time.
• Maybe you provide a VIP offer only to people on your texting list.
• Maybe you ask customers if they saw your “facebook ad” for your product.
• Maybe you send out a coupon for the “Special” you’re running on Black Friday.
• Maybe you highlight the special deal you have going on.
• Maybe you send out a few recommendations (best gifts for Mom!)
• Maybe you text people about your special store hours on Black Friday.

Whatever you decide to do, make is to make sure you have your Text Marketing plan dialed in, and take the time TODAY to write the messages.

If you wait till black friday, you’ll be so caught up in the moment, you’ll forget to send them.  Trust me I’ve seen it happen before!

So make your plan.  Then Write your text messages, and load them into the system to go out automatically.

Now I know what you’re thinking…

What Messages Should I Send On  Black Friday

Let’s jump into some details about your messages.

First, don’t be afraid to target your black friday messages.

What do I mean by that?  Send the different subscribers you have different offers.  This is the whole reason to segment your list.

If you have VIP buyers… for the love of all that’s holy… text them, and text them often.

Send them special notices, offer free delivery, shipping, drop off, pickup… offer them special discounts, offer them products they can’t buy elsewhere… offer them, gifts and add ons… offer them free done for you services… offer them special shopping hours (VIP only shopping early or late)…

Here’s a hot tip – Make sure when you text your VIPs it’s meaningful.  DO NOT just text them your store hours and directions. Put some effort in… make it valuable to be on your texting list!

These are your best customers.  They spend the most money with you.  Show them you love them and really roll out the red carpet for them.

Don’t be afraid to send a few texts the same day… they are on your list for a reason… they want to hear from you… and remember you’re competing with thousands of other retailers out there!

You’ve locked down the VIP customers…

Now, focus on other customers.

These are customers who have bought in the past but are not quite VIP status.  Maybe they only stop in every so often… maybe they’ve bought once or twice but don’t buy regularly.

They know who you are… but you’re not BFFs (Best Friends Forever)!

What should you do?

Text them too… but mix it up.  Give them a reason to visit your store.

• Maybe you text a coupon good for only Black Friday.
• Maybe you text them about a limited time offer deal (75% off!)
• Maybe you text them about a BOGO (Buy One, Get One) offer.
• Maybe you text them about a special gift… buy your friend this, and you get this free. (people love to buy themselves stuff too!)

Here’s another tip.  If you make them an EXPLODING offer.  That’s an offer that blows up after a deadline.

The deadline is critical… you want people shopping in your store first.  If they already found their gifts elsewhere there is no need to spend money with you.

Now here’s an important tip when using a deadline.  Set the deadline and stick to it.  No exceptions.  If you bend, the customer knows you’ll always bend and you lose the power to attract them back to your store.

Now we get to those contacts that are Prospects.

Prospects, in my mind, are potential customers.   These are people who have been kicking the tires, but have yet to buy.  The haven’t shown you any love!

Do not make the mistake of giving them the same deals you laid out for your VIPs and Customers.

Offer your Prospects something entirely different.

For example, start with your lower end products… What inexpensive items might they find appealing… or unique.

Better still, offer them a small package deal… for example a package of stocking stuffers for a family of 4!

Maybe you offer them a group buy discount… buy 3 for 20% off.

Remember, you want to give them enough reason to visit your store and buy something… but you don’t want to give away margin to lower value customers.

One last tip before we move on…

Make sure you’ve thought of an “I missed it” offer.

This is the text you send out to your customers (or VIPs or Prospects) that says… I missed the deals on Black Friday… but here’s one more chance at a deal.

Once again, mix it up.  Send those messages over the weekend, or on Cyber Monday.  Mention the Great deals they missed, but make sure to offer them something different!

What About Online Stores and Black Friday Texts…

A lot of the ideas I gave above will still apply to online and offline stores.

But if you’re 100% online… here are a few thoughts about Black Friday texting.

Since text marketing is real time,  don’t be afraid to text about active deals on your site.  I know a lot of websites are now offering timed deals (i.e. this deal is good for the next three hours).

That’s the perfect thing to text your subscribers about.

Let them know what’s on sale now… what’s coming up in the next few hours… and REMEMBER to include a link to the order page in your text!

Also, don’t be afraid to text out coupon codes… for online sales.  Everyone loves a deal, and even a 10% off discount can work wonders.

I know lots of cosmetics companies are offering package deals…

And, if I were running a Toy company, I’d offer to package Batteries for any Toys that are bought!

No parent wants to go scurrying around the house on Christmas morning looking for a new 9 volt battery, while their over sugared and under-slept kid screams at the top of their lungs that a toy doesn’t work.

Remember to text people about the Package deals.

When you’re dealing with online sales, many tend to lean on email marketing… and that’s great.  But I get hundreds of emails every day… and on Black Friday, I’m sure I’ll get double!

Remember to text people and remind them you sent an email with deals on it… and don’t forget the link to your product page!

What About Restaurants and Black Friday texts…

Now this is a great idea if I do say so myself…

Retail and online stores are not the only ones to benefit from the crazy shopping on Black Friday.  My sister in law thinks of Black Friday as a full contact sport. She’s the one who is standing at the doors to the store, waiting for them to open…

She starts early.

But you know what she needs a few hours later?

A rest.  A break. Some food.

If you’re running a Restaurant, don’t shy away from sending messages out on Black Friday.  Ask people if they need a break… or if they’re hungry yet.

Remind them where you are located… and what nourishment you can offer.  Stay on their mind!

No discount needed, no coupons, no crazy offers needed…

Make your messages lighthearted, and funny, and you’ll be sure to attract more customers in no time.

What Else Should You Be Doing on Black Friday? 

Ok, I’m almost out of  time for today…

So, one last quick note on other things to do.

On Black Friday, you’re likely to have more people in your store, and visiting your website.  Use this as an opportunity to build your Text Marketing list.

As people check out, ask them to join.  When people walk in, ask them to join. Make sure you have signs up about how to join your texting list.

Looking for some ideas on how to BRIBE people to join your list?

Check out this blog post…
Five Easy Tips To Move Customers From An Email List To Text Message List

And this one too…

Top Four Ways To Get Signups For Your Text Message List …

And one more…
11 Easy Giveaways to Get Prospects Signing Up for Your Mobile Marketing List y the Hundreds

Whatever you do, don’t let Black Friday slip through your fingers…

Take advantage of the day.  Contact your VIPs, your Customers and your prospects… and use the day to build your marketing list!

What’s next?

If you liked these tips and tricks to marketing on Black Friday, you should download our free book about text marketing for small businesses…