Don't be forced into giving a Black Friday deal because you think you ‘should'. (The word should comes from the same Old English for scald or scold so imagine that when you use it!)
My Black Friday Poll In Linked In has had over 1000 views so far with just 12% of respondents offering a deal this year.
What about me? No, I am not offering one, because I feel that discounts and deals must follow OUR OWN strategies, and
A – not knee-jerk panic (e.g. agh I need a deal as EVERYONE else is doing it – ahem, as my poll suggests, clearly they are not!)
B – discounting for discounting sake only.
A bit obtuse that!
And with B, some smaller business owners can forget about the marketing funnel at times like this.
The only reason they make an offer can be to sell the thing because times are sluggish and a cash injection is needed – that is a valid reason.
But what if there's a slightly different way to look at it?
If the reason to make the offer can be thought through another stage – to the strategy of maximising customer experience, using cross sells and upsells and helping retain the client longer therefore increasing customer lifetime value – the initial discounting becomes part of a longer, higher value and more eco-system-like strategy.
So, no Black Friday deal from Rachel Bentley – Small Business Marketing Coach this year – but watch this space for my new ‘thing' which will revolutionise my group offer.
And if you want to go from Black Friday mayhem to an alternative and wonderful opportunity to support independent business (thanks to Helen Greenwood for sharing this idea) take a look at #ColourFriday introduced by founder of Not on the High Street Holly Tucker MBE to remind us all to celebrate the colour and creativity that small businesses bring to the UK…before it’s too late.
Get in touch to tell me your thoughts or to discuss your own marketing planning – do you have one, do your use it and would you like to find out how to hack it? CONTACT ME HERE