Design the Perfect Black Friday Campaign with 10 Tips from Design Pickle

Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Small Business Saturday are around the corner, which means the best shopping season of the year is about to come, and while we all enjoy getting some treats for ourselves here and there, let’s be honest: it’s even better to get some cash into our pockets or business’ account, isn’t it?

A good marketing campaign during this season can account for more than 25% of your yearly revenue! So, the question is, are you ready for the challenge? You need to stand out from the crowd, and capture limited attention – and so do your competitors. So how will you accomplish that? Here at Design Pickle, we’ve got some tips to help you thrive – not just survive – the 2022 holiday marketing season.

1. Post a sneak peek.

At least half of all shoppers will be looking for good deals on social media. So, create a post that piques your audience’s interest, and make sure to specify the deal details with an emphasis on what sets you apart. You can promote this sneak peek by adding it to your newsletter, sending it out in an email blast, or adding pop-ups on your website. This “integrated” approach pairs nicely with FOMO and will definitely get your prospect’s and customer’s attention.

2. Release a new product or service.

This is a great opportunity to promote a new service or to unveil a new product to drive extra eyeballs on your brand. A few days before the big day, add a countdown timer to create a sense of urgency and brand recall!

3. Give away a free gift.

We all like a little something extra we didn’t pay for, right? When you give away a free gift, people have a higher perceived value of your brand, which comes in handy during a holiday shopping season. This is a fabulous opportunity to increase sales of specific goods or services as well by incentivizing the free gift with specific purchases. Feature this giveaway not only on your social media but also on your website’s homepage to give it maximum visibility.

4. Twist on a traditional promo.

Everyone’s doing discounts. Did you know that some brands attribute over 50% of their revenue to merchandising and last-minute add-ons? By simply displaying more impulse options and “you also might like this” options during checkout, you’re more likely to sell more, without compromising your margins.

5. Extend your sale from Black Friday to Cyber Monday.

In recent years, Cyber Monday has evolved into a continuation of the long-running Black Friday discounts. It was created to get consumers to buy things from online stores and has become an extremely popular shopping holiday, particularly for digital goods. Plus, you could even extend your sale into Giving Tuesday, the day after Cyber Monday, and add a philanthropic spin on your promotion (like a give one, get one sale).

6. Spruce up your web presence.

Customize your website to promote your Cyber Monday deals, ensuring they stand out from Black Friday discounts, and all of your other regular branding! Creating a separate Cyber Monday landing page helps convert traffic faster by ensuring shoppers stay focused when they’re rushing through their purchases and find what they need easily and quickly.

7. Stand out & don’t get forgotten.

We all associate Black Friday post deals with black, red, and gold, but don’t forget to incorporate your brand design! If you go all in black and white, your brand loses its visual identity. The images that consumers associate with your brand come from hard-earned brand awareness. Don’t lose the chance to leverage that! Hire a professional Graphic Designer to assist you in creating a Black Friday marketing that is consistent with your brand but still stands out! You can also get a Canva template so you can easily make further changes – like posting “SOLD OUT” on social media as your inventory runs out.

8. Animated ads are your best friends.

Videos and Motion Graphics are your best friend when it comes to standing out from the crowd during the busy Black Friday/Cyber Monday season. Video ads have a higher click-through rate than static advertisements, increase sharing, and improve brand recall. If you’re going to pay a premium rate for clicks on social and display, get premium creative. (Not sold on Motion Graphics and their amazing conversion lift? Check out this recent webinar featuring our paid media team.)

9. Hey [you, we’re talking to you]!

Did you know that 71% of consumers expect personalized marketing experiences? Like personalized emails, SMS, postcards, and app experiences. Marketers claim to drive 40% more revenue when personalizing as opposed to generalizing. While it does require more tactics and more design, personalization is a do-able strategy for unlocking more results.

10. Direct mail isn’t totally dead.

In fact, it’s so dead, it’s cute to mail people things again. Audiences get excited to see personalized mail, and it’s a way for your brand and designs to stand out from the competition. With diminishing returns on digital platforms, direct mail could be the unexpected heads up your prospects needed to be Black Friday ready for your promo!

Building buzz and delivering incentives with killer creative will surely drive results this holiday season. Because we know things are about to get hectic, we’re throwing in an eleventh bonus tip for you marketing pros.

Worried about how to make all this possible?

Get a creative subscription – Rather than burn out your existing design team during a time when they’re more likely to take PTO, add as many workstreams as you need at a flat rate. They’re no commitment, so you can simply go back to business as usual when seasonal demands slow down. It’s the no-brainer we wished we had when we were in your shoes.

Need a little design inspiration?

Check out some of our client designs for Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Small Business Saturday, and Giving Tuesday to get more inspiration.