What It Takes To Win Black Friday (And Create An Amazing Customer Experience) #621
Oct 19, 2023
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Ecommerce expert Drew Sanocki shares secrets for winning Black Friday, including tactics like RFM segmentation, planning profitable email sequences, and optimizing deals with alternative incentives. He also highlights the importance of enhancing customer experience for repeat purchases, utilizing various marketing channels, and creating personalized experiences through automated handwriting.
Black Friday pulls demand from other periods in Q4, brands should focus on profitable offers.
Maximizing the lifetime value of Black Friday customers through personalized experiences and targeted marketing.
Deep dives
The Context of Black Friday
In this podcast episode, Drew Sonaki discusses the context of Black Friday and the dynamics surrounding the event. He highlights that Black Friday has taught customers to wait and buy during that specific week, but this doesn't necessarily bring net new demand. Instead, it often pulls demand from other periods in Q4. Additionally, the focus on discounting during Black Friday has led to a phenomenon where brands may see high revenue but struggle to make a profit. Drew emphasizes the importance of understanding this context when planning Black Friday tactics and suggests focusing on profitable offers and maximizing revenue.
The Importance of Lifetime Value
Drew explains the significance of considering the lifetime value of customers gained during Black Friday. Instead of just focusing on one-time purchases, brands should engineer strategies to nurture these customers and encourage repeat purchases. He emphasizes the value of email, SMS, and direct mail marketing to keep customers engaged and build higher lifetime value. Drew also highlights the impact of providing a human touch in the customer buying process, such as sending handwritten notes or offering personalized experiences.
Differentiating in a Crowded Market
Drew discusses the crowded nature of Black Friday and suggests ways for brands to differentiate themselves. He recommends utilizing direct mail marketing, as it is less competitive than the saturated inbox. Additionally, he emphasizes the importance of finding creative ways to incentivize customers beyond traditional discounts, such as offering free gifts, expedited shipping, or premium services. Drew also encourages brands to think about the entire customer journey and leverage different communication channels to increase engagement and foster long-term relationships.
Shoppers have been trained to wait until November to buy. So whether you're running a discount, free gift with purchase, expedited shipping, or another offer entirely, you better make sure it's profitable. But you can't stop at a single purchase. And on this episode of Ecommerce Marketing School, PostPilot's Drew Sanocki shares his secrets for what it takes to win Black Friday.