When Is Black Friday in 2023 & How To Get Your Small Business Ready

Mark your calendars because the holiday season is right around the corner! All year long, consumers have been saving up to splurge or buy bigger items, and the marathon is about to begin with one very special day – Black Friday. When is Black Friday in 2023? Friday, November 24. 

For small businesses, Black Friday presents an opportunity to capture new customers and reward loyal customers. Of course, to take advantage of the occasion and increase revenue, careful planning is imperative. If you’re looking to partake in Black Friday 2023 as well, here are valuable insights and practical steps to help you drive sales for your small business during the holidays.

What is Black Friday and why does it signify the start of the holiday shopping season?

Being perhaps one the most famous of all Fridays, Black Friday follows Thanksgiving Day, a national holiday celebrated in the United States. In recent years, Black Friday has long transcended continents and is now observed in countries across the globe. On this day, shoppers expect massive discounts, doorbuster deals and sales for the upcoming end-of-the-year holiday gift shopping. 

Originally, the term Black Friday was not associated with shopping. While there are many debates surrounding the origin of the term, one of the most popular theories suggests that police officers in Philadelphia initially used it to describe the chaotic and congested streets on the day after Thanksgiving.

Another theory suggests that the term referred to businesses moving from red (losses) to black (profits) in their financial ledgers due to the surge in sales on this day. On the other hand, according to history.com, the first ever recorded use of the term Black Friday was applied to a financial crisis following the crash of the US gold market in 1869.  

Regardless of its origins, Black Friday has evolved into the busiest shopping day globally. In fact, since Black Friday is not an official holiday, some US shoppers take a day off just to make sure they can fully immerse themselves in Black Friday sales. Unsurprisingly, Adobe Analytics reports that Black Friday sales reached a record high of $9.12 billion in the 2022 holiday shopping season – a 2.3% increase from the previous year. 

The magnitude of sales during this period signifies how crucial Black Friday has become in the retail calendar. So, if you’re looking to scale your ecommerce business, participating in this annual event can make all the difference. 

4 reasons your small business should take advantage of Black Friday

Contrary to popular belief, Black Friday isn’t just for major online retailers and big box stores. Small businesses can also welcome shoppers ready to make full use of the holiday sales. So, if you were thinking of sitting out Black Friday 2023, here are four reasons why participating is worthwhile.

1. Boost sales: Customers are motivated to shop for best deals that come with the holiday shopping season. As a result, by introducing discounts and special offers on Black Friday, you can secure higher conversion rates. 
2. Attract new customers: With the eagerness to save money, many consumers are willing to try out new businesses during Black Friday. By offering great deals, you can capture their attention and perhaps even convert them into returning customers.
3. Clear out old inventory: If you have excess inventory or products that need a sales push, offering huge discounts can help you move surplus items and make room for new merchandise. For example, if you are ready to launch a new candle or socks collection, you might have no room to hold onto items that aren’t selling.
4. Build brand loyalty: Providing exclusive discounts or promotions on Black Friday is a way to show appreciation to your existing customers. This encourages them to return and make additional purchases throughout the holiday season and beyond.

3 strategies for making your Black Friday marketing ideas more effective

When it comes to a Black Friday promotional campaign, the strategy you employ matters. To help you maximize the impact of your efforts, here are three of the best Black Friday ideas for your ecommerce marketing arsenal.  

1. Add Black Friday deals to your holiday marketing campaign

Getting better results for your holiday marketing campaign hinges on creating compelling Black Friday deals that your audience can benefit from. Customers will actively seek out the best discounts and promotions during this period, so you need to craft a competitive offer that stands out. Here’s how to do it right. 

Research the market

Before diving headfirst into Black Friday promotions, take the time to research the market thoroughly. Understand what buyers are truly interested in and what products are in high demand. By analyzing consumer behavior and market trends, you can better tailor your Black Friday offerings to meet your target audience’s needs and preferences.

Create irresistible offers

The expectation of irresistible deals largely drives the spending frenzy around Black Friday. Your goal is to craft an offer that makes consumers feel like they’re getting the best value for their money. 

Here are some promotion ideas for small businesses to inspire you.

• Discounts: Price cuts are a Black Friday staple. Offer significant price reductions on popular items or across your entire inventory.
• Free shipping: Enhance the attractiveness of your deals by reducing or eliminating any additional cost concerns for shoppers.
• Sales: Create a sense of urgency with time-limited, flash sales.
• Gift giveaways: Offer a free gift or bonus item for purchases above a certain spending.
• Bundle offers: Package related products into bundles at a reduced price.
• Contests: Encourage your current customers or social media followers to promote your Black Friday deals for a chance to win something special.

Start promoting early

Don’t wait until the last minute to unveil your Black Friday deals. Start promoting in advance of the actual date. Create social media posts, email campaigns and website pop-ups to tease your audience about the incredible offers they can expect. 

Plan inventory

While planning your Black Friday promotions, remember to assess your inventory. Make a realistic estimate of how much you can sell, factoring in the increased demand during Black Friday. There’s a fine balance between meeting the demand and preventing overstocking, so planning ahead is essential.

2. Create a dedicated landing page on your ecommerce website and ensure easy purchases

People are actively shopping online on Black Friday, and the numbers reflect this trend. According to data from the National Retail Federation, about 130.2 million U.S. consumers shopped online over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in 2022. 

One effective way to capitalize on increased traffic during this holiday period is by creating a dedicated landing page exclusively for your Black Friday and Cyber Monday promotions. 

Benefits of a dedicated landing page

Here are two major reasons why having a landing page is a smart move.

• Streamlined shopping experience: A dedicated landing page simplifies the decision-making process for shoppers. Instead of being bombarded with various product categories and information on your homepage, they are directed to one specific page where they can find all your holiday deals.

• Improved conversions: Shoppers can easily get overwhelmed by too much information on a home page. As a result, they may leave halfway through their shopping journey before making a purchase. However, a dedicated landing page eliminates other site distractions, focusing the shopper’s attention on the one action you want them to take: Making a purchase.

Remember to make your landing page usable on mobile and desktop devices. Additionally, include clear and compelling call-to-action buttons to guide shoppers through the purchasing process seamlessly. 

3. Generate early awareness using targeted advertising

A compelling Black Friday offer is worth nothing if potential customers aren’t aware of it. For small business owners, especially those without a massive social media following, a single Facebook post, tweet or email may not be enough to make an impact.

Consider setting up targeted advertising campaigns across various channels to maximize exposure for your Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals. Below are a few types of ad campaigns you can create. 

Facebook and Instagram ad campaign

Facebook and Instagram are invaluable marketing channels for generating early awareness for your Black Friday offers. You can supercharge your Facebook/IG ad campaigns in the following ways: 

• Use Facebook’s robust targeting options to reach the right audience.
• Segment your target audience based on demographics, interests or behaviors.
• Retarget users who have previously engaged with your brand or website to remind them of your upcoming promotions and reignite their interest.

Email marketing campaign

Email marketing is a cost-effective channel for reaching your audience directly and promoting your upcoming Black Friday deals. Here are some tips to help you make the most of it:

• If you have a sizable subscriber base, consider dividing your email list into segments based on customer behavior and preferences.
• Customize your email content for each segment to ensure relevance.
• As the promotion date nears, create a sense of urgency by sending countdown emails to remind subscribers of the upcoming deals.

Influencer marketing campaign

To expand awareness of your holiday deals, you can establish an affiliate partnership with influencers who’ve built a strong following of audiences who trust their recommendations.

Consider working with influencers in your niche whose followers align with your target audience. Also, make sure the influencers you partner with have high engagement metrics, including likes, comments and shares.

Why you should not focus solely on Black Friday for a surge in online shopping

Black Friday can undoubtedly boost sales for your small business. However, as a small business owner, your holiday marketing efforts should extend beyond this single calendar event.

By focusing your efforts on Black Friday alone, you may not fully capitalize on the opportunities presented by other annual shopping events, such as Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday. Luckily, you can apply some of the same Black Friday marketing ideas for these two days as well.

Small Business Saturday

Small Business Saturday is an annual shopping event that occurs immediately after Black Friday. The upcoming Small Business Saturday for 2023 falls on November 25. It is a one-day event designed to promote shopping at stores locally owned by small businesses. 

Many shoppers choose not to support major retailers or even Black Friday events due to environmental reasons. These shoppers are more likely to support small businesses. So, you can leverage this day to run promotions, offer exclusive deals or host special events that encourage customers to shop in-store or online to support your small business. 

Cyber Monday

Another crucial date to mark on your calendar is Cyber Monday, which is the Monday following Thanksgiving. In 2023, Cyber Monday sales begin on November 27. Cyber Monday is all about online shopping and is also associated with exclusive deals and discounts. 

As you can guess, Cyber Monday is preferred by those who choose online stores instead of visiting physical retailers’ shops. However, while this day was primarily set up for online shoppers, since the Covid pandemic, both Black Friday and Small Business Saturday have moved online as well.

All in all, Cyber Monday provides an excellent opportunity for small businesses with an online presence to attract online shoppers. To effectively leverage Cyber Monday, you will need an ecommerce website optimized for a seamless shopping experience and a great marketing strategy to promote your Cyber Monday deals across different channels. 

Get ready for Black Friday with WAcademy

After crafting amazing Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals, the next step is to generate awareness. When promoting your deals, you want to provide as much information for your potential customers as possible. Therefore, it is a good idea to direct your audience to an ecommerce website where they can explore your offerings and connect with your brand. 

Beyond serving as a digital store, an ecommerce website offers numerous amazing benefits, including:

• Global reach
• 24/7 accessibility
• Enhanced customer experience
• Improved support features
• Easy & quick purchase experience
• Brand awareness

Setting up an ecommerce store can be costly, especially if you hire professional web designers. However, if you join WAcademy, you can enjoy free website design services! This is how you can get a great ecommerce website without breaking the bank.

Once you reserve your slot in our program, our trained interns can produce a functional, mobile-friendly, one-of-a-kind website that’s fully ready for the shopping season.

It typically takes around 20-30 business days to deliver the first draft. So, if you want to maximize your small business potential, register for free web design services without delay, and let’s get ready for Black Friday 2023. Don’t miss out!