20 Best Black Friday and Cyber Monday marketing ideas for a reliable sales strategy

1. Start planning your marketing campaign early

Even though Black Friday falls on November 29 this year, online shoppers start searching for deals in late October – so be prepared. 

Advertise Cyber Monday promotions with consistent updates throughout November, using social media posts and email newsletters to alert customers about promotional discounts ahead of time.

2. Decorate your store and create a dedicated landing Page

A landing page is an informative section in your eCommerce store that showcases specific products, events, and marketing campaigns. It informs your visitors about offers, upcoming sales, and one-of-a-kind deals.

Make sure to update your landing page with banners, advertisements, background themes, and other important elements that catch the eye and promote your upcoming Cyber Monday and Black Friday sales.

3. Engage your social media followers

Most retailers organize their social media posts before their promotional campaigns start so they can generate traffic and create buzz.

Popular social media channels like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook are great for Black Friday promotions. They let you interact with your followers, reach a global audience, and snag more sales.

Post interactive reels, videos, and images to ask questions, feedback, suggestions, and ideas from your community.

4. Create irresistible deals

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are all about compelling deals that people anticipate worldwide. Flash sales and irresistible discounts are at the core of this shopping event, so implement them into your Black Friday marketing strategy.

Offer an exclusive deal with certain products, a special discount when customers spend a specific amount, or an overall Black Friday sale for your entire inventory.

5. Promote special offers via email marketing

Black Friday email campaigns are one of the most foolproof ways to keep your potential and loyal customers invested.

Time your Black Friday marketing emails to go out at strategic times that will encourage shoppers to head to your site. Your emails should be straight to the point, with a value statement and call to action (CTA) button visible upon opening the letter.

Offering early access deals to email subscribers can create a sense of exclusivity and urgency, prompting quicker responses from your customers.

6. Upsell and cross sell

No list of Black Friday campaign ideas would be complete without upselling and cross-selling. This marketing strategy tempts shoppers to upgrade their purchases.

Display complementary items or upgraded versions of their selected choices at discounted prices. This will increase the overall order value and generate customer satisfaction throughout the Black Friday weekend.

Create gift guides highlighting these products or upgrades to help holiday shoppers quickly find the perfect gifts and add more to their carts. Publish these guides on your socials and blog, and create social media ads to drive traffic to your store and increase online sales.

7. Attract new customers with product bundles

Spare your customers the trouble of pairing up items themselves by offering ready-made bundle deals as a part of your Black Friday marketing campaign. 

Put together products that complement each other and add them to a package deal at a very tempting price. Display them on your eCommerce stores as one-of-a-kind Black Friday deals to create a feeling of exclusivity. 

It’s a great way to showcase and offer your target audience more products at a great price.

8. Offer exclusive deals with limited discounts

Black Friday is a frantic period both online and in brick-and-mortar stores. Use this urgency, FOMO (fear of missing out), and desire to find a good deal to your advantage. 

Create limited Cyber Monday offers to gamify the shopping experience, encouraging consumers to compete for the best deals and increasing the average order value.

This is where newsletters, social media posts, and other repeated media mentions of sales come in handy. Offer limited-time exclusive discounts that expire just as Cyber Monday closes to potentially skyrocket your user traffic.

9. Offer free shipping

Offering free shipping is a powerful motivator for 49% of online store shoppers and can significantly increase your Black Friday sales. 

Implement conditional free shipping to encourage higher cart values, such as offering free shipping on orders over a certain amount or selected high-price items. Promote this offer in your marketing channels to pique interest and encourage impulse purchases.

By strategically using conditional free shipping, you can increase conversions while maintaining profitability during your Black Friday campaigns.

10. Set up cart abandonment emails

Abandoned online shopping carts are a drastic sink in sales. Nearly 80% of carts were abandoned daily during the Black Friday event period in 2022.

This issue may arise from pricey shipping rates – the most common factor – undecided shoppers, better competitive rates elsewhere, or window shopping. 

Regardless of the reason, creating automated abandoned cart emails can bring buyers back to the page they left, increasing your chances of closing the deal.

11. Encourage customers with a free gift or coupon

Build shopper loyalty by offering a free gift or coupon during your Black Friday promotions. For small business owners, this strategy can effectively target customers who appreciate personalized touches. Once a customer completes their purchase or interacts with promotional content, reward them with a coupon code or a small gift.

These gifts don’t have to be extravagant – unique packaging, downloadable content, or product-specific accessories can create a memorable shopping experience. Coupons, on the other hand, add an exclusive feel, encouraging customers to take action.

12. Make an interactive experience

Incorporate fun and interactive experiences into your Black Friday advertising ideas to truly engage and captivate online shopping enthusiasts. 

One effective method is using discount wheels, where customers spin to win discounts, irresistible deals, bundles, or even a generous gift card value. This gamified interaction adds anticipation and excitement, so customers fill their carts up and spend more. 

Another idea is using strategically placed pop-ups to showcase mega deals, limited offers, holiday promotions, and coupon codes, creating a sense of urgency that encourages immediate purchases. 

Enhancing the shopping experience with these interactive elements can boost participation and drive sales during the holiday season.

13. Use hashtags

Here’s a Black Friday marketing idea you don’t want to overlook – hashtags. Use them in promotional social media posts and add them to quotes, titles, and announcements about your sales to help even more customers find your store.

Use specific hashtags for your Black Friday and Cyber Monday campaign, including:

Add other hashtags relevant to your brand and recent trends, but don’t use so many that they’re spammy or intentionally mislead customers.

14. Don’t forget about customer satisfaction

To secure the Black Friday traffic rush ahead of time, you must bring value and develop VIP customers.

Engaged existing customers will promote your brand to friends and family, provided their efforts are rewarded.

Many brands reward shoppers with discounts, early releases, gifts, and coupons if they leave testimonials, subscribe to newsletters, make large purchases, or create media content reviewing or showing off products.

Include user-generated content in your Black Friday marketing strategy to maximize sales, build a trusted brand identity, and gain loyal customers.

15. Try paid ads

Paid advertising is one of the most popular ways for an online business to promote its brand, products, and unique sales.

It’s a direct and immediate way to gain visibility and attract new audiences. But do keep in mind that of all Black Friday and Cyber Monday campaign ideas, this one will require a budget.

Strategically run displayed ads on Google, Instagram, and other popular channels to reach the right audiences and encourage them not to miss out on epic deals this Black Friday.

16. Partner with influencers

Influencer marketing may be one of the best Black Friday promo ideas. It’s a big opportunity to promote your products to a global audience of potential buyers. 

92% of businesses say their influencer marketing strategies are paying off, so consider using them for your seasonal sales.

Influencers offer authentic promotions for your products and sales to a dedicated following in any market segment you want or need. It’s an excellent way to expand your brand’s reach and generate more sales during the biggest shopping events of the year.

Partner with content creators who align with your principles and brand values, as many customers make purchasing decisions based on the trustworthiness of who’s promoting the products.

17. Partner with other brands

Another great Black Friday marketing idea is co-branding. Team up with brands that share your values and promote each other’s sales for a win-win deal!

Co-branding means you share your audiences, budget, resources, and ideas. When two businesses come together, it raises the credibility and customer loyalty of both participants, further maximizing your sales potential during the Black Friday weekend.

18. Reward loyal customers

When developing your Black Friday campaign ideas, don’t focus solely on the potential customers you’re about to attract. Remember the loyal existing customers who have already purchased your goods and might return for more.

Reward them with well-deserved recognition and gratitude by offering discounts, early-access deals, gift guides, and sneak peeks into your upcoming sales.

This is one of those Black Friday marketing tips that will help you gather positive feedback, harness customer loyalty, and maximize your sales by reminding your devoted customers how much they matter.

19. Design a Black Friday / Cyber Monday contest

When you’re done with your gift guide, head over to social media to post contests and challenges for your followers. This Black Friday marketing strategy will spread the word about your brand and promotions and generate loyalty through engagement and fun prizes.

Spark excitement with an unboxing challenge, Cyber Monday scavenger hunt, Black Friday trivia, and other fun contests. This will attract the attention of potential shoppers, drive social sharing, encourage user-generated content, and spread the word about your brand and promotions.

Just make sure to offer a valid prize that’s worth engaging for. People love to get free products, discounts, and wonderful deals – and you can offer all of them without breaking the bank.

20. Extend your offers for the whole Cyber Week

We’ve mentioned that Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the two weeks that follow Thanksgiving weekend are somewhat interchangeable. Your Cyber Monday promotion ideas are just as relevant for Black Friday and vice versa.

Top discounts happen during Cyber Monday, but customers still provide significant traffic into the December holiday season. Extend your Black Friday promotion ideas to get as much profit as possible from your hard work and planning.