The 2021 holiday season is projected to be a record year for e-commerce, and sales are estimated to grow by 11% compared to last year. The season will also be even more competitive for retailers, so to help you prepare for it, we've created a detailed plan. Use it to make sure you stick to a high-conversion strategy.
Plan for BFCM week
The first and most significant events of this holiday season are Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM). During BFCM 2020, Shopify sellers earned $5.1 billion in sales, 76% more than they did in 2019.
It's high time to prepare for a massive shopping event, as shoppers are eagerly anticipating the coming sales. But with so many great deals out there, how can you grab the attention of potential customers? Here are some useful techniques that will help you to stand out from your competitors.
Create Urgency
One of the most successful ways to build urgency is to take advantage of FOMO (“fear of missing out”). Research shows that almost 69% of millennials experience FOMO. Here’s some great SMS language you can use to benefit from this phenomenon:
- Limited-time offers
The idea here is simple: customers are more likely to buy from you now, if they know the offer will end soon:
‘Grab your favorite products at half-price! The offer is only available during the Black Friday weekend: [store link]. To opt out, respond STOP’
- Scarcity
Another strong reason to hurry up and buy is a low stock notice. Customers are more inclined to buy from you if they think your inventory is running low:
‘Enjoy Crazy deals this Black Friday with [Company name]! Hurry, the stock is limited: [store link]. To opt-out, respond STOP’
- Exclusivity
Fear of missing out is about missing opportunities, such as early access to sales, free shipping, or an exclusive coupon code for limited membership:
‘Just for you, [Name]! Here’s a discount code for our Black Friday sale. Enter VIP2021 at checkout: [store link]. To opt-out, respond STOP’
Offer Gamification
Another winning tactic is to allow visitors to win attractive offers. They’ll likely use their “prize”, especially when its value is high compared to other available options.
Gamification is great for collecting subscribers, as everyone wants to get the best deal possible.
Why use phone numbers instead of emails?
Text messages have a superb open rate of 98%. Using texts will boost the effectiveness of your campaigns and triple abandoned cart recoveries compared to marketing emails, which have a 20% open rate.
Although preparations for Black Friday are in full swing, you still have time to make your creatives as powerful as possible. Combine the above-mentioned techniques or use your favorite one to build your BCFM strategy. Remember, a good strategy can make all the difference.
