Black Friday may still feel months away, but for major retailers, planning is already underway.
Big-box retailers and major
e-commerce brands start getting ready for the holidays long before November. Smaller and mid-sized businesses might not need
as much time or money, but having a plan is still important.
The good news is there’s still plenty of time to create a Black Friday plan that stands out and drives sales. No matter your business type, now is the time to choose your offer, define your audience, and plan how to turn holiday excitement into sales.
Start With One Strong Offer
You don’t need lots of different promotions to compete on Black Friday. In fact, complicated offers can make your marketing confusing and easier for customers to overlook.
Instead, pick one strong offer that you can share clearly on your website, email, social media, and ads.
Consider:
- An unbeatable discount on a popular product or service
- A limited-time bonus, such as free shipping or a gift with purchase
- An exclusive deal for email subscribers or VIP customers
- A bundled service or product package that increases perceived value
- A limited-time upgrade or premium version
Clarity is key. Shoppers will see many promotions in November. A simple and appealing offer gives them a reason to pause, click, and make a purchase.
By planning early, you also have time to test your messages before the holiday rush starts.
Audit Your Digital Presence Now
Before you invest in bringing Black Friday visitors to your site, make sure your online experience is ready to turn them into customers.
Begin by reviewing your website. Check your checkout process, forms, links, promo codes, product pages, and contact details. Try your site on different mobile devices to make sure it’s quick and easy to use.
Focus on the steps between your ad and the sale. If someone clicks your Black Friday ad but ends up on a confusing page or can’t find how to use the offer, you might lose a customer you paid to reach.
This is also a good time to check your analytics. Find out which landing pages, products, campaigns, and traffic sources worked best in past promotions. These insights can help you decide where to focus your 2026 budget.
Build Your Email and SMS Strategy Early
Black Friday shouldn’t be the first time your audience hears from you.
Use September and October to
connect with your email and SMS lists. This way, customers will already be interested when your holiday offers go out.
You can hint at upcoming deals, highlight special perks for subscribers, share gift guides, or set up early-access lists. By Black Friday, your audience will be ready to respond.
Automation can make this process even better. For example, if a customer buys one product, they can automatically get an offer for a related item, service, premium version, or upgrade.
These upsells and cross-sells help boost your average order value without needing to find new customers.
Don’t Wait Until Black Friday to Retarget
Not everyone will buy the first time they see your offer.
That’s why your Black Friday plan should include retargeting before the big weekend. Create audiences from people who visit your website, look at certain products or services, engage with your social posts, or open your emails.
As the holiday gets closer, you can send these groups more relevant messages.
For example, someone who visited your pricing page could see a value-focused offer. Someone who left
items in their cart might get a reminder. Past customers could receive a special promotion just for them.
The goal isn’t just to make one Black Friday sale. It’s to use the extra attention during the holidays to build relationships that last beyond November.
Think Beyond Black Friday
Black Friday is no longer a single shopping day.
Cyber Monday, the whole Black Friday weekend, and the weeks before the holidays all offer
chances to make sales. Depending on your business, you might do better by running a Holiday Savings Event through November and December.
This gives you more flexibility while still creating urgency.
It also means your whole strategy doesn’t depend on just one day. Plus, you get more chances to reach customers who weren’t ready to buy on Black Friday.
Start Planning While the Big Brands Are Planning
You might not have the big advertising budget of a major retailer, but you don’t need one. What you do need is a focused strategy.
While big retailers are already planning for Black Friday, smaller businesses can get ahead by deciding on their offers, finding their audiences, checking their online presence, and starting their campaigns now.
Begin with one clear offer. Make sure it’s easy to understand. Get your website and marketing ready. Grow your audience. Use automation when possible. Then use retargeting, email, SMS, and ads to stay in front of customers as the holidays get closer.
Need help getting your marketing ready for the holidays? Let’s talk.
Book a FREE 30-minute call with us to see how you can set up your brand for Black Friday and beyond.