5 Black Friday Marketing Lessons

Since today is Small Business Saturday, I thought I'd give a few marketing lessons we small businesses and entrepreneurs can learn from the big boys of Black Friday. If you're a book author, then this fits you of course.

With Christmas sales coming up, take these 5 Marketing Tips to heart now.

1. Start early.

Identify what you'll offer as a promotion item and when you'll offer it. Tweak the ad copy for each item. Reduce the price in advance at all locations.

2. Have a loss leader.

Something free or at a rock bottom price gets people in the door or clicking to your product page. Grocery stores call these loss leaders. What's your loss leader?

3. Bargains move.

Price your sale items attractively because you want volume sales to make up for reducing prices.

4. Design a promotion plan for your sale. 

How will you promote the product? For most of us who sell online, that means you'll set up a social media campaign. Will you use Thunderclap? Will you schedule Tweets and Facebook posts? Will you organize friends and fans to participate in this? Will you blog and guest blog about it? Will you have a Facebook or Twitter party? Figure it out now. If you don't know how to do things like a Facebook or Twitter party or Thunderclap, learn now.

5. Start early.

Just about everything takes longer than expected so begin work on your sales and promotions now.

Takeaway Truth

The goal is to hit the ground running once you have your plan created so don't delay. Only 26 shopping days to Christmas.