Cyber Monday, which falls on the Monday following Black Friday and Small Biz Saturday is a result of the explosive growth of ecommerce, with some retailers even launching “Cyber Monday” deals as early as November 1.
Both Black Friday and Cyber Monday are closely associated with large retailers and national box chains (think Walmart, Best Buy, or Target.) For many small business owners, that means that gaining traction on Black Friday and Cyber Monday can be daunting. But it doesn’t have to be! With a little Cyber Monday savvy, small businesses can attract new customers, increase holiday bookings, and make more retail sales. By focusing on the customer experience, small businesses can use Cyber Monday sales to create ongoing customer relationships that outlast the Thanksgiving weekend.
According to marketing research, Millennial shoppers are projected to go online for 60% of their cyber weekend holiday purchases (36% mobile device, 24% laptop or desktop.) That’s a solid chunk of retail action that your small business shouldn’t miss out on! For beauty, fitness, and wellness businesses, it may seem a little tricky to know how to leverage Cyber Monday deals to your advantage. Here are some easy ways for you to get in on the Cyber Monday traffic and use the digital shopping holiday to bring in new customers with online retail sales, bookings, gift cards, memberships, and packages.
Update your store listings to include all your special Cyber Monday tags, sales, deals, and promotions for retail products, as well as any bookings promotions you decide to run.
Use email and text marketing to alert customers to any online exclusive sales, Daily Deals, online booking promotions, or free shipping deals for Cyber Monday. A little nudge from a Cyber Monday email or a Cyber Monday text deal can add up to big profits for your small business!
Try running 4 timed sales (anywhere from 2-4 hours) throughout Cyber Monday. This provides shoppers enough time to take advantage of the sale, while also adding a sense of urgency to each sale. For instance, try using a text blast for a 20% discount on all appointments booked online between noon and 4 p.m., or a free product with every $25 online purchase between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Even with free shipping, Cyber Monday deals for online orders can still take days to arrive. Expediting online orders makes a great impression on customers and differentiates your business from competitors. Offer in-store pickup for customers who can’t wait, and you’ll be a Cyber Monday superstar!
Did you know 61% of consumers say gift cards are at the top of their holiday wish list? Gift cards (and gift certificates) are an easy online sale that can even be delivered electronically, meaning that having your online store stocked with gift cards and electronic gift certificates is a sure-fire way to bring in more sales.
After Cyber Monday, pull targeted reports to see how each of your Cyber Monday campaigns performed, and use those analytics to plan for next year. If you find that Cyber Monday was successful for your small business, you could get a head start for next year by registering your business to be listed on CyberMonday.com (annual deadline Oct. 31) to give your online store and booking pages an extra boost.
To boost your social media presence and make your Cyber Monday deals, discounts, events and promotions more discoverable to new customers, use this list of hashtags for your social media posts.
Remember, to get the most visibility without having your posts flagged as spam, try to use 10 or fewer well-selected hashtags with your posts.
#cybermonday #cybermondaysale #cybermondaydeals #cybermondayshopping #cyberweek #cybermondaysale #cyberweekend #cybermondaysales #cyber #cybermondaydeals #newdeals #ecommerce #mobile #retail #holidaysale #cyberweek #discounts#freeshipping
Kick off the Thanksgiving retail weekend with a Vagaro Daily Deal! It’s free to create one through your Vagaro account, and you’ll be able to make the most of holiday shoppers in search of a deal just like yours!
Header Image: Brooke Cagle via Unsplash
Infographic: Mia Montemayor via Vagaro
