How To Beat The Goliaths Of Retail This BFCM Season?

Everyone loves a David versus Goliath story because the little guy won when no one gave him a chance against the giant. The best underdog story ever, isn۪'t it?

This BFCM weekend, you have a chance to script your own underdog story and take your online sales to the next level by competing with big weights like Walmart.

As you already know, Black Friday and Cyber Monday, aka BFCM, is the biggest retail event on this planet. You will experience a massive amount of website traffic coming your way, and the demand will be at an all-time high. Irrespective of the size of your business, BFCM is the best time for you to attain maximum profit. But it is not as simple as it sounds, and it takes immense work behind the scenes to get ready for the BFCM weekend and compete with big names like Walmart, Target, and more.

The question you must ask yourself at this point is why are these biggies so farther ahead than the chasing pack when it comes to peak sale events like BFCM? The answer is simple; they have an immense wealth of monetary and non-monetary resources supporting their operations. And their operations are efficient and streamlined, offering them the flexibility to handle the surge in demand for products.

So how can you go toe to toe with them this BFCM season? With a lower entry barrier, the eCommerce domain presents excellent opportunities for small businesses to thrive and compete with these behemoths. All you have to do is seize the right moment to cash in. Here are some handy tips and strategies compiled just for you.

Social Media FTW

Millennial shoppers love social media. They enjoy browsing through their Instagram and Facebook feeds, making these social platforms an excellent marketing tool for your business. Create events for BFCM on these social media channels, thereby increasing customer engagement. Make sure to create these events several weeks in advance as it will give you enough time to understand the customer expectations and demands.

You can also post content and videos as a build-up for BFCM. Use live feeds, create polls, link your website or mobile app to the social media accounts, and watch the buzz unfold right before your eyes.

Emails are still in fashion

Amid the rampant social media frenzy, it is natural to think that email marketing is no longer a viable option. Nevertheless, during a high-octane sales period like BFCM and the days building up to it, more customers are likely to delve into their inbox looking for the best promotional offers for their favorite products. Your loyal customers would have already subscribed for notifications, and emails are the best way to keep them informed.

You need to get your email list ready, prepare marketing emails beforehand, use abandoned cart emails and special offer emails so that the customers will know everything about your BFCM campaign. It will make them feel part of the campaign and entice them to complete their purchase. And don't forget to send out emails and invite the customers to shop throughout the BFCM weekend.

Discounts are your best friends

There is a common misconception among new and small eCommerce businesses that discounts are not a viable option for achieving growth. And, as a result, you are often hesitant to match the discounts that big businesses like Walmart offer. But an event like BFCM is not the time for hesitation; it is the time for action.

Go ahead and start offering maximum discounts to your customers this upcoming BFCM season. With a large proportion of holiday shoppers migrating to the digital ecosystem due to the pandemic, you have a great chance to compete with the big names on a level playing ground if you have planned your discount offers efficiently.

• Showcase consistency throughout the sale period when it comes to discounts
• Create a sense of urgency with doorbuster deals
• Design special product bundles
• Use different strategies like dollar value discounts, free shipping, free gift, BOGO

Create a magical shopping experience

BFCM weekend is the best opportunity for you to stand out amongst the competition. By providing a pleasant shopping experience, you can build brand loyalty and a positive relationship with your customers. But how can you achieve that? The answer is simple; you must be willing to take that extra effort. Haven't you seen brick-and-mortar stores decorating their shop during the holiday season?

Revamp your mobile app, website, and marketing campaigns by incorporating the BFCM element. You should tweak your landing page in the days leading up to the sale and place the top-selling items on the landing page for easy access.

Summary

BFCM is the embodiment of the holiday spirit. If you have started your preparations for the BFCM weekend, you are already halfway there to go up against the big names. Remember, your customers will shop throughout the weekend, and you must do some heavy lifting to help them get what they are looking for. And getting a head start is the first positive step towards it.

As far as the brand value of the big names is concerned, that is something that you cannot influence, and to be fair to them, they have built it through consistently delivering results. You must focus on the things that you can control instead. Stay proactive during the sales period, get your inventory checked and verified, engage on social media, provide a pleasant shopping experience, and offer discounts and free gifts.

Let Vajro help as well; we have accelerated the app-building process from months to just hours with our instant app factory. Create your perfect mobile app before the BFCM weekend kickstarts, and let's take on the giants together. Want to know more about Vajro? Contact us now.