In the fast-paced world of e-commerce, there's one term that elicits mixed emotions among e-commerce managers, marketing experts, and fashion brand owners alike: Black Friday. Our client portfolio is full of brands that value creativity, storytelling and community. These purpose-driven brands are particularly conflicted when it comes to this moment in the commercial calendar. How to engage with the most important and mainstream moment in e-commerce, while also staying true to their values and unique vision?
In this article, we’ll share our opinion on how brands can strike a balance between commercial leverage and visibility in a chaotic period, without neglecting their purpose and character.
An alternative approach
With our extensive experience creating and implementing 10+ sales strategies for this period every year, we’ve learned that fashion brands should cast a wider net than just focusing on Black Friday. Instead, the entire fourth quarter should be approached with a fresh perspective, embracing the concept of Peak Season. This means that the Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM) weekend won't be the sole highlight.
From your brand’s point of view
You're able to distinguish yourself from the competition and distance your image from the commercial frenzy around BFCM by taking charge of their own storyline during peak moments: you define what your sale will be called, the creative concept behind it, its duration and its pricing strategy.
From a performance marketing point of view
Creating peak moments before Black Friday is cost-effective. Advertising costs surge during the peak Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM) weekend due to intense competition. Starting early allows brands to secure lower advertising costs and reach their target audience more affordably before the heightened competition sets in.
From your customer’s point of view
Reduce ‘Black Friday stress’ by giving them opportunities to shop at the discount earlier on in Q4.
With our guidance, fashion brands can shape a cohesive, brand-aligned strategy that transforms the entire season into a compelling narrative, maximising their opportunities for success.
Here are the key pillars we believe can structure a successful “Peak Season” strategy for fashion brands, including tools & resources:
1. Don’t ignore Black Friday
Don’t ignore Black Friday, but make it different: it's important not to overlook Black Friday as a significant event in your Q4 e-commerce strategy. However, to stay true to your brand’s vision, think about what you can do differently. Instead of traditional discounting, here are a few alternatives we’ve seen: launching new limited-edition products over the BFCM weekend; giving discounts only to e-mail subscribers; gifting a free item at checkout.
→ Shopify Merchants reached $7.5 Billion in Sales during BFCM 2022
2. Webshop Performance
Prevent issues by assessing the ease of navigation & filters, quick checkout options, clear shipping and return policies, payment providers relevant to your key markets, and clear sizing & fit information on the PDP.
3. Lead Generation
This is the time of the year to reach new customers and grow your audience through paid advertising lead generation campaigns. Running LeadGen campaigns ahead of time (as early as October) as part of your ‘early peak’ approach can reduce acquisition costs since competition will be at an all-time high in the days leading up to Black Friday.
→ Discover our MANAGE services
4. E-mail Marketing through Klaviyo
Your use of this channel can make or break the success of your peak season sales, so make sure to focus your energy on creating a solid strategy. E-mail marketing fosters customer loyalty, cuts through the sales noise with personalised offers e.g. early access, and provides valuable data for refining marketing strategies in the future.
→ Explore Klaviyo’s BFCM 2023 Portal
5. Boost CLV to leverage sustained growth over time
A loyal customer is more likely to make repeat purchases, thereby increasing their CLV (Customer Lifetime Value). Here’s how:
- Retention through e-mail marketing in Klaviyo:
automated ‘welcome’ flows, post-purchase messaging and win-back automation for future purchases - Customer service through Gorgias:
excellent customer service can enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty, leading to longer-lasting relationships with customers - Loyalty and referral through Yotpo:
reward loyal customers, increase average order value and foster word-of-mouth referrals through a loyalty program tailored to your brand
Connect
If you’re interested in working with us to also power the stories and growth of your fashion brand, reach out to our team at new@notsellingliquid.com.
