Black Friday can be a challenge for independent retailers who often struggle to compete with online giants offering gargantuan discounts. But it’s becoming an important day in the UK retail calendar as many shoppers are increasingly holding off on buying their Christmas gifts.
Lee Murphy, managing director at The Accountancy Partnership, has some top tips for boutiques that want to take part without damaging their branding.
He says: “While Black Friday is gaining distrust as large retailers employ dark tactics like increasing regular retail prices in the run up to the day, small businesses can entice new and existing customers with genuine one-day discounts.
“Offer customers an incentive to buy from your small business. This may be a discount but could also take the form of a complimentary gift wrapping service, a free surprise treat or double loyalty points.
“To get the most out of Black Friday, customers need to know about offers. An advance buzz should have been created through social media and email marketing. Look at how other small businesses create social media engagement for the day and schedule content in advance as you’ll likely be busy on the day.
“Operationally, Black Friday can be a challenge. Make sure discount codes are set up and ready to go and that all employees in the business know how to use the system to avoid hassle and disgruntled customers if they can’t get their discount.”
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