We have officially reached the end of summer! If your kids haven’t yet returned to school, they will be in the next week or so. And, Labor Day weekend is just around the corner here in the US.
You might be wondering, why on earth are we talking about Black Friday? I know, kind of crazy – it’s at the end of November. Well, we are looking forward. Rather than focusing on what to do right now, let’s focus on what it’s going to take to finish out the year strong!
It might seem counterintuitive to start planning for the rest of the year in August, but, the reality is that we only have four months left this year. And, if you want to end the year strong, there are things you can do with your marketing to make that happen – especially by harnessing the power of Black Friday!
The Secret to Black Friday Specials
Here’s the thing… I recommend that you spend six to eight weeks before launching your Black Friday special building leads. Before you ever open doors for your launch, it is imperative that you spend time building up your list of leads.
Most people I’ve seen have unsuccessful or disappointing launches did not spend the time, pre-launch, to create an audience of buyers who want and need that product, service, or solution.
So, before you ever even consider opening your doors, first develop a strategy and a plan for how you will generate leads to launch your product, service, or solution to.
For Black Friday, that means you’ll need to start generating leads (either paid or organic) by the end of September – at the latest.
That also means you need to start planning for your lead generation, RIGHT NOW!
Here are 5 tips for building your leads and successfully launching your Black Friday specials:
1. Create a lead magnet.
This could be a resource guide, a checklist, a webinar, or so much more! Make sure this is the perfect lead magnet to connect to your offer. One of the biggest mistakes I see people making when it comes to creating a funnel is that their lead magnet, while it may be a great resource, does not have anything to do with what they’re selling.
In order to have a really amazing lead magnet, you need to know what micro-problem you can solve that will lead directly to your paid product or service. This lead magnet, and your solution to their micro-problem, should help others to see you as an expert in your field.
Spend time and energy planning for your lead magnet. Ask yourself what their core problem is and then back up into what it is they need clarity or help with right now. Use your lead magnet to open their eyes to a new way of seeing their micro-problem.
2. Prep your follow-up email sequence.
After someone downloads your lead magnet, they are added to your email list and a sequence of emails begins to arrive in their inbox. The purpose of these emails is to warm up your new leads to who you are, what you do, and how you can help them. Show these new leads that you are the expert at what you do.
When you’re writing these emails, think about the things that they don’t even know they don’t know. Help them to become aware of the different areas they’re struggling. Use these emails to connect with your audience and also share with them valuable information. The goal is to leave them feeling a bit curious about what it would be like to work with you.
3. Create a pre-launch email sequence.
I know, this sounds like a lot of emails. Keep in mind that this is why you’re starting now! They are not all coming at the same time. Share videos, blog posts, and other forms of valuable information in these emails. It’s crucial that all of the information in these emails leads them to your offer.
The goal of the pre-launch email sequence is to get to the point where you can ask for the sale.
4. Start list-building.
Once you have your lead magnet created and all of your email sequences written, you want to start list-building. List-building is crucial in creating an effective marketing strategy.
In truth, list-building is always important. If you’re not bringing in potential clients regularly, you’re never going to hit your goals. I would suggest you really shift your focus to list-building no later than September 15.
5. Develop your Black Friday offer.
When you’re creating your Black Friday offer, make sure it doesn’t cheapen your product, service, or solution. When running a Black Friday sale, I always suggest selling something brand new or adding bonuses to an existing offer.
These specific tactics will help you to create value without discounting your prices (and potentially ticking off clients who purchased at a higher price point.)
Keep in mind…
Each of the steps mentioned above are also applicable to any launch. If you want to launch in January, you can still follow these same steps, processes, and planning to have an effective launch.