It’s no secret that Cyber Monday is a big deal for businesses large and small. According to Adobe Analytics, Cyber Monday 2019 was record-breaking, with $9.2 billion spent online, a 16.9 percent increase over the previous year.
That’s a lot of consumer spending in a 24-hour period. Deloitte has predicted in its 2020 annual holiday forecast that e-commerce holiday sales will grow by 25 to 35 percent year-over-year during the 2020 to 2021 holiday season, resulting in e-commerce holiday sales reaching between $182 billion and $196 this season.
For e-commerce startups, Cyber Monday and the sales season that follows offers an exciting opportunity to connect with customers by offering them incentives for purchasing products and services. While it’s difficult to compete with large retailers on price, you can get creative to attract shoppers this season.
Here, we’ll take a closer look at six ideas to get your startup plugged into the Cyber Monday sales trend.
Build anticipation
Weeks before Cyber Monday arrives, large retailers start dripping previews of specials they’ll run on the big day. Their homepage prominently announces the year’s specials, which promise to be bigger and better than ever. Take a page from their book and build anticipation. Send out an email blast letting your core customers know which special offers will be available on Cyber Monday only.
Related: 5 Free Ways to Market Your Business for Small Business Saturday
Create varied opportunities
Cyber Monday offers startups an opportunity to court new customers, as well as deepen ties with existing ones. As you plan which offers to focus on, consider advertising a special that would appeal to someone new to your products or services. Loyal customers who have been doing business with you for years may opt for something different than a first-time buyer will.
Create a dedicated Cyber Monday landing page
This page will provide customers with an easy-to-access location where they can find all of the special offers and incentives you’re offering. All of your Cyber Monday advertising via email and social media should link back to this page.
Make your deals easy to share
Make your offers easy for your existing customers to share by encouraging them to forward your email to a friend. Add a call to action to your dedicated Cyber Monday landing page that prompts visitors to share. It’s likely that your customers know friends or family members who share the same interests, so actively encourage a quick and simple social share.
Offer social media exclusives
Whether you use sponsored posts or just reach out to your followers, social media channels are a great way to get the word out about any Cyber Monday deals. Consider offering exclusive offers or a discount code that your customers can only access via Facebook, Twitter or Instagram to encourage engagement on the social media platform(s) your business has an active presence on.
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Extend your Cyber Monday specials through the week
For startups with a variety of products or services, consider extending your specials to include a featured product or service for each day of the week. By providing a unique discount or special offering throughout the week, you can extend your boost in sales.
If you choose to go this route, be sure to make each successive offering just as or more appealing than the ones offered on Cyber Monday itself. Additional high-value offerings will encourage customers to check back often throughout the week and make purchases they wouldn’t have if the sale had concluded on the first day of the week.
Cyber Monday is a sales growth opportunity that’s not just limited to major retailers. Opportunity exists for e-commerce entrepreneurs to tap into this national sales event in creative ways in order to connect with customers online and get a strong start to this year’s holiday shopping season.
