We have got a BIG holiday coming up. No – not Thanksgiving – although it’s great and I’m very much looking forward to it, I’m focused on something even bigger…

Black Friday weekend!!

That’s easily the biggest holiday for any business, and with the addition of Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday, you’ve got a full weekend of MAJOR sales opportunities.

Now, I’ll admit, we don’t have a lot of time to prepare. Ideally, you should start planning your Black Friday marketing strategies in early fall, but that doesn’t mean it’s too late for this year.

Some of you might be under the impression that Black Friday is just for major retailers or brick and mortar stores, but nothing could be further from the truth. You don’t need shelves stacked with products and customers fighting in the aisles to take part in Black Friday fun!

Here’s how you can offer your customers amazing holiday deals that work for every business model:

If You Have a B2B Business

Chances are, you don’t necessarily want to discount your premiere service since, you know, that’s how you make the majority of your money! But here’s the good news – you don’t have to!

If you want to increase sales and build your brand awareness, choose a side service that you can offer at a deep discount, or even give away as a freebie. Maybe you could give away a free strategy session or offer it as a BOGO. Or offer a time sensitive discount on the registration fee for a course, summit, or bootcamp. You’ll draw in prospects that are interested in learning more about what you can do for their business, and hopefully gain a new customer in the process.

You can also use Black Friday as an opportunity to bring in referrals. Craft a time-sensitive offer for customers who refer a friend over the holiday weekend – and don’t forget the thank you note! A personalized thank you for referrals goes a long way in building customer loyalty.

If You Have a Product-Based Business

If you have products to offer, you have TONS of choices available. A shoppable link on your social media will be your best friend on Black Friday! It makes it so simple for customers to see your top products and simply click to buy!

If you want to help your customers choose the best gifts for everyone on their list, consider curating a gift guide. Organize products into different categories for adults, kids, or whomever makes up your target audience.

There are lots of different deals you can offer your customers, whether it’s a site-wide sale, discounts on your best-selling products, or free shipping.

If you want more great tips on planning and promoting your Black Friday deals, check out THIS episode of Building Your Empire with SophieZo!