You might think that Black Friday is a shopping fest for physical products. Oh, I better not miss that TV deal, and I need to stock up on some discounted clothes.
But the truth is that SaaS companies can also make a killing on Black Friday. In fact, in 2020, SaaS sales went up by 30% during the Black Friday weekend, according to data from FastSpring.
As a SaaS company, you just need to figure out how to offer a Black Friday deal that makes sense for your business. And that’s what we’re going to help you with in this post.
In the first half of our guide, we’ll share some popular types of SaaS Black Friday deals that you can use as inspiration. Then, we’ll give you some best practices to help you maximize your Black Friday success.
1. Plan ahead
The earlier you start planning your Black Friday marketing strategy, the better. This will give you time to create a comprehensive plan and make sure all of your marketing channels are working together to drive sales.
It’s also a good idea to start building buzz around your Black Friday deals early. You can do this by creating teaser content and sharing it on social media, or by sending out email blasts to your subscribers. For instance, if your target audience is most active on Instagram, you can create a Black Friday themed post using AI Instagram prompts and share it a month in advance to spark interest.
2. Make sure your servers can handle the traffic
This is another one that seems like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how many businesses get this wrong.
If you’re running a promotion on Black Friday, you can expect a massive surge in traffic to your website and app. If your servers can’t handle the load, your site could crash.
Not only is this incredibly embarrassing, but it’s also a surefire way to lose out on sales.
Make sure your servers are properly configured to handle a surge in traffic. If you’re not sure, you may want to consider working with a professional to ensure everything is set up correctly.
3. Set up a status page
Your SaaS company’s website is your virtual storefront. You wouldn’t dream of opening the doors to your brick-and-mortar store on Black Friday without making sure everything was in top condition, would you?
So, why would you do that with your website?
You need to make sure your website is in top condition before the big day. This includes making sure your website is fast, secure, and free of any errors.
One way to do this is by setting up a status page. A status page is a public page that shows the current status of your website and any issues that may be affecting it.
This will help you keep your customers informed and will also give them a place to go to find out if there are any issues with your website.
4. Offer a seamless user experience
The last thing you want on Black Friday is for your website to go down. That’s why it’s so important to make sure your website is up to speed and running smoothly.
One way to do this is to use a content delivery network (CDN). A CDN is a network of servers that are distributed around the world. When someone visits your website, the CDN will find the server that is closest to them and deliver the content from that server. This can help to speed up your website and reduce the chance of it going down.
You should also make sure that your website is mobile-friendly. With so many people shopping on their mobile devices, it’s important to make sure that your website looks good and works well on a smartphone or tablet.
Finally, make sure that your website is easy to navigate. You don’t want to make it hard for customers to find what they’re looking for – make sure you have high quality search to ensure customers can quickly find products. Use clear calls to action and make sure that your website is organized in a way that makes sense.
5. Optimize your app
If you have an app, it’s important to make sure that it’s optimized for Black Friday. This means making sure that your app is fast and responsive, and that you have the most up-to-date information available.
You should also consider adding special Black Friday deals and promotions to your app. This can help you drive more app downloads and increase your sales on Black Friday.
6. Make sure your app is ready for the holiday season
Your app must be ready to handle the increased traffic and demand that comes with the holiday season.
This means you need to make sure your servers are capable of handling the extra load, and that your app is optimized for speed and performance.
You should also consider implementing a content delivery network (CDN) to help speed up your app and reduce latency.
A CDN is a network of servers that are distributed around the world. When a user requests content from your app, the CDN will deliver it from the server that is closest to the user, which helps to reduce the time it takes to load the content.
In addition to making sure your app is ready to handle the increased traffic, you should also make sure your customer support team is prepared for the holiday season.
This means making sure your team is fully staffed and that they are trained and ready to help customers with any questions or issues that may arise.
7. Set up monitoring
You can’t just set up your campaigns and then go to bed. You need to monitor them to make sure they’re still running as they should be and to make sure that you’re not overspending.
You should also monitor your competitors to see what they’re doing and to make sure that you’re not being outdone. There are lots of tools out there that can help you do this, like SEMRush and Ahrefs.
You should also monitor your social media channels and your customer support channels to make sure that you’re not missing any questions or complaints.
8. Prepare your customer support team
Your customer support team will be on the front lines of any Black Friday deals you run. Make sure they are prepared to answer any questions your customers might have.
You should also consider adding additional customer support staff to your team for the holiday season. With more people shopping online, you can expect to see an increase in customer inquiries.
Investing in Speech Coaching Services can also help your support and sales teams communicate more clearly and confidently during high-pressure events like Black Friday, improving customer satisfaction and conversions.
9. Send out a holiday email campaign
If you have an email list, then you should definitely be using it to promote your Black Friday deals. Email marketing is still one of the most effective ways to reach your audience and drive sales.
Start by creating a holiday email campaign that promotes your Black Friday deals. You can even create a sense of urgency by letting your subscribers know that your deals are only available for a limited time. You can also integrate referral marketing into your holiday campaign. With ReferralCandy, SaaS brands can automatically reward users who share Black Friday deals with friends — expanding your reach without extra ad spend.
Be sure to segment your email list so that you’re only sending your Black Friday deals to people who are actually interested in them. You can segment your list based on past purchases, website activity, and more.
And don’t forget to include a clear call to action in your emails so that your subscribers know exactly what you want them to do.
10. Offer a special deal
If you’re a SaaS company, you know that your customers are always looking for ways to save money. That’s why it’s important to offer a special deal on Black Friday. This could be a discount on your product, a free trial, or a special offer for new customers.
Whatever you decide to do, make sure you promote your special deal in advance. This will help you generate buzz and get people talking about your company.
11. Create a gift guide
Gift guides are a popular way for brands to feature their products in a list of ideas for different types of people. This is a great way to get your products in front of new audiences and help your existing audience find the perfect gift.
You can create a gift guide that features your products, or you can partner with other SaaS companies to create a gift guide that features a variety of products. This is a great way to cross-promote your products and get in front of new audiences.
When creating a gift guide, think about the different types of people who might be shopping for gifts. For example, you could create a gift guide for entrepreneurs, marketers, or sales teams.
12. Promote your app on social media
Social media is a great way to connect with your audience, build brand awareness, and promote your app. You can use social media to share your Black Friday deals, run contests and giveaways, and more.
Be sure to share your app on all of your social media channels, and encourage your followers to download it. You can even create a special Black Friday hashtag for your app and use it in your posts to help you stand out.
13. Get featured in the app store
If you have a mobile app or are launching one, you can get featured in the app store. This is a great way to drive more traffic to your app and increase your sales.
To get featured, you’ll need to create a compelling app store listing. This includes a great app name, an eye-catching icon, a detailed description, and high-quality screenshots.
You’ll also need to focus on getting positive reviews and ratings for your app. The more positive reviews you have, the more likely you are to get featured in the app store.
Getting featured in the app store can be a game-changer for your SaaS business. It can help you reach a whole new audience and increase your sales.
You can also get featured in the app store if you release a major update to your app. This is a great way to get more exposure for your app and increase your sales.
14. Prepare for the next holiday season
Black Friday weekend is just the start of the holiday shopping season. Be sure to use the data you collect to analyze your performance and improve your strategy for the next year.
You can also use the data you collect to improve your marketing and sales strategies for other holidays, or even for regular promotions throughout the year.
Conclusion
Black Friday is a great opportunity for SaaS businesses to boost their sales, acquire new customers, and increase their revenue. But, it’s important to approach it strategically. By following the best practices outlined in this article, you can effectively leverage Black Friday to achieve your business goals.
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