In my last post Black Friday Marketing Tip I realized I didn’t address retailers who don’t have stores in malls or shopping centers.  If you run a store which is not near a major retailer who is spending thousands on advertising you still have great promotional opportunities for Black Friday and maybe even more relevant Cyber Monday. Assuming you have been in business for a while you should have a database of customers and prospects. Using some basic direct marketing strategy and promotional efforts you can generate sales and create some buzz for your business.

• Send out postcards, coupons or flyers promoting the event or sale
• Email your database at least once, but I would recommend a few times leading up to your big sale (please don’t spam your database)
• Add the promotion to your website and blog (you have both, right?)
• Create a fun insiders event that you email to your database (bring a friend and save more, wear our logo when you shop and get XYZ, you know just get creative and have some fun with the promotion) you never know who will pick this up and help spread the word.
• Post your sale and promotion to your company Twitter and Facebook Fan Pages
• Ask a few key friends or industry contacts to help spread the word (you never know who will help you out until you ask)
• Create hand outs for the weeks leading up to (or during) the sale
• Hang posters announcing the sale etc…

If you are not running major media to drive traffic to your store (or website)  your email and direct mail efforts are going to drive the majority of your sales and foot traffic.  Make sure you integrate your messaging across all your available media channels for the best possible results.

If you don’t have a customer database to email or mail, well then check back for future tips on building a marketing database and how to use a database to market to your customers.

I realize many retailers don’t want to participate in the Black Friday madness (opening up at 5AM or slashing prices on a few key items etc) but if you have a retail business and you are located near any retailers who are participating in the Black Friday promotion jump on the board and grab some foot traffic.

I am not suggesting you spend extra money on media or marketing promotions just think of a sale idea or two that you can post in the window of your store.  This is just basic merchandising.  You need people to walk into your store.  If all your neighbors in the mall or shopping center are creating buzz all those people will walk right by your shop.  Yes even your regular customers will pass you by for a deal.  Give people a reason to stop and shop.  Make sure it is time sensitive (create a sense of urgency) or  limited (create scarcity) so that shoppers are compelled to see what you have to sell.  Chances are you will sell to many new and existing customers and all you did was post a sign in your window.

I was in the mall this morning and the stores with people going in and out had promotions.  The stores without promotions posted in the windows were empty.

Remember timing is key to successful marketing.  If people are looking for sale or promotion you better have one for them or they will seek out someone who has a deal.  This time of year people are in buying mode but they want to see some great offers.

Good luck marketing.

PS – This idea holds true anytime the big retailers run major promotion.