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Furthermore, every interaction within the customer journey serves as a critical opportunity to either build relationships and facilitate transactions or risk losing a customer's interest and trust. When it comes to Black Friday, traditional channels like SMS and email have long been the go-to methods for engaging with customers and remain relevant. However, the modern consumer trend leans increasingly towards conversational messaging platforms such as WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook. Hence, adopting an omnichannel approach has become indispensable.
According to a recent report by the BMR, Black Friday is projected to inject a significant R26.6 billion into South Africa's retail sector this year, despite economic challenges, load shedding, reduced consumer spending, and higher-than-usual inflation. Retailers with a robust online presence are poised to reap substantial benefits during the Black Friday period. Furthermore, investing in additional channels like WhatsApp Business, Instagram Messaging, and Facebook Messenger offers a host of valuable features for business messaging during Black Friday, including:
Business Profile: Create a professional profile or page with details like a business name, address, branding, weblinks, and a short description to build brand awareness.
Quick Replies: Set up quick replies for Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to respond to customer inquiries more efficiently.
Rich Media: Showcase products inside the channel with images, videos, and GIFs or share product catalogs and carousels, allowing customers to browse and make inquiries.
Integrations: Integrate with existing tools to enhance customer conversations, including eCommerce platforms, CRMs, OMS systems, or chatbots, allowing customers to receive relevant, up-to-date information.
In this blog, we'll explore how businesses can leverage these rich multimedia channels across the entire customer journey, from pre-sales to purchase to post-purchase, supercharging Black Friday sales.
Black Friday Business Messaging via WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook
1. Pre-Sales
Exclusive Pre-Sale Announcements
Announcing pre-sale promotions and special offers for your existing customers can create a sense of exclusivity and personalised treatment, making customers feel special and increasing the chances of early sales. Businesses can send loyal customers exclusive early access to deals, special discounts, and limited-time offers. Clothing retailers, for example, can send VIP customers coupons or QR codes on new season products, and offer them a sneak peek of Black Friday deals a day before the public.
Personalised Recommendations
Sharing personalised product recommendations based on customer preferences can engage consumers in the lead-up to Black Friday. Retailers can use images, videos, GIFs, or product carousels to send visual, media-rich customers personalized Black Friday deals or product recommendations based on past purchase history and browsing patterns. If a customer has previously purchased a smartphone from an electronics store, for example, they may receive a message about a unique Black Friday offer on accessories for their device.
2. Purchase
Assisted Sales
Offering assisted sales during Black Friday can significantly enhance the shopping experience, drive more sales, and upsell existing customers. Businesses can set up dedicated support channels to answer queries, address concerns, and assist with orders in real-time. A beauty store, for example, can offer a helpline for customers to inquire about product availability and delivery schedules and resolve any issues they encounter while placing their Black Friday orders.
Abandoned Cart Recovery
Sending abandoned shopping cart reminders to customers who added items to their carts but didn't complete the purchase can reengage customers and recover lost sales. Retailers can offer incentives like additional discounts to encourage them to finalize their Black Friday orders. Booksellers, for example, can send a friendly reminder or simple nudge to customers who abandoned their carts, offering a 10% discount on the items they left behind.
3. Post-Purchase
Customer Support
Providing always-on customer support and quick responses to customer queries can delight and retain customers. Businesses can provide live chat or chatbot support to respond to customers with relevant, timely information about Black Friday purchases. For example, if a customer has purchased an item from a health and supplement store, they may wish to return it; with a seamless return process, the customer is more likely to return.
Tracking and Order Updates
Sharing tracking and order updates with customers post-purchase removes friction from the customer journey. Retailers can integrate channels with existing or third-party OMS systems to share proactive updates throughout the delivery process, reducing the need for customers to reach out to the support team directly. If a customer has ordered from a fitness store but wishes to track the order, businesses can share a tracking link for customers for live tracking.
Get Started With WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook
WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook are powerful business messaging channels to boost Black Friday sales. Leveraging the channels' rich media features and integrations means you can optimise customer engagement from pre-sales to purchase to post-purchase.
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