Black Friday Marketing Ideas to Boost Sales for CPG Food & Beverage Brands

Black Friday Marketing Efforts Can Make or Break a CPG Brand

Black Friday is a golden opportunity for consumer packaged goods (CPG) food and beverage brands to find their audience and drive sales. The right marketing strategies allow CPG brands to tap into the frenzy of this shopping holiday to stand out in a crowded marketplace… A marketplace that’s getting more crowded with each passing year. 

Below are nine key strategies to help your CPG food and beverage brand make the most of Black Friday.

1. Create Limited-Time Offers

It may seem obvious, but one of the most effective Black Friday marketing ideas is to create limited-time offers that your audience can’t resist. It’s no secret why: Scarcity creates urgency and this psychological trigger is great for customer engagement, motivating them to pick your product over a competitor’s. A well-timed online sale can earn your brand an army of loyal customers.

Speed is key here. Yes, consumers research which products to buy BEFORE hitting the supermarket more than ever. But people are busy. They’re not going to spend 30 minutes at the food aisle, reading every ingredient, online review and testimonial. Usually, price tags are the number 1 factor driving a purchase. Which means that limited time offers give you a leg up.

What might a limited-time offer look like for CPG food and beverage brands?

• Exclusive product bundles (why sell just one product?)

• Limited-edition flavors

• Special discounts that are only available on Black Friday

Limited-time offers are particularly powerful during Black Friday because shoppers are already in a buying mindset. By presenting a deal that’s only available for a short window, you tap into their fear of missing out (FOMO).

Ensure that your offer is compelling enough to grab your consumer’s attention. Even the best social media marketing campaigns can fail if the offer doesn’t excite followers. But don’t forget to make sure that it’s easy for consumers to take advantage of the savings. Don’t require them to register for an account on some obscure 3rd party app that you’re hosting the coupon on. Convenience = sales.

It goes without saying that you should promote these deals on social media, in your email newsletters, and through paid ads to reach a wider audience. Turn those potential customers into brand advocates!

2. Host Social Media Contests

Increase customer engagement and create buzz around your brand by hosting a social media contest leading up to Black Friday. Contests can increase brand visibility, drive user-generated content (UGC), and even grow your email list. And everyone knows how lucrative email lists can be.

A well-executed social media contest can generate excitement and anticipation among shoppers for your Black Friday deals. Consider: 

• Asking participants to share their favorite way to enjoy your products or to create a recipe using your ingredients

• Offering a grand prize that includes a bundle of your best-selling items, along with early access to your Black Friday deals

• Promoting the contest across all your marketing channels, from Pinterest to email 

• Putting keywords in your social media copy. Hashtags aren’t as effective as they used to be. Like Google, big social platforms operate around keywords 

A great contest gives followers an incentive to show their network that they LOVE your product.

3. Use Influencer Partnerships

Collaborate with influencers who align with your brand to amplify your Black Friday marketing efforts. Influencers are perhaps the best way to reach more shoppers and lend credibility to your brand. 

The biggest reason: Posts from brand accounts don’t perform that well anymore, on average. Social media’s all about authenticity these days. And nothing’s more authentic than a post from an actual person. Aka-the influencers you partner with to show off your product. 

Which is why no Black Friday marketing campaign is complete without a robust influencer program. 

Partnering with influencers allows you to tap into their established audience and can provide social proof for your products. Work with influencers to create content that highlights your Black Friday deals, such as product reviews, unboxing videos, or exclusive discount codes. Remember: these are social media marketing experts. Use their expertise in your Black Friday marketing efforts.

But make sure the content is authentic and resonates with the influencer’s followers. You can ghostwrite copy for them, but encourage the influencers you work with to use their own voice when creating content. 

This strategy not only increases brand awareness but also drives conversions during the Black Friday shopping period. Influencer marketing is a powerful tool in the CPG marketing toolkit. Use it wisely and stay away from influencers who create polarizing content.

4. Optimize Your Email Marketing

Email remains one of the most effective channels for driving Black Friday sales. Create a series of emails that build anticipation, share exclusive offers, and remind customers of your Black Friday deals. Just don’t forget to focus on providing value. The more ‘salesy’ your emails are, the lower your open rate will be.

Start your email marketing campaign early by teasing upcoming deals and offering early access to loyal customers. Segment your email list to ensure that you’re sending personalized offers that resonate with different customer groups. On the days surrounding Black Friday, send out reminders and time-sensitive offers to encourage last-minute purchases. 

After Black Friday, follow up with an email thanking your customers and offering them a sneak peek at your next promotion to keep them engaged. Remember: This is an opportunity to acquire new customers. Don’t let them forget about you after the holiday season is finished. 

The hallmark of a great Black Friday campaign is repeat business. Use the holiday to get loyal customers. Don’t just focus on sales around the holiday itself.

5. Highlight Gift-Worthy Products

Black Friday is the kickoff to the holiday shopping season, so it’s the perfect time to highlight products that make great gifts. Create a list of your most gift-worthy items and promote them as perfect for holiday giving.

We understand this might be strange for CPG food & beverages - but alcohol, chocolate and candy do gangbusters during this season. But you already knew that. 

Create gift guides that feature your top products, especially those that are easy to gift, such as holiday-themed packages, sampler packs, or best-sellers. 

Promote these guides on your website, social media, and through email marketing. You can also offer special gift-wrapping services or discounts on bulk purchases to encourage gift-giving. Make sure influencers feature them in their holiday gift content. A cornerstone of any successful Black Friday marketing campaign goes through influencers.

By positioning your products as the perfect holiday gift, you can tap into the seasonal buying spirit and boost sales. This approach is a key aspect of CPG food marketing, where creating an emotional connection with the consumer can drive purchases.

6. Offer Exclusive Bundles

Bundling products is an excellent way to increase the average order value (AOV) during Black Friday. Because why just sell one product? A happy customer who stumbled upon your product is twice as likely to consider your other products.

Remember: it costs way more to acquire a new customer than to nurture an existing one. An engaging online sale is a great way to take advantage of this golden rule. 

The best way to take advantage of this is to create exclusive bundles that offer customers more value while introducing them to a wider range of your products. Couple best sellers with new products that might not be flying off the shelves.

Bundles are an attractive option for Black Friday shoppers looking for the best deals, and they can also help you move inventory. Consider bundling complementary products together at a discounted rate, or create a special Black Friday bundle that includes a new or seasonal product. 

Promote these bundles heavily across all your marketing channels to ensure maximum visibility. This strategy not only increases sales but also enhances customer satisfaction by offering great value.

7. Utilize Paid Advertising

Paid ads can give your Black Friday marketing efforts an extra boost. Invest in targeted ads on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Google to reach a larger audience and drive more traffic to your site. Just make sure to consult experts. It’s easy to spend unwisely and experience is the best way to defend against this. 

Start by defining your target audience and setting clear objectives for your ad campaigns. Use engaging visuals and copy that highlight your Black Friday deals, and consider using dynamic ads to showcase different products to different segments of your audience. For example, carousels are popular once again in 2024. And short-form videos that are optimized for mobile are king. 

Retargeting ads can also be highly effective during Black Friday, as they remind past visitors to return and make a buy more products from you. Monitor your ad performance closely and be prepared to adjust your strategy in real-time to maximize ROI. 

Paid advertising is a critical component of any CPG marketing strategy. Organic social media marketing is great for establishing credibility and showing off your brand voice, but social platforms always favor brands who pay for clicks.

8. Enhance the Customer Experience

Customer experience is crucial during Black Friday, as shoppers are looking for a seamless and enjoyable purchasing process. Negative interactions can cost you dearly. Ensure that your website is optimized for high traffic, and that your customer service team is ready to handle increased inquiries.

A positive customer experience can make the difference between a one-time sale and a repeat customer. Especially since customers who’ve had a bad experience are far more likely to spread the word than customers who like your brand. 

Make sure your website is mobile-friendly, as many shoppers will be browsing and buying on their phones. Speed up loading times and streamline the checkout process to reduce cart abandonment. 

Be sure to provide clear and accessible customer service options, whether through live chat, email, or phone support. Consider offering extended customer service hours during the Black Friday weekend to accommodate increased demand.

9. Measure and Analyze Your Results

After Black Friday, it’s essential to measure the success of your marketing efforts and analyze what worked and what didn’t. This will help you refine your strategy for future promotions.

Because the next Black Friday isn’t that far away…

Review key metrics such as sales volume, website traffic, conversion rates, and customer acquisition costs. Compare these figures to your goals and previous campaigns to gauge performance. 

Gather customer feedback to understand their experience and identify any areas for improvement. Use these insights to optimize your future Black Friday marketing strategies and other promotional campaigns throughout the year. 

Continuous improvement is key in CPG food marketing, where consumer preferences and market dynamics change at a frantic rate.

Black Friday is a BIG DEAL for CPG Food & Beverage Brands

Black Friday offers a tremendous opportunity for CPG food and beverage brands to drive sales and increase brand visibility. 

By implementing these Black Friday marketing ideas, you can: 

• Create a compelling offer

• Engage your audience

• Ensure a successful sales event

Remember to start planning early, leverage all available channels, and focus on delivering an exceptional customer experience to maximize your Black Friday success.

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