Looking for Black Friday marketing ideas?
This post can help.
With Black Friday sales projected to hit $11 billion – yes, billion! – there's serious money to be made. But let's be real: competition will be stiff. You need a solid strategy to stand out.
Here's the good news: You don't need to pour thousands into catching your target audience's attention. No need for endless email blasts or complicated marketing schemes. These nine proven strategies help you create shopping experiences that actually convert – without breaking the bank.
Ready to see what works?
Get Into Your Target Customers’ Minds Before Black Friday
Black Friday has changed quite a bit.
Today's shoppers want more than just deep discounts - they're looking for smooth, stress-free experiences. They’re researching ahead, comparing options carefully, and choosing stores that make their shopping journey easier.
Think about what frustrates you during busy sales: Missed deals. Confusing offers. Slow websites. Unresponsive customer service. Your customers face these same pain points, too.
But you can turn these same pain points into opportunities. Smart marketing isn't about shouting the loudest - it's about solving problems your competitors overlook.
And that's where these nine marketing strategies come in. Each one addresses a specific customer need while helping you drive sales. I’ve focused on strategies that work for online stores of any size, and don’t require huge budgets or complex technology.
9 Best Black Friday Marketing Ideas to Land More Customers and Get a Big Boost In Sales
Ready to make your Black Friday sale more memorable than "just another discount"? These nine strategies help you create shopping experiences your customers will love. From building early buzz to keeping shoppers engaged throughout the day, each idea is designed to drive more sales while standing out from the competition. Let's dive in.
1. The Golden Rule: Create a Sense of Urgency and FOMO – And Start Early
With a competitive sales season ahead of you, one of the best things you can do is start early.
Top brands like Walmart, Target, Shein are following this early promotion trend in hopes of catching the growing batch of early holiday shoppers – and you should, too. This early start gives shoppers time to browse your offerings and plan their purchases, while creating anticipation for your deals.
Start with your website.
One of the best ways to trigger FOMO and catch your audience’s attention is with a countdown timer. It’s a simple marketing strategy that has withstood the test of time.
Add a Black Friday countdown timer to your website to build anticipation and encourage early sales.
When someone lands on your page and sees a countdown timer letting them know they’re about to miss out on a good deal, they’ll be inclined to check it out – and even buy.
How to Add a Countdown Timer in WordPress
Adding a countdown timer to your WordPress website is really easy too (you can learn how to do it here), especially if you have the right tool. My go-to scarcity campaign plugin is Thrive Ultimatum.
You get a variety of high-quality countdown timer templates to create a sale and you can program them to appear (and disappear) automatically at specific times – saving you the time of having to do it manually for each sales period.
After you’ve set up your countdown timers, head to your email marketing tool and write up your promotional emails. As sales season approaches, your audience will be on the lookout for Black Friday emails to check out.
So, make sure your subject lines are attention-grabbing and seal the deal with your email content (need copywriting tips? Check out this guide.)
Then, keep the momentum going with daily social media updates that reveal new deals. You'll find people naturally checking back to see what's next.
2. Offer “Skip the Line” Early Access Sales for a Fee
Many shoppers will happily pay a small fee to avoid the Black Friday rush - it gives them a more relaxed shopping experience while generating guaranteed revenue for you before your main sale even starts.
Early access programs work because they appeal to shoppers’ interest in exclusivity and convenience.
For example, you could charge $10 to $15, to grant early access so they can browse and buy your exclusive deals before everyone else. Simple, but effective.
Alternatively, your “fee” could be your shopper’s contact details, which they'll submit through a well-designed opt-in form.
Use an "Early Access" program to add exclusivity to your Black Friday campaigns
The key is to position your offer as something special, not just early access. You're really selling peace of mind and guaranteed stock. Your message could be straightforward: "Shop stress-free: Get guaranteed access to all Black Friday deals 24 hours early."
Email subscribers and loyal customers make perfect candidates for this strategy. A simple invitation works well: "As a valued customer, you can shop our Black Friday deals early - no rushing, no sold-out items, just a relaxed shopping experience."
3. Run a Black Friday “Restock Countdown” for Sold-Out Items
When popular items sell out, most shoppers move on to other stores. But if you tell them more stock is coming – and you provide a specific date range – there’s a good chance they’ll stick around. A restock countdown keeps your customers engaged and ready to buy, turning potential disappointment into another sales opportunity.
Again, this is where countdown timers shine, again. You can add one to your product page – which you can easily do if you have a landing page builder, like Thrive Architect, that offers this design element. Make sure it’s clear for everyone to see.
Keep your shoppers in the know with a restock countdown timer
I would also recommend adding a small opt-in form to your landing page, for shoppers who aren't on your mailing list yet.
To make it more enticing, position this form as an "exclusive restock alert list." Let people know subscribers get the inside scoop on when products are back in stock.
Think about it – you're not just salvaging a lost sale, you're turning an out-of-stock disappointment into a way to grow your email list.4. Host a “Black Friday Flash Poll” for Exclusive Deals
People love to weigh in on decisions, especially when it affects their wallet. A flash poll can help turn passive shoppers into active participants, and they're more likely to buy when they've helped choose the deals themselves.
Typically, these polls are put up on social media – but you can easily add a quick poll or survey on your website.
For poll functionality, WPForms is a great option to consider.
But for fun, engaging surveys – I recommend Thrive Quiz Builder. You can easily create mini-surveys and embed them on any landing page on your website.
Drive engagement and add more excitement to your Black Friday campaigns with a fun, quick poll.
Pop a quick question on your social media or website: "Which deal should we unlock next?" Give shoppers 2-3 exciting options to choose from, like "50% off winter jackets" or "Buy-one-get-one-free on accessories." The winning deal goes live for a limited time, maybe just an hour or two.
The beauty of flash polls lies in their simplicity. You might post on Instagram: "Next deal drops in 30 minutes - you decide! Comment A for sneakers or B for backpacks." As votes roll in, shoppers naturally check back to see if their choice won. Even better, they often share the poll with friends who might want the same deal.
5. Create a “Find Your Perfect Deal” Recommendation Quiz
Black Friday can overwhelm shoppers with endless options and deals. A product recommendation quiz is a great solution here because they personalize the shopping experience and cut out the noise for your potential customers – and this is something online shoppers value immensely.
Think of your quiz as a friendly shopping assistant. Ask just 3-4 questions about what matters to your customers. A skincare brand might ask about skin type, main concerns, and budget. A tech store could focus on how customers plan to use their devices, preferred features, and price range.
Use a product recommendation quiz to offer a personalized shopping experience to your audience.
Keep the questions light and the answers simple. Instead of "What is your optimal price point?" try "How much would you like to spend?" Give multiple-choice options to make it quick and easy. Remember, shoppers are likely browsing multiple stores, so respect their time.
Pro tip
Need to learn how to make an effective product recommendation quiz? Check out this step-by-step guide.
The magic happens in the results. Don't just show products - present a curated "deal bundle" based on their answers. For example, "Based on your active lifestyle and budget, here's your perfect workout gear bundle: Our top-rated running shoes (40% off) paired with moisture-wicking shorts (buy one get one free)."
Build Super Engaging Quizzes in Less Than an Hour
The secret to creating engaging online quizzes is using the right tool. If you want creative freedom and the ability to make product recommendation quizzes that grab your audience will actually finish – you need to check out Thrive Quiz Builder.
This quiz plugin makes it easy for business owners to create the right kind of quiz to drive website visitors to the perfect offer. You get a variety of quality templates to get started, drag-and-drop functionality for stress-free building, and the ability to add different kinds of questions – multiple choice, questions with images, and open-ended questions.
Simple, straightforward, and high-quality – it doesn’t get any better than that.
6. Offer Tiered Discounts to Encourage Higher Spending
Shoppers love feeling like they're getting more value for their money. When they see they can save an extra 10% by adding just a bit more to their cart, many will happily spend more to reach that next discount level.
The math is simple, but the psychology runs deep. Start with a basic discount that's easy to reach - say 10% off $50. Then create two or three more tiers that offer notably better value. Your structure might look like this: 10% off $50, 20% off $100, and 30% off $200. Each tier should feel like an achievable jump from the last.
Here’s an example of tiered pricing (with discounts) from one of our pages:
Tap into the power of tiered discounts to capture every possible sale
This is also a creative way to offer upsells or cross-sells to increase the value of each order.
The best part? Customers often end up buying items they wanted anyway. Someone planning to spend $80 might add that extra item they've been eyeing to hit the $100 threshold. They feel good about getting a better deal, and you've increased your average order value.
7. Offer a “Deal of the Hour” Throughout Black Friday
A lot of Black Friday sales start with a bang but fizzle out as the day goes on. Hourly deals keep shoppers coming back throughout the day. Each new offer creates a fresh wave of urgency, excitement, and a reason to check your store again.
One of the easiest ways to promote your hourly deals is with timed pop-ups. When pop-ups are designed and configured correctly, they can help drive your audience to making a purchase.
Use pop-ups to promote different "Deals of the Hour" throughout Black Friday
Planning promotional deals takes some time and strategizing, but the payoff is worth it. In terms of frequency, if you don’t have as many deals, or don’t want to spend the whole day updating your website, you could make your deals appear every three or four hours.
Start with your most exciting deals early in the day when shopping traffic peaks. Save a few crowd-pleasers for afternoon hours when sales typically slow down.
Social media and email play a vital role here. Send quick alerts when each new deal goes live - keep these messages short and clear. "Next hour only: 60% off all laptops!" gets the point across without overwhelming your customers. They'll appreciate knowing exactly when to check back.8. Add Testimonial or Demo Videos to Your Sales Pages
A couple of the best ways to build trust and land more conversions are through social proof and video.
Why not use this Black Friday period to combine the power of both strategies and share testimonial or demo videos on your sales page?
A quick video of someone using your product or sharing their experience builds trust faster than product descriptions alone. When shoppers can see your product in action, they're more likely to feel confident about buying.
Use Thrive Architect to easily place your client testimonial or demo videos on your landing pages
Real videos from actual customers work best here. Skip the fancy production – a 30-second clip of someone genuinely explaining how they use your coffee maker tells a better story than a polished commercial. Show different people using the product in real situations, highlighting features naturally as they come up.
Place these videos strategically on your product pages. A quick demo near your product images helps shoppers understand what they're buying. Put customer testimonials close to your "add to cart" button to give that final boost of confidence when they're deciding to purchase. Keep each video under a minute – remember, Black Friday shoppers are moving quickly.
How to Collect Testimonials Without Feeling Awkward
Let's face it - asking for testimonials – in any format – can feel a bit uncomfortable. But here's a simple strategy that works: reach out to customers right after they've had a positive interaction with your store. Maybe they just made a repeat purchase, left a great review, or sent you a nice email. That's when they're most likely to say yes to sharing their experience.
Keep your request casual and specific. Instead of asking for a "testimonial" (which can sound formal and intimidating), try: "Would you mind sharing how you've been using our [product]?" or "What made you choose our store for your Black Friday shopping?" These questions feel more natural and often lead to authentic responses.
And if you need a testimonial plugin to store and easily share your text-based or video testimonials, Thrive Ovation is the perfect tool for you. This plugin is specifically designed to help you capture, manage, and display testimonials on your WordPress website.
9. Add a Chatbot for Extra Support
During Black Friday, you’ll have shoppers with questions – lots of them. You won’t be able to field all of them on your own. So, that’s where a chatbot comes in.
A chatbot can offer instant answers when your customer service team is swamped. Quick responses keep people moving through checkout instead of abandoning their carts while waiting for help.
Example of a chatbot on a Thrive Architect-built site.
Set up your chatbot to handle the most common Black Friday questions. Program clear answers about shipping times, return policies, and deal terms. Modern chatbots can even show product recommendations or help shoppers find specific deals. Think of it as a digital sales assistant that never needs a coffee break.
If you need steps on how to set up your chatbot, take a look at this guide right here.Next Steps: Create a Few Black Friday Popups to Promote Your Popular Offers
Strategic pop-ups can take your Black Friday sales to the next level.
With this strategy, you can easily highlight deals, capture emails, reduce cart abandonment, and guide visitors to your best offers. The key is to enhance, not disrupt, the user experience.
And if you need a solid plugin to help you get started, you already know my recommendation: Thrive Leads.
Ready to create pop-ups that convert? Check out Thrive Leads. This tool helps you design, target, and optimize pop-ups that match your brand and Black Friday goals.
One of our Black Friday pop-up templates available in Thrive Leads and ready for you to customize.
With Thrive Leads, you can create eye-catching pop-ups, set precise triggers, A/B test different versions, and track performance.
Don't let Black Friday visitors slip away. Start planning your pop-up strategy with Thrive Leads today and turn more clicks into customers.Putting These Black Friday Marketing Ideas to Work
Ready to make this your best Black Friday yet? You've got nine solid strategies to work with, and the great news is you don't need to tackle them all at once. Each one has the potential to boost your sales and create better experiences for your customers.
Start with one or two ideas that feel right for your store. Focus on getting them to run smoothly, then build from there. The key is to start planning now, so you're not scrambling when Black Friday arrives.
You've got this - and your customers will appreciate the extra thought you put into their shopping experience.
