If you’re counting on Black Friday to bring in big numbers, the time to act now. We recently explored the big trends shaping this holiday season for Canadian consumers and how brands can start to align their holiday marketing plan.
A strong campaign isn’t just about slashing prices – with smart planning, tactical to-do’s and creative offers you can build momentum from Black Friday to Boxing Day.
Here’s how five things that will help you build a strong holiday season marketing plan:
1. Build Your Campaign Around Value—Not Just Discounts
The real winners on Black Friday don’t race to the bottom; they redefine value. Go beyond basic discounts and think about what is most valuable for your audience. Get creative with bundles, early-access exclusives, subscriptions, samples, Buy-Now-Pay-Later (BNPL) options or tiered offers that reward bigger baskets.
Your Marketing Action Plan:
Draft 3–5 offer tiers that add value without crushing your margins. Match them with your top target buyer personas to refine value and messaging. Bonus: test them quietly with your email list to see what sticks before launch.
2. Optimize for Mobile Like Your Sales Depend On It (Because They Do)
With the majority (54%) of holiday shopping traffic now happening on mobile, your website is your storefront so consider how your website performs on different devices. Bare minimum, your site should be responsive. Best practice, ensure it’s mobile-optimized. That means making the user experience as seamless as you can, regardless of screen. Think faster load times, easy checkout, product information, clear returns & shipping policies – all the elements you’d look for shopping online yourself.
Your Marketing Action Plan:
Walk through your entire checkout process on your phone—from product page to payment. Consider the ideal journey you want your customers to take, using your personas to guide you (don’t have any personas mapped out? We can help). Note every point of friction and get the gameplan in motion to fix them.
3. Extend Your Campaign Window (and Keep the Energy Up)
Canadian shoppers are planning earlier every year— more than half of Canadian consumers start holiday shopping before Black Friday/Cyber Monday (BFCM) weekend, and almost half decide on Black Friday buys ahead of time After BCFM, consumers are closing out their shopping list in-store. The takeaway? Don’t start your campaign on Black Friday; let it peak there but plan a long-tail opportunity to support BCFM shoppers after the big weekend.
Your Marketing Action Plan:
Map your calendar from now through Boxing Day. Map early-bird VIP offers, weekend deals, and urgency-based campaigns that build excitement online leading up to BFCM and support your momentum afterwards. Even if you don’t have retail distribution, consider ways you can support the last-minute shopper with offers like shipping discounts or gift cards (December 23 is the second-busiest shopping day of the season!).
4. Segment and Personalize Like You Mean It
Your best customers aren’t the same as your one-time buyers, so why treat them the same? Smart segmentation lets you talk to each group like you actually know them. Tailor your offers based on purchase history, loyalty, or engagement level—because relevance drives results.
Your Marketing Action Plan:
Create three audience segments: VIPs, new buyers, and dormant customers. Then craft an offer and message for each. Consider how each wants to hear from you and what would most motivate them to shop with you. Make your best customers feel exclusive, your new ones welcomed, and your old ones re-engaged. Need a little help? We’ve got you.
5. Prep Your Operations Like You’re Expecting a Rush (Because You Are)
Marketing can only do its job if your operations can keep up. If your site slows down or you oversell inventory, your brand reputation takes the hit. A seamless experience turns first-time buyers into long-term fans.
Your Marketing Action Plan:
Run a pre-Black Friday audit. Stress-test your site, verify stock levels, prep your customer service scripts, and confirm your fulfillment timelines. Consider your contingency plans, such as Out of Stock signups and site maintenance resources.
Your Black Friday Marketing Start Now
Black Friday success doesn’t come from luck—it comes from planning, precision, and performance. Build your playbook now, so when it’s time for the big dance, you’re ready to win.
Ready to turn strategy into sales this Black Friday?
Book a quick 30-minute Marketing Gameplan with our team. We’ll review your offers, messaging, and campaign plans for recommendations to help you head into Q4 with confidence.
