Podcast Summary: Art + Audience
Episode: Ep. 13: Black Friday Game Plan: Tips to Boost Your Holiday Sales
Host: Stacy Bloomfield
Release Date: October 29, 2024
Introduction & Personal Black Friday Story
Timestamp: [00:49] – [02:00]
Stacy Bloomfield opens the episode by sharing a personal anecdote about a challenging Black Friday. After five successful years on Etsy, Stacy experienced a sudden drop in sales on Black Friday, leading to significant panic and stress. This event marked a turning point in her business approach, highlighting the unpredictability of relying solely on existing platforms without a diversified marketing strategy.
"It was Black Friday. I woke up, I opened my laptop, I checked my Etsy and there was nothing. And I began to panic because I'd been in business for about five years at this point."
— Stacy Bloomfield [00:49]
The Significance of Black Friday for Art Businesses
Timestamp: [02:00] – [05:00]
Stacy emphasizes the critical role Black Friday plays in the retail and online sales landscape, particularly for product-based businesses. She notes that many businesses generate over half of their annual revenue during the last three months of the year, underscoring the importance of effective Black Friday strategies.
"Black Friday truly can move the needle for product-based businesses."
— Stacy Bloomfield [09:58]
Advertising and Marketing Strategies
Timestamp: [05:00] – [10:00]
Stacy discusses the necessity of proactive advertising to ensure visibility during Black Friday. She highlights the use of Facebook and Instagram ads, newsletters, and affiliate marketing as essential tools for building and maintaining an audience. Stacy encourages artists to overcome the discomfort of self-promotion by consistently showing up online to build trust and familiarity with potential customers.
"You have to advertise yourself. Whether it's through paid ads, newsletters, affiliate marketing. If people don't know that you exist, that you have products to sell, original pieces of art, man, you're not going to make any money this holiday season."
— Stacy Bloomfield [06:30]
Implementing Effective Newsletters
Timestamp: [10:00] – [14:00]
Stacy underscores the importance of having a newsletter as a direct communication channel with customers. She advises sending multiple newsletters leading up to and during the Black Friday period to keep the audience informed and engaged. Utilizing platforms like Klaviyo or Mailchimp, she recommends artists to start building their email lists early and use newsletters to announce sales, share product stories, and highlight customer testimonials.
"Do you have a newsletter? If you don't go create one right now, please."
— Stacy Bloomfield [12:15]
Discount Strategies and Pricing
Timestamp: [14:00] – [18:00]
Stacy explores various discount strategies, cautioning against over-discounting which can erode profits. She shares her experience with different coupon codes, recommending that discounts should be substantial enough to attract buyers but still profitable. Strategies include percentage-based discounts, bundle deals, and limited-time offers. Stacy encourages artists to carefully calculate their costs to determine sustainable discount levels.
"Even if you only have a few products, I want you to do the math. Obviously, I want you to see how much it costs you to create that product."
— Stacy Bloomfield [15:30]
Product Presentation and Website Optimization
Timestamp: [18:00] – [22:00]
Effective product presentation is crucial for maximizing sales. Stacy advises showcasing best-selling products prominently on the website to attract visitors and encourage additional purchases. She emphasizes the importance of clear, high-quality product photos, detailed descriptions, and customer testimonials. Additionally, incorporating psychological triggers like scarcity (“Only 5 days left!”) and urgency (“Sale ends in 3 hours!”) can effectively drive conversions.
"Put your best selling products on the front of your website... The desire for that one most popular item is going to drive people to your site and then hopefully they're going to see other items on your website and then purchase those as well."
— Stacy Bloomfield [19:45]
Advanced Black Friday Techniques
Timestamp: [22:00] – [28:00]
For those looking to elevate their Black Friday strategies, Stacy shares advanced techniques such as early promotion, time-sensitive deals, and bundling products. She highlights the importance of starting the sale early, running it for an extended period (e.g., two weeks), and using countdown timers to create a sense of urgency. Bundling products can increase average order value by offering discounts on combined items.
"We now start our sale early and run it for two weeks. We don't just do a Black Friday single day only, we're running it for many days because we know that not everyone is shopping on Black Friday now."
— Stacy Bloomfield [24:15]
Post-Black Friday Evaluation
Timestamp: [28:00] – [30:00]
After the sale, Stacy recommends conducting a post-event audit to assess what worked and what didn’t. This involves reviewing sales data, customer feedback, and overall campaign effectiveness. By analyzing these factors, artists can refine their strategies for future sales events. Stacy also suggests setting up reminders early in the year to begin planning for the next Black Friday, ensuring continuous improvement.
"After that Black Friday, that next year was so hard for me. And that's whenever I began to leverage my art, build multiple income streams and start treating my business like the business I dreamt of having."
— Stacy Bloomfield [29:30]
Encouragement and Final Advice
Timestamp: [30:00] – [End]
Stacy closes the episode by encouraging artists to take proactive steps in preparing for Black Friday, regardless of their current business size. She emphasizes that consistency, planning, and a willingness to experiment are key to success. Stacy reassures listeners that even if their first Black Friday is challenging, each attempt provides valuable lessons for future improvement.
"When you show up in your business, amazing things can happen, but it takes you making that first step forward and committing."
— Stacy Bloomfield [30:45]
Notable Quotes
-
"You have to advertise yourself... If people don't know that you exist, that you have products to sell, original pieces of art, man, you're not going to make any money this holiday season."
— Stacy Bloomfield [06:30] -
"Do you have a newsletter? If you don't go create one right now, please."
— Stacy Bloomfield [12:15] -
"Put your best selling products on the front of your website... The desire for that one most popular item is going to drive people to your site and then hopefully they're going to see other items on your website and then purchase those as well."
— Stacy Bloomfield [19:45] -
"When you show up in your business, amazing things can happen, but it takes you making that first step forward and committing."
— Stacy Bloomfield [30:45]
Conclusion
In this episode of Art + Audience, Stacy Bloomfield provides a comprehensive guide for artists aiming to maximize their Black Friday sales. Through personal anecdotes, practical strategies, and actionable advice, she empowers listeners to build robust marketing plans, optimize their product offerings, and engage effectively with their audiences. Stacy’s emphasis on consistency, strategic planning, and continuous improvement serves as a valuable roadmap for artists navigating the competitive holiday sales season.
If you enjoyed this summary and want to dive deeper into Stacy Bloomfield’s insights, consider listening to the full episode of Art + Audience, available on your preferred podcast platform.