Join me as I chat with Jonathan Courtney, as we dive deep into Black Friday Campaign strategy. Jonathan shares his strategies and frameworks for leveraging Black Friday regardless of what type of business you run.
Episode Timestamps
00:00 – Intro
01:01 – The Importance of Black Friday for Businesses
02:51 – Types of Black Friday Sales
09:40 – Comparing Strategies: MagicMind and AG1
13:40 – Premium brand approaches to Black Friday sales
18:25 – Bundling Products for Black Friday
24:40 – Startup Idea 1: Black Friday Agency
27:56 – Gamifying Promo Codes
30:00 – Our Black Friday Buys
31:41 – Live Streaming as a Sales Strategy
Key Points:
• Black Friday week can generate a company’s entire yearly revenue in just one week
• Different types of sales strategies include discounts, free bonuses, bundles, and subscription renewal offers
• Premium brands like Apple participate in Black Friday without cheapening their brand by offering gift cards instead of discounts
• Creating unique, branded experiences around sales can be more effective than simple discounts
1) The Black Friday Secret Most Founders Miss
Did you know many SaaS and e-commerce companies make the MAJORITY of their yearly revenue in just ONE WEEK?
That’s Black Friday week.
A company making $500K/month could pull in $1-2 MILLION during this period alone.
Even "prestigious" brands like Apple participate – they just do it differently!
2) Beyond Basic Discounts: The Strategy Hierarchy
The most common Black Friday mistake? Thinking it’s just about discounts!
There’s actually a hierarchy of effective approaches:
• Basic: Simple % discounts (boring!)
• Better: Free gifts/bonuses with purchase
• Advanced: Creative bundles
• Elite: Interactive experiences
The best campaigns combine multiple elements to maximize conversion!
3) The Free Gift Strategy
Companies like MagicMind and AG1 are CRUSHING IT with this approach:
• Start with a core discount (40-50% off)
• Add valuable free gifts (digital products, merch, etc)
• Gradually add MORE gifts as the week progresses
This creates urgency AND gives early buyers extra value!
Pro tip: Partner with complementary brands to offer their digital products as bonuses – costs you nothing!
4) The "Prestigious" Approach (Apple Style)
"We don’t do discounts" is a common objection from premium brands.
The solution? Do what Apple does:
Instead of discounting products, offer a $200 gift card with purchase.
Customers get value while your brand integrity stays intact.
It’s technically a discount, just packaged differently!
5) The Store Credit Hack
This is BRILLIANT:
Instead of saying "20% off," tell customers they have "$21.63 in store credit about to expire."
The specificity makes it feel like money that already belongs to them!
6) The Bundle Strategy
Create special "Black Friday Boxes" that combine your existing products in new ways.
Four Sigmatic created an interactive bundle builder where:
• Customers select products they want
• Discounts increase as they add more
• Free shipping unlocks at certain thresholds
This gamifies the experience AND increases AOV!
7) The Interactive Experience
Turn Black Friday into an EVENT:
• Bodega created a treasure hunt where customers solve a puzzle to unlock a $200 gift code
• Some brands run QVC-style livestreams showcasing products
• Others create special themed microsites just for the sale
These create engagement beyond just discounts!
8) Planning Timeline & Implementation
The BIGGEST mistake? Not planning early enough!
Smart companies:
• Start planning in June/July
• Build anticipation with email sequences
• Consider hiring specialized help (copywriters, developers)
• Test their systems BEFORE the big day
Don’t wait until November to think about this!
This isn’t just another sale – it’s potentially your BIGGEST revenue opportunity of the year!
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