Each year it seems like a mad dash on Black Friday—shoppers filling their carts with super low prices, businesses in a frenzy trying to capture as much of it as possible. But real growth comes when you look beyond that one day and invest in customer loyalty that makes returns all year long. Using Black Friday not only as a flash sale but also as a launch point for longer-lasting relationships with customers will result in higher ROI for brands.
This guide explores 11 transformative strategies to make Black Friday the cornerstone of your loyalty-building strategy.
11 steps to maximize ROI this Black Friday
1. Shift the Black Friday mindset: It’s not just about discounts
Anyone can offer discounts. What separates a thriving business from the pack is the ability to view Black Friday as the beginning of a customer relationship rather than a standalone sales day.
How to Change the Black Friday mindset
Position your Black Friday deals as a stepping stone to something larger. For instance, if you have fitness gear to sell, show how buying that from you is the first step towards the bigger goal of a healthier lifestyle. The mission behind your sale should permeate your messaging.
For example, outdoor retailer REI famously shuttered all its stores on Black Friday and encouraged people to “Opt Outside” instead. This audacious approach not only hit home with their audiences but also solidified their brand identity as a values-driven company. Their decision led to a 26% increase in online engagement, proving that loyalty grows from shared values.
2. Start early: Build excitement through exclusivity
Black Friday is noisy. Every brand out there is talking about it weeks before the sale actually starts. So how do you cut through the clutter?
Through exclusivity.
Launch an early-access Black Friday event for loyalty members. Make it feel special with “invitation-only” messaging and exclusive previews of your deals. This not only builds anticipation but also rewards your most engaged customers.
A study revealed that 79% of customers are more likely to shop from a brand that rewards their loyalty. Early access events tap into this sentiment, ensuring your loyalists feel prioritized.
3. Gamify the experience
Black Friday shopping can be stressful, but adding an element of fun can turn frustration into delight. Gamification is the perfect way to achieve this as it can increase engagement by 47% and boost repeat purchases by 22%.
You can create a “Black Friday Spin-to-Win” game where customers earn loyalty points, discounts, or free gifts. For every $100 spent, they could get an extra spin or double their points.
Pro Tip: Extend the game past Black Friday into Cyber Monday or through the holiday season, incentivizing customers to continue shopping.
4. Personalize the shopping journey
Shoppers want to feel seen and understood. And, in a sea of generic deals, personalization can make your Black Friday campaign stand out.
You can use AI to analyze past purchases and understand the purchasing behavior of customers. Studying customer data collected in the previous years’ black Friday sales can also help uncover insights.
Brands can use these insights to create custom offers. For example, if a customer frequently buys skincare products, send them exclusive discounts on related items or a “beauty bundle” deal.
5. Reward loyalty with points multipliers
Nothing excites loyal customers like the chance to earn more. If you use Black Friday to give a little extra benefit to your loyal customers, they are bound to come back.
Strategy:
Offer double or triple points on Black Friday purchases. Better yet, introduce a tiered system where the more customers spend, the more points they earn. For example:
- Spend $50, earn 2x points.
- Spend $150, earn 3x points.
Retailers using loyalty point multipliers during sales have reported a 56% increase in average order value (AOV).
6. Go beyond one day: Create a “Black Friday Season”
Why stop at one day? Extend the excitement by launching a “Black Friday Season” that spans a week or even a month. This will make your brand stand out. It also gives customers who missed out on Black Friday to still get access to the sale.
In fact, Walmart’s “Cyber Week” extends deals for several days, giving customers more opportunities to shop while reinforcing brand loyalty.
Here’s an example of how you can execute it:
- Phase 1: Early access deals for loyalty members.
- Phase 2: Black Friday and Cyber Monday blowout.
- Phase 3: Post-event “Thank You Sales” exclusively for repeat buyers.
7. Leverage user-generated content (UGC)
When your customers share their purchases online, they become your biggest advocates. By doing this you are creating social proof and also building a stranger community connection with your customer.
To create UGC, you should encourage shoppers to post their Black Friday “haul” using a branded hashtag, offering them a chance to win loyalty points or exclusive perks.
Pro Tip: Feature the best UGC on your social channels and website. This will encourage other customers to share content for a chance to get featured.
8. Focus on emotional connections
Black Friday brings a higher footfall to your brand. Showcasing your brand’s values gives you via the sale a chance to build emotional connections with customers.
An example of this is TOMS’ “One for One” model. It ties every purchase to a charitable contribution. During holiday sales, they amplify this message, deepening their connection with value-driven shoppers.
If your company supports sustainability, highlight how your Black Friday deals contribute to those efforts. For example, donate a portion of the proceeds to an environmental cause and let your customers know how their purchases make an impact.
9. Make returns a positive experience
Returns are inevitable, especially with high-volume sales like Black Friday. However, how you handle them can make or break customer loyalty. 95% of shoppers say they’d shop again with a retailer offering an easy return process.
Offer perks like free return shipping for loyalty members to make the experience more positive. Better yet, turn returns into an engagement opportunity by providing discounts or extra points for their next purchase.
10. Use post-sale follow-ups to deepen relationships
The sale doesn’t end at checkout. Your follow-up communications are crucial for turning one-time buyers into repeat customers.
Send a thank-you email with personalized product recommendations. Include a special offer for their next purchase, such as “10% off your next order when you shop within 30 days.”
Brands like Apple use post-purchase emails to upsell accessories or related products, driving additional revenue while keeping the customer engaged.
11. Analyze, Learn, and Optimize
Data is your best friend. After Black Friday, dive into the numbers to understand what worked and what didn’t. Use customer interactions, email sign-ups, and loyalty program engagement to gather valuable zero-party and first-party data for future campaigns.
Metrics to Track:
- Loyalty program sign-ups.
- Repeat purchase rates.
- Customer lifetime value (CLV).
Pro Tip: Use these insights to refine your loyalty strategies for future campaigns. For example, if bundle deals performed exceptionally well, consider making them a staple of your promotions.
Making Black Loyalty Easy with a Data-Driven Loyalty Platform
You now know the strategies, but you need the right loyalty program platform like Zinrelo to pull them off. These platforms help you track customer behavior and tailor offers based on what they’ve bought or shown interest in before. Instead of doing everything manually, you can automate rewards, early access deals, and even personalized promotions.
With the right platform, you can make the Black Friday experience feel special for every customer—whether that means offering bonus points, exclusive deals, or targeted discounts. This approach ensures that the benefits of Black Friday extend well beyond one-time transactions, transforming seasonal shoppers into loyal brand advocates and paving the way for ongoing ROI.
The Ultimate Black Friday Loyalty Equation
(Black Friday Madness + UGC) x Personalized Loyalty Program = 2X ROI from Loyal Fanbase
Final Thoughts: Build Loyalty, Not Just Revenue
Black Friday is never only about just the quick sale; but rather a chance to create a lasting and profitable relationship with customers. By prioritizing loyalty, customizing touchpoints, and executing cutting-edge strategies, companies can make sure the day doesn’t end up just as a financial success but as a brand-defining moment.
Follow these 11 steps, and track your results over the next few days —measure repeat purchase rates, engagement metrics, and referral data after Black Friday to measure your ROI! Over time, Black Friday will evolve from a single shopping event into the cornerstone of your ongoing loyalty program strategy.
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