There’s still time: achieve long-term results with your Black Friday campaigns
Long-term thinking in Black Friday campaigns builds loyalty. Go beyond sales: simplify journeys, be present on all channels, and offer relevant experiences to turn seasonal buyers into lasting customers.
Hello, everyone! I hope you’re all well. After a short break, I’m happy to return with this new newsletter—refreshed in style, but with the same goal: to be a channel for sharing ideas and exchanging knowledge about Loyalty, CX, Performance, and everything that enhances the brand-customer relationship (always bringing the latest trends and insights I find along the way!).
And since it’s that time of year, I’ll start by talking about Black Friday. I know we’re almost at the date, and a robust strategy usually requires more preparation time, but I’m sure there’s still time to act. Small changes can make a difference in how consumers perceive your brand, especially in these final weeks and after Black Friday.
It’s important to highlight that investing in long-term strategies doesn’t invalidate the main objectives of key retail dates. The difference is that, by adopting a relationship-focused mindset, you can not only achieve important goals like reducing inventory and increasing sales, but also plant seeds for building lasting results.
Expectations: the transmission belt of the economy
But first, some context. A great study by Globo, Panorama do Consumo 2º Semestre 2024, paints an optimistic picture of Brazil, not only for the end of this year but also for 2025, with “optimism, hope, and confidence” as the feelings that describe consumer expectations. High employment and available credit are contributing factors, and the research shows that 39% of respondents plan to shop on Black Friday (56% of them from classes A/B).
Among the 40% who weren’t sure, 91% said they might make an unplanned purchase. The Brazilian Association of E-Commerce (ABComm) estimates this year’s revenue at R$7.93 billion, 10.18% higher than 2023. Meanwhile, a survey by Rcell, with major regional retailers from 13 states, shows that 70% expect to increase their revenue. As everyone knows, the economy is driven by expectations, operating like a market transmission belt.
Simplicity + Presence + Relevance = Loyalty
That’s why it’s essential for companies to encourage and leverage this optimism, positioning themselves as partners to their customers—not just for products or services, but for relevance and convenience. Here are some initiatives I believe can impact consumers not only on Black Friday, but also beyond, creating lasting and non-transactional relationships:
Gamify Discounts - These can be discounts, cashback, or loyalty program points—the idea is to make them conditional, or offer a higher percentage/amount, based on a specific customer action. For example: sharing certain data; answering surveys and polls; posting about their purchase on social media and tagging the brand; or publishing reviews on marketplaces and social networks, as well as providing feedback on the company’s website. These user-generated contents are increasingly important in influencing other buyers’ decisions and can also be rewarded with bounceback offers—discounts on future purchases—to encourage customer return.
Offer Convenience - Ease and smoothness in the buying journey are relationship currencies—think about everything that can simplify the consumer’s life. It’s essential to keep things simple, whether in-store or online, and eliminate friction. A digital presence needs good UX, basic and illustrative images and information, forms requiring only the minimum necessary data, security, and quick responses. All of this, plus proper SEO, will affect how the company appears in search engines. Another important point: marketplaces are now widely used for searches (especially since they segment offers well by using consumers’ first-party data), so clarity of information is essential and, as mentioned earlier, user reviews for each product should be highlighted.
Integrate Performance and Loyalty - There’s still time to update media and performance planning by integrating it with the brand’s loyalty strategy. Through CRM, for example, it’s possible to create segmentation clusters that guide paid media (all previous purchase behaviors indicate the best channels to reach customers and identify those with higher LTV, refining the action). This intersection between performance and loyalty leads to more effective campaigns, lower costs (prospecting in “fish tanks” rather than the open sea), and higher ROI, providing direction for sales and marketing teams.
Provide Relevance, Not Annoyance - Many consumers unsubscribe from newsletters or block SMS during and after major seasonal campaigns due to excessive emails and messages. The lesson here is moderation, proper segmentation, personalized offers, and relevant content. Especially after an event like Black Friday, the ideal is to provide the customer with topics related to their purchase, but not transactional—rather, relational (for example, sports products can be accompanied by content about health, competitions, or nearby tourist spots). One useful piece of content per week, for instance, keeps the brand on the consumer’s radar without being intrusive.
That’s it, folks! I hope you enjoyed it. Comment, send suggestions, and share ideas!
Leading Questions About Black Friday and Other Retail Dates
Why is it important to focus on long-term strategies during Black Friday and other retail dates?
Because relationship-focused strategies help brands not only boost sales and clear inventory, but also plant seeds for lasting customer loyalty and future results.
What is driving consumer optimism for Black Friday 2024?
High employment, available credit, and positive economic expectations are making both consumers and businesses optimistic about shopping and sales growth.
How can brands stand out during and after Black Friday?
By being present across all channels, eliminating friction, offering relevant and personalized content, and building community through feedback and reviews.
What role does relevance play in customer loyalty?
Relevance—delivering the right message, at the right time, on the right channel—makes it easier for customers to buy and builds a stronger, more lasting relationship.
What are effective loyalty strategies for this season and beyond?
Invest in modern loyalty programs that mix economic and experiential rewards, and create tiered benefits to recognize and retain your most loyal customers.
