aping up to be the biggest to date, here are three reasons why now is a critical time to cut through the noise and win over customers ahead of the main event.  The early bird catches the worm Data from Google reveals that a resounding 88 per cent of Aussies believe this Christmas will be more important than last year’s; with 21 per cent of people preparing gifting plans 3-6 months before, and 47 per cent of people planning to do so in the 2-4 weeks leading up to December.  We’re also seeing an interesting change in consumer behaviour in the lead-up to Black Friday, with consumers actively choosing to hold back on purchases in anticipation of massive discounts and limited-time offers.  In fact, Sparro research reveals that about 60 per cent of people will wait until 30 days before Black Friday to buy high-research, big-ticket items such as consumer electronics or appliances, to snag a savings. When timing and statistics align As we edge closer to the holiday sales period, it’s clear there’s no better opportunity than now for retailers to drive more traffic to their sites, especially as store closures have pushed more shoppers online. This is also true from a cost perspective, with our conversion lag data indicating the first two weeks of October are the best time to market to customers at a more cost-effective rate. Conversion lag refers to the time between when users click an ad and when they perform a particular conversion action, such as purchasing an item.  Sparro data from Black Friday 2020 found that in the five weeks leading up to the sale weekend, only 55 per cent of customers made a purchase within 24 hours of accessing a website. However, as sales commence, 70 per cent of Black Friday customers made their purchase within 24 hours of accessing retailer sites. This confirms both that shoppers are using the lead-in to Black Friday to research and plan purchases and that shoppers decide more quickly during the campaign. Supply-chain issues The pandemic’s ongoing strain on Australia’s delivery network may result in shortages of toys, electronics, furniture and food. As a result, many Australians are encouraged to start their Christmas shopping early to avoid disappointment. Retailers can meet this demand by commencing Black Friday campaigns early. So, how can you make the most of an early start? Prep your website: Ensure you have an easy-to-find landing page dedicated to your sales event. You may also want to consider page takeovers and design changes to highlight the differences for recurring visitors to your site.  Create anticipation: Countdown clocks, access to early sign-ups and save-for-later options are great ways to create anticipation for the main event. Take your marketing a step further and do outreach to ensure you’re included in third-party sales round-ups and seasonal gift guides.  Build page authority: Once Black Friday has come and gone, don’t delete your campaign page. Instead, archive it to use for future sale events, and build value and page authority over time.  Win customers early with paid ads: Use your paid campaigns to cut through the noise and capture potential customers in their research phase. Not only will it drive a great campaign, but also it will capture the attention of customers early and yield a lower cost-per-click. Ensure search campaigns feature specific and detailed queries, such as ‘Black Friday sales on PC Laptops’. Get creative: Invest time in various marketing channels and create content that influences customers. Help these customers navigate a crowded market by informing their research with select information on trends, seasonal products, educational pieces, new products and best-sellers. As Black Friday approaches, provide sneak peeks about deals, reveal promo codes, and have discounts at the ready to hype buyers for your sale. October has arrived, so we’ll be popping on our creative caps and fine-tuning our marketing strategies for our retail clients. What’s your plan?