To understand Cyber Monday, you need to understand Black Friday.  In the US, Black Friday is always the Friday after Thanksgiving and marks the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season. Due to the fact that most companies are closed on the Friday after Thanksgiving, retailers tried to take advantage of employed customers being available and able to shop on this Friday, by offering ‘one day only’ sales etc.

Fast forward a few years and suddenly the internet and e-commerce exploded and there are more and more businesses that only focus on e-commerce, e.g. eBay / Amazon / Takealot etc. These online businesses needed a similar jump start to the holiday, but needed a different day than Black Friday. This is how the idea of ‘Cyber Monday’ was created. This is basically the e-Commerce answer to Black Friday and is on the 1st Monday following Black Friday. This year it is on the 26th November.

Cyber Monday has grown exponentially since it started in 2005. These days it is a multi-billion dollar sales day and one that companies should not overlook. Generally speaking individuals are at work on this Monday and in front of their computers… they are ready to shop!

The purpose of Cyber Monday is to increase sales and generate a sales spike. 

Customers don’t wake up on Cyber Monday and just stumble onto your site. They visit your site, because you made it happen!  Planning, preparation and strategy are key to make this happen and increase sales!  Cyber Monday is a great opportunity to cement your relationship with your existing clients / customers as well as reaching a new audience and building a long lasting relationship with them.

Send them emails and tell them what they can expect, include viral elements in your email campaigns. The viral element will ensure that more individuals see your offerings and possibly buy. Basically, get them excited with teaser emails and promotional campaigns, this will increase sales eventually!  If you can do this, they are sure to spend with you instead of competition. Each email is a person with buying power!

If you are planning not to take part in Cyber Monday, you are in for a rude awakening! Failing to take advantage of this shopping craze will see you lose out on extra revenue and increased sales. Besides this, your competition will gain a huge advantage and stand a chance to cement relationships with customers and potential customers.

With the right strategy, you’ll increase your online sales. Create your own opportunities and stake your claim of the billions that is made on Cyber Monday. It doesn’t matter how big your organisation or what you sell, there is a market for your product. You just have to navigate people to your website on the 26th November 2018.

Resources:

The Ultimate Cyber Monday Ecommerce Strategy Guide for Killer Sales

 

https://www.aprfinder.com/cyber-monday-history-economics-predictions

What is Cyber Monday, and What Can it Mean for Your Business?

https://www.business2community.com/strategy/business-participate-cyber-monday-01943435