Black Friday is coming in just a couple weeks, and many retailers are already making plans for what could be the biggest shopping day of the year. It's likely to be a long day, since many shops open their doors early on Black Friday, so here are some chronological tips to help you get through the long hours in an organized fashion.
One Week Before: Major promotions
The week before Black Friday is the time to push your sales as hard as you can. Social media is a great start, and you should be touting what items you'll have up for grabs on your website. But you can also attract shoppers by putting up signs around your store and in your window displays counting down to the big day.
The Night Before: Get prepped
If you plan on working Thanksgiving night, then you should take the time to make sure the store is prepped. Do a few walkthroughs of the floor to make sure your display tables are neatly stacked, your jewelry displays are well-stocked and your mannequins are dressed in the trendiest outfits.
Opening: manage chaos
The early bird shoppers are likely to be the most excited, which means the first few hours of Black Friday will be chaotic. Your morning motto should be "all hands on deck," meaning you should have many employees on the floor guiding customers to sales and helping gift-wrap items and work the register.
Afternoon: Reorganize the floor
Once the morning rush is over, you'll have a little time to catch your breath. The afternoon should be spent cleaning up the floor and returning it to the state it was in before you opened your doors. Have employees help restock your gondola shelves, and replace any sold-out items in your display cases with new products.
Evening: Push your final items
In the evening, you may feel that your wares are too picked-over to do much good, but you can help maximize sales by encouraging customers to pick up those last few products. Gather small items and put them near the counter, and consider adding a few "last-minute" deals for late-comers.
At the close: Get ready again
When you've closed up shop, make sure you give your employees a big pat on the back for a job well done. At this point, you'll need to set about getting your store back in order, as you'll likely have shoppers returning on Saturday to see if there are any sale items left over.
