Black Friday Prep Checklist for Your Candle Business
Ready to make this Black Friday your best yet? With a little planning and creativity, you can build excitement, boost sales, and grow your customer base—all while keeping it fun! Use this simple checklist to guide your way to a successful Black Friday sale.
1. Define Your Goals
Start by setting goals that feel like wins!
- Grow Your Followers: Aim to increase your social media following by a certain percentage.
- Boost Brand Awareness: Get your candles in front of more people—use collaborations or sponsored posts to expand your reach.
- Cover Your Costs: Set a realistic sales target that will cover your business costs or make a small profit. No goal is too small—every step counts!
2. Design Your Offer
Keep it simple and exciting!
- Discounts: Offer a limited-time deal (e.g., 10% off all candles or a bundle deal like “Buy 1 Candle, Get 1 Roller 20% Off”).
- Gift with Purchase: How about a free sample of your newest scent with every purchase? Who doesn’t love a surprise gift?!
- Special Bundles: Pair your candles and fragrance rollers for a perfect holiday gift set at a great price.
3. Prepare Your Inventory
You don’t have to go overboard—just focus on what sells!
- Estimate Demand: Look at previous sales to get an idea of how many products to prepare.
- Showcase Your Bestsellers: Highlight candles like Sunrise or Pikake—these are your crowd-pleasers!
- Pre-orders: Consider offering pre-orders for popular items to stay ahead of demand.
4. Promote with Ease
Create buzz before the big day!
- Eye-catching Visuals: Design vibrant posts and emails using Canva or Photoshop. Make sure they stand out and scream “SALE!”
- Schedule Your Posts: Plan ahead! Schedule posts and emails to build anticipation leading up to Black Friday.
- Sneak Peeks: Share behind-the-scenes glimpses of what’s coming and tease your special offers to get people excited!
5. Test Your Storefront
Make shopping as easy as lighting a candle!
- Check Your Website: Make sure your site is running smoothly and all products are easy to find.
- Smooth Checkout: Test your checkout process to ensure it’s quick and easy, with multiple payment options like PayPal and Venmo.
- Mobile-Friendly: With so many shoppers on their phones, make sure your website is easy to navigate on mobile!
6. Reflect and Connect After Black Friday
The sale is over, but the work isn’t!
- Review Your Results: Did you hit your goals? Look at the numbers and see what worked.
- Thank Your Customers: Send a heartfelt thank-you email to all your customers, and ask for feedback—show them how much you appreciate their support!
Printable Black Friday Prep Checklist
-
Define Your Goals
- ☐ Set clear objectives:
- ☐ Growth: Aim to increase followers by ___% and engage with new audiences.
- ☐ Brand Awareness: Plan for collaborations or boosted posts to expand reach.
- ☐ Sales Targets: Determine specific sales numbers or revenue goals to cover costs or achieve a small profit.
- ☐ Track progress:
- ☐ Break goals into milestones (daily or weekly) for easy tracking.
Design Your Offer
- ☐ Choose promotions:
- ☐ Discounts: Offer site-wide or product-specific discounts (e.g., “10% off all candles” or “20% off bundles”).
- ☐ Bundles: Pair bestsellers for a holiday package deal.
- ☐ Gift with Purchase: Add a mini sample or freebie with orders over a set amount.
- ☐ Make the offer clear:
- ☐ Ensure it’s easy to understand and valuable—highlight savings and unique benefits!
Prepare Inventory
- ☐ Estimate product demand:
- ☐ Check past sale data to predict demand and prevent under or overstocking.
- ☐ Stock up on bestsellers:
- ☐ Prioritize popular items (e.g., Sunrise, Pikake candles) and ensure sufficient quantities.
- ☐ Consider pre-orders:
- ☐ Offer pre-orders on high-demand items to gauge interest and secure early sales.
- ☐ Organize supplies:
- ☐ Double-check packaging, labels, and shipping materials for a smooth fulfillment process.
Promote with Ease
- ☐ Create engaging visuals:
- ☐ Design eye-catching posts, banners, and email templates using tools like Canva.
- ☐ Schedule content:
- ☐ Plan a posting schedule for social media (countdowns, product teasers) and email blasts.
- ☐ Build anticipation:
- ☐ Use sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes shots, and countdowns to keep followers excited.
- ☐ Use clear calls-to-action:
- ☐ Direct customers to “Save the Date,” “Mark Your Calendar,” or “Grab Your Faves While They Last!”
Test Your Storefront
- ☐ Review your website:
- ☐ Confirm that all product pages are accurate, organized, and easy to navigate.
- ☐ Test checkout process:
- ☐ Ensure the checkout is smooth, with multiple payment options (e.g., PayPal, Venmo, credit cards).
- ☐ Optimize for mobile:
- ☐ Make sure the website layout looks great on both mobile and desktop.
- ☐ Offer support details:
- ☐ Provide contact information or a FAQ section for questions about the sale.
Reflect and Connect
- ☐ Analyze performance:
- ☐ Track sales, customer engagement, and new followers—did you meet your goals?
- ☐ Gather feedback:
- ☐ Send a follow-up survey or email for feedback on their experience and suggestions.
- ☐ Show gratitude:
- ☐ Thank customers with a personalized email or social post to make them feel valued.
- ☐ Document insights:
- ☐ Note any successes or areas for improvement to make next Black Friday even better!
- ☐ Set clear objectives: