On Black Friday, your target customers will see all kinds of deals on every platform. So, let’s be realistic: if you want them to notice and snatch your offer, you can’t churn out a generic last-minute discount.
You need to stand out, attract your potential customers, and build momentum before Black Friday itself. The best strategy? A waitlist funnel that feeds into an exciting deal!
We’ll show you exactly how to plan the right one for your business, including 5 ready-to-use Black Friday waitlist templates that you can start customising TODAY.
Why is a waitlist so effective for boosting Black Friday sales?
A Black Friday waitlist is a list of potential customers who are interested in your upcoming offer and that you can contact directly.
Building one before the big day will set you up for a successful sale. Why? Because you’ll get to:
- Capture your leads early – Most businesses rely on social media alone or a generic list, and they often drop their new Black Friday offer out of the blue. Instead, YOU will build and nurture a list of people who are specifically interested in your upcoming deal
- Stand out – Unlike businesses promoting random discounts on Black Friday, you’ll grab your target customers’ attention much earlier on and position yourself as an exclusive option
- Create urgency – By ONLY releasing your offer to your waitlist or giving them additional benefits, you’ll create scarcity and exclusivity. You’ll also have many more chances to emphasise it (for example, by referencing your limited stock) throughout your longer pre-Black Friday promotion
- Manage demand and your inventory – No more relying on assumptions! By monitoring your number of waitlist subscribers, you’ll get a good idea of how many customers are looking to buy from you on Black Friday. This will allow you to plan your inventory or availability confidently, avoiding overpromising or under- and over-stocking
- Build momentum – Instead of competing with everyone on Black Friday itself, you’ll create excitement, urgency, and FOMO before your big sale. So, when you finally announce it, you’ll get to share it with engaged subscribers who are actively looking out for it. Are you ready to sell out?
Making your Black Friday waitlist even more effective with ScoreApp
With ScoreApp, you can take all this one step further:
- Tease your Black Friday offer on a compelling landing page
- Once someone signs up for it? Show them a quick quiz or some strategic questions, obtaining whatever insights YOU need in order to launch your promotion confidently (for example, you can use them to validate your offer idea, find out what people like the most about it so that you can use it in your marketing, identify what products or services they’re super excited about, and so on) and to segment your subscribers into groups
- Connect your waitlist landing page and quiz with your email marketing platform, and set up an automated Black Friday sequence to build momentum
- Use your subscribers’ quiz answers to personalise your emails and, if you’re running multiple offers, recommend the best one for them. Super effective!
Create your Black Friday waitlist, landing page, and quiz with ScoreApp today and for FREE
Best practices for Black Friday waitlist success
To avoid the most common Black Friday marketing mistakes (and disappointment), prioritise the following:
- Create a valuable Black Friday offer – The most strategic funnel and Black Friday templates WON’T sell a bad deal. So, focus on your specific target customers: what are they most interested in? What are their main problems, goals, values, and preferences? Use that to identify your most relevant services or products, and come up with an EXCITING Black Friday deal around them. For example, this could be a substantial discount, a themed bundle, or a bonus that isn’t normally available (like free shipping or a complimentary 1:1 session with you)
- Plan ahead – Ideally, you’ll want to start thinking of your Black Friday offer in October, using November to market your waitlist and then nurture your subscribers via email
- Ask questions to your waitlist subscribers – As mentioned before, this will allow you to collect valuable data and segment your subscribers. You can do this by having a quiz as a lead magnet (for example, “What’s your fashion aesthetic?” or “Discover the right skincare routine for you”) or by simply asking those questions right after someone signs up for your waitlist
- Personalisation – Set up different nurturing sequences for each segment, tailor certain elements in your emails (for example, “Get 60% off this bundle for [their type of skincare routine]”), or recommend the right offer for each subscriber. By making your messaging more relevant to each potential customer, you can boost sales by 20%!
- Make your Black Friday waitlist funnel mobile-friendly – Over 1 in 2 of your Black Friday customers will come from mobile devices. So, your entire funnel must be user-friendly and look just as good on phones, too (for example, are your buttons large enough to be clicked with a thumb? Is your checkout process smooth?)
- Use social proof – Reviews from past customers, case studies, user-generated content… Add social proof to your emails, marketing, and paid ads to build trust and excitement
- Create hype and urgency – Highlight how exclusive and limited your offer is, compelling customers to take action NOW so as not to miss out
- Plan for non-buyers, too – Just because someone didn’t take action now, it doesn’t mean they never will. Buuuuuuut they’ll probably need a nudge! So, set up some abandoned cart emails, and continue to nurture your list after Black Friday (for example, with a Cyber Monday offer or additional discounts later down the line)
6 tactics and ideas to maximise Black Friday sales for different types of businesses
There isn’t “one best Black Friday offer”: it all depends on your goals, business model, and audience. So, make sure you start from those.
But to get your creative juices flowing, here are some Black Friday tactics and ideas for different types of brands.
1. E-commerce stores: flash sales and countdown timers
E-commerce stores THRIVE on emotional purchases and impulse buying, but on Black Friday, you must give your customers a good reason to buy NOW.
So, as well as promoting an exciting sale, go all in on FOMO. Highlight what makes your deal limited and exclusive, and add a countdown timer to your waitlist landing page and website (here’s a Black Friday template you can use).
Example:
A clothing brand could promote a Black Friday waitlist landing page with a countdown timer. Once someone signs up for it, they’ll be shown some quick questions to uncover what they’re most interested in (for example, “What’s actually missing from your wardrobe?”).
Then, that brand could send them a Black Friday discount with links to the items or categories that best match their needs and preferences, reminding them that the offer will only be available for three days.
2. SaaS businesses: bundle offers or extended trials
Black Friday is an excellent opportunity to attract more customers into your world and get them in the habit of using your SaaS.
So, to entice them, offer them a valuable bundle (for example, with free add-ons that they’d normally need to pay for) or an extended trial, giving them more time to familiarise themselves with your SaaS and make the most of its features.
Your landing page could also include a countdown timer (here’s a template for you!) to create even more urgency.
Example:
A project management SaaS company could target small businesses with an exclusive three-month free trial.
When someone signs up for the waitlist, they’ll be shown some questions to understand their company’s needs and preferences.
And once they start their free trial on Black Friday? Their automated email sequence will include tutorials, resources, and advice to help them focus on the most relevant features for them.
Then, towards the end of the free trial, it’ll compel them to switch to an annual subscription using personalised messaging.
3. B2B service providers: limited VIP discounts
We bet lots of potential customers have been thinking of working with you for a while but are still on the fence. So, on Black Friday, create something irresistible for them!
This could be a one-off deal (so that you can start building a 1:1 relationship and upsell a bigger offer when the time is right) or a retainer, like getting the first month for free if they sign up now.
Lead with the exclusivity around this waitlist-only offer (here’s a landing page template that’s perfect for B2B service providers) and mention your limited availability.
Example:
A marketing agency could tease their Black Friday offer on a landing page: a 1:1 strategy day that will only be available for max 5 clients.
Their ScoreApp quiz could ask questions to uncover each prospect’s challenges and goals.
Then, this agency’s Black Friday emails will lead with the most relevant benefit for each segment, compelling them to snatch one of the 5 slots before they sell out.
4. Retailers: local promotions and in-store events
If you want to get more customers through your front door this Black Friday, you’ll need to give them something they WON’T find online: an experience!
So, consider planning an exciting in-store event or some perks that go beyond a discount, using your waitlist to build excitement around it (here’s a landing page template you can use).
Example:
A furniture store could organise a Black Friday event with refreshments, a complimentary glass of bubbly on arrival, and a 30% discount.
The pavement signs and banners will attract plenty of passersby, but their online waitlist will build momentum and offer an exclusive deal: by using the secret password only mentioned in those emails, waitlist subscribers will access a HIGHER in-store discount.
5. Service-based businesses: bundles
From photographers to hairdressers and beauticians (and more): this Black Friday, you can attract new customers and increase the average order value for your existing ones.
Bundles are perfect for this because they encourage people to treat themselves or try something new.
So, make yours super valuable and exclusive by offering them to your Black Friday waitlist subscribers alone (you can start from this template). Then, once they’ve booked one, you can always upsell and cross-sell other relevant options.
Example:
A hair salon might tease an exclusive Black Friday promotion on a landing page.
Then, their ScoreApp questions will identify what each lead is most interested in.
That way, instead of overwhelming them with all kinds of bundles, the salon can promote the best one for them, like a discounted cut and colour package with free hair care products.
6. Luxury brands: early access and limited stock offers
Whether you sell products or experiences, being a luxury brand means that investing in you is seen as a symbol of status. So, a Black Friday discount might not be as relevant.
Instead, frame your offer around its exclusivity! Your limited collection or premium services will only be available to your waitlist subscribers (start by customising this template).
Example:
A luxury spa could organise a special, romantic evening for two. Customers will get a couple’s treatment, access to an outdoor jacuzzi, and a meal with complimentary strawberries and champagne.
It’ll be a one-time-only event in December, and the tickets won’t be available for purchase outside that Black Friday waitlist. Very exclusive!
5 ready-to-use Black Friday waitlist templates
Got your first ideas? Exciting!
Now, let’s create your landing page so that you can start promoting your Black Friday waitlist and offer ASAP.
With ScoreApp, you can either start from scratch with our drag-and-drop builder or choose a template.
They can all be customised to match your branding and needs, of course, but here are templates that are particularly perfect for certain types of businesses or promotions.
1. Black Friday waitlist template for services
This waitlist landing page template is ideal for B2B service providers in particular but can work just as well for B2C brands.
You’ll get to:
- Lead with your exciting Black Friday offer
- Reinforce its urgency with a countdown timer
- Place a stronger emphasis on your branding
- Include plenty of photos (for example, to showcase your team and inspire a human connection)
- Spotlight your top services
- Share plenty of social proof to build trust
2. Black Friday waitlist template for e-commerce businesses
It doesn’t matter if you sell clothes, photography equipment, tech items, or something else entirely.
If you run a product-based business, this template will allow you to:
- Lead with your main discount
- Wow your potential customers with high-quality visuals
- Tease your different deals (for example, your top bundles)
3. Black Friday waitlist template with a countdown timer
This versatile template can be a handy starting point for any kind of business model, from B2B services to B2C products and anything in between. Its main focus? FOMO!
Since it’s a fairly short landing page, we mainly recommend using it if your audience doesn’t need a lot of convincing (for example, if your offer is a no-brainer or your brand is already established).
- Lead with a countdown timer that highlights urgency and scarcity
- Showcase your offer
- Add more context or social proof with a visual banner (such as the brands that’ll be available for purchase on your e-commerce platform, or the logos of the companies that already invested in your services)
4. Black Friday waitlist template with a countdown timer and benefits
This landing page template is similar to the previous one but longer and more in-depth.
So, it’d be a wiser choice if your brand isn’t well-known in your industry (yet!) or if you simply need more room to showcase your Black Friday offer.
It’ll allow you to:
- Lead with a countdown timer that creates a sense of urgency
- Highlight your fabulous offer
- Add more context with a logo banner
- Share more details about your upcoming offer or top deals
5. Black Friday waitlist template with social proof
Thinking of prioritising social proof on your Black Friday waitlist landing page?
Whether that’s through reviews of customers who already purchased your products or testimonials from clients who invested in your B2B services, you’re going to LOVE this template!
- Lead with your upcoming offer
- Build trust with social proof by sharing several reviews
- Highlight the benefits of your offer
- Spotlight your main bundles or deals
- Add more context with a logo banner, using it to showcase the brands whose items you sell on your website or to include more social proof (for example, logos of companies that invested in your services or endorsed your products)
Pick a ScoreApp landing page template, and set yourself up for success with a Black Friday waitlist funnel
To sell out on Black Friday, start building momentum NOW.
With ScoreApp, you’ll attract your potential customers through a compelling landing page, get the insights you need, and create hype and urgency with a personalised promotional sequence.
So, when it’s time to launch your offer, your competitors won’t stand a chance.
Create your Black Friday waitlist funnel with ScoreApp for FREE, or choose one of those templates to start customising it today.
