• by Alex Campbell , November 21, 2018

The holidays are officially upon us. If you’re a marketer, you’ve had your content locked and loaded for weeks. You’ve planned out when you’re going to send emails and text messages and scheduled other omnichannel experiences.

But there’s just one question remaining: When is the best time -- the perfect time -- to send out these communications to your customers? And more importantly, how do you capitalize on Black Friday, retail’s busiest shopping day:? 

As vital as this retail holiday is for driving in-store sales, most brands today still aren’t asking a critical question of their marketing strategy: Are we actually paying attention to holiday shopping behavior? The key is catching consumers and reminding them of your marketing content when they’re in the parking lot or in the store -- in other words, when the content would be most helpful to them. 

So what’s the key to grabbing consumer’s attention this holiday season? 

Don’t get caught in the Black Friday noise. Send a message on Saturday instead. 

We’ve found that marketing messages sent on Saturday are just as likely to be opened and engaged with as those sent on Black Friday. Additionally, since most marketers are focused on Black Friday, a message on Saturday has a much better chance of not being drowned out by other marketing noise. We’ve found that Saturdays have 71% less marketing noise than Black Friday.  

Our data highlights the importance of Black Friday to retailers’ holiday success, but also suggests that distributing marketing messages more equitably throughout the shopping weekend season could help  consumers cut through the clutter and feel confident in their purchasing choices. 

Surprised?

People don’t just shop on Friday. The National Retail Federation estimates that 174 million people shopped in stores and online during last year's five-day Thanksgiving weekend, starting on Wednesday and ending on Cyber Monday. An always-on strategy is critical in connecting with people whenever they need you. 

It’s a fine line to play, as with any marketing strategy. This by no means suggests that brands should be cranking out mediocre content and spamming consumers’ phones or inboxes. Plan your content strategy deliberately and give customers what they want, while keeping it relevant to them and your brand.

Brands have a huge opportunity to anticipate what consumers want, listen to them and deliver deals in a personalized manner. Don’t let your marketing messages get lost in the noise. Be bold. Many consumers will appreciate the gentle reminder of your deals throughout the weekend.