The Night Before Black Friday: A Last-Minute Brand Checklist

The night before

1. Check every link and price. Click through every offer you’ve advertised. Broken links and wrong prices damage trust faster than any discount can repair it.
2. Test the checkout. Place an order on your phone and on a laptop. Fix anything slow or confusing.
3. Check stock and delivery promises. Do not promise what you can’t deliver. If something sells out, update the page quickly.
4. Schedule your emails and posts. Check spelling, dates and end times. Read them out loud in your normal tone of voice.
5. Look at your homepage as a first-time visitor. Is the offer clear? Is it still obvious what you do?

On the day

1. Watch your inbox and messages. Reply quickly and kindly. People remember how a brand treats them under pressure. Our guide to tone of voice helps keep replies consistent.
2. Keep the look consistent. Sale graphics should use your colours and fonts. Avoid last-minute designs that look different from everything else.
3. Check the parcel experience. If you pack orders yourself, make sure they’re protected and look good. See our guide to packaging that stands out.

If something goes wrong

It probably will, at least a little: a site slowdown, a stock error, a late courier. Decide now who will respond and how. A short, honest message that explains what happened and what you’ll do about it protects trust far better than silence. Keep a few template replies ready, written in your own voice, so that people answering in a hurry still sound like you. Customers forgive mistakes far more readily than they forgive being ignored.

Things not to do

• Do not change your brand look just for the weekend
• Do not exaggerate discounts or invent urgency
• Do not ignore complaints on social media
• Do not discount so far that you can’t recover

Remember your position

If you’re a premium or considered-purchase brand, a modest, honest offer with a clear end date usually works better than a deep discount. See protecting your brand before Black Friday for how to decide.

Plan for the week after

Black Friday brings new faces. Decide now how you’ll thank them, follow up and invite them back. Our five brand checks for small businesses and the brand work you do all year decide whether those new customers stay.

If you would like help preparing your brand for next year’s season, book a free brand consultation or see our small business branding agency page.