You Still Have Time: A Last-Minute Guide to Planning Your Black Friday and Holiday Promotions
If you’re feeling behind on your holiday marketing—take a deep breath.
You still have time.
Even if you haven’t started planning your Black Friday or holiday promos yet, there’s still plenty you can do to make this your most profitable season. The secret? Focus on what moves the needle most—simple offers, clear messaging, and consistent promotion.
Here’s your step-by-step guide to getting your holiday campaign up and running this week.
Step 1: Pick One Simple Offer You Can Actually Deliver
The biggest mistake small business owners make is over-complicating their promotions. You don’t need a ton of different offers or a massive discount to make an impact.
Choose one, or just a few, easy-to-execute promotions that fit your business model and clientele. Think about the services you are trying to grow and consider building a promotion around that. Right now, many of my clients are moving towards creating treatment plans that take clients through a full year of services with specific goals. If this is you too, consider creating a bundle of complementary services and offering a slight discount, or value adds to incentivize them to buy.
Gift card promotions are always an easy option too!
Examples:
To focus on growing a service - “Jet Plasma Treatments are $225 each (regularly $250 each).”
Bundle: “The Welcome Package - An initial consultation, treatment and 3-step at-home skin care routine for $295.”
Value-add: “Spend $75, get a free holiday gift bag.”
Gift cards: Bonus bucks, think Buy $100, get an additional $20.
How to implement this week:
Decide your offer today. Keep it simple and profitable.
Write out the details: dates, terms, and any exclusions.
Design one graphic you can use across all platforms (Canva is your friend).
Upload it everywhere—your site, email, social, and Google Business Profile.
Step 2: Add a Banner or Pop-Up to Your Website
Your website is your digital storefront—so your holiday promo should be front and center.
How to implement:
Add a homepage banner or hero image that clearly states your offer and expiration date. Be careful here. I’d recommend a banner over a pop-up for several reason. Pop-ups can get annoying, and cause visitors to leave the site before buying so if you use a pop-up set it up so that it appears when they arrive, but turns off when they click and doesn’t reappear as they browsing through the site.
Link directly to your booking page or a gift card purchase page—reduce clicks, increase conversions.
Pro Tip: If you’re on Squarespace or Wix, duplicate an existing section to save time and just swap in your new content.
Step 3: Update Your Google Business Profile
Google is often where potential clients find you first—especially for local searches like “best facial near me” or “holiday spa gift cards.”
Optimizing your Google Business Profile can instantly increase visibility during the busiest shopping season.
How to implement:
Log in to your profile at google.com/business.
Add holiday hours to avoid confusion.
Upload seasonal photos of your space, products, or team.
Create a “What’s New” post featuring your holiday promotion and a direct link to book or buy.
Ask recent happy clients for reviews—Google prioritizes fresh feedback in rankings.
Step 4: Share the Offer Across All Your Channels
The key to a successful holiday promotion is consistency. Your audience needs to see your offer multiple times before they act.
Channels to use:
Email: Send at least two emails—one teaser (“Something special is coming…”) and one launch email with full details. If you’re running this promotion on Black Friday, I’d consider creating a series of emails. People are bombarded with sales on Black Friday weekend so make sure you’re communicating with them a few times.
Social Media: Post 3–5 times per week about your offer. Use a mix of behind-the-scenes, testimonials, and reminders BUT don’t be too salesy. Instead, talk about the transformation your offer can provide the client, then slide in at the end that you have a deal running on it. Don’t make it all about your sale.
Stories/Reels: Show your face! Talk about the promo casually—people connect with people, not graphics.
In-Studio Signage: Frame a flyer or display a tabletop sign where clients check in or pay.
Step 5: Create Urgency and Build Excitement
A great promotion needs an end date—urgency is what turns interest into action.
How to implement:
Add “Ends [date]” or “Limited Spots Available” on every graphic and caption.
Offer a countdown in your Stories the week before Black Friday.
Share behind-the-scenes content of your team prepping gift cards, orders, or decorations—it builds anticipation.
Bonus Tip: Encourage early action by offering a small “first 10 buyers” incentive—like a free travel-size product or sample.
A Quick Recap
If you only have time for a few tasks this week:
Choose one simple, profitable offer.
Update your website and Google Profile.
Plan two emails and 3–5 social posts.
Create urgency with a clear timeline.
Keep showing up until the last day of your campaign.
With a focused plan, you’ll stand out from competitors scrambling to catch up—and your December bank account will thank you.
Need Help Pulling It All Together?
If you’re planning to DIY your holiday promos, download my complimentary checklist.
If you’d like a strategic eye on your holiday promotions, or help mapping out a step-by-step marketing plan, let’s connect.
Schedule a Consulting Call and let’s make sure your Black Friday and holiday campaigns deliver the results you’re hoping for.
