5 Black Friday Ideas for Small Businesses and Freelancers
Looking for Black Friday ideas for small businesses and freelancers? You’re in the right place! With Cyber Weekend just around the corner, now is the time to think about how you can take advantage of all the discounts that will be on offer. In this post, we’re going to look at five ways you can take advantage of Black Friday:
- Investing in continued professional development
- Trying out tools or services
- Upgrading your workspace
- Stocking up on supplies
- Running a short-term sale or promotion
What Is Black Friday?
Black Friday takes place before the final weekend of November. It refers to the Friday after Thanksgiving (an annual holiday in the United States), when many retailers offer discounts on their products. It is often considered the start of the Christmas shopping season.
As well as offering discounts on Black Friday, many retailers run Cyber Weekend (starting with Black Friday) and Cyber Monday (the Monday after Black Friday) sales. Some even run a Cyber Week, a full week of sales starting on Black Friday.
The term “Black Friday” has a long history, and there are several theories on where the name came from. It was first used in reference to the crash of the US gold market in 1869.
The origin of the term in retail is debated. A common theory is that, after operating in the red (at a loss) for most of the year, businesses would begin to operate in the black (make a profit) after Thanksgiving. However, this doesn’t appear to be the true meaning.
History.com says that the term was actually coined by the Philadelphian police in the 1950s, to describe the chaos that ensued as shoppers and tourists descended on the city in advance of the annual Army-Navy football game. The police had to deal with extra crowds, traffic, and shoplifters – and used the term “Black Friday” to describe the mayhem. From there, the term caught on among shoppers and businesses alike, and began to spread nationwide.
How to Make the Most of Black Friday
Black Friday can be a great opportunity to save money on something you’ve been wanting or needing, but you should not feel pressure to participate in it if you don’t want to. If you do decide to participate in Black Friday, here are five ways you can make the most of it.
1. Investing in Continued Professional Development
Black Friday can be a great opportunity to invest in your continued professional development (CPD). If there is a particular skill you’d like to develop, you might be able to find discounted books (or other learning materials) to help you get started.
Many elearning companies offer discounts on their courses over Cyber Weekend, so it can be a great time to buy that course you’ve been keeping an eye on. Even if you aren’t currently considering a course, there’s no harm in having a look around. CPD can help you keep your skills and knowledge up to date, diversify the services you offer clients and customers, and boost your credibility.
If you’d like a starting point, check out our blogs on the best copy editing, proofreading, and writing courses.
2. Trying Out Tools or Services
Black Friday can also be a good time to explore new tools that can help you with your business. Perhaps you need help managing your workload or staying on top of your finances – you could try out some tools while they are available at a discounted price and see if they’re suitable for you.
3. Upgrading Your Workspace
As a freelancer, having a comfortable, dedicated workspace is important. After all, you’ll likely spend a lot of your time there! Buying office furniture and equipment can be expensive, so Black Friday and Cyber Weekend are a good opportunity to cut down the cost. For example, you could look out for:
- Storage solutions for paperwork or stationery
- Ergonomic furniture (e.g., a high-quality chair)
- A floor or desk lamp with adjustable brightness
- Decor to personalize your workspace
If you’re looking for inspiration, check out our blog post on 7 Things to Put in Your Home Office.
4. Stocking Up on Supplies
Black Friday isn’t just about big purchases! You can also stock up on the things you use on a daily basis. For example:
- Stationery supplies (e.g., pens and notebooks)
- Office supplies (e.g., printer paper and ink)
- Break time supplies (e.g., tea, coffee, and snacks)
Small business and freelance income can be variable, so it never hurts to save money where you can.
5. Running a Short-Term Sale or Promotion
You may decide to join the spirit of Black Friday and offer a sale on your products or services. While you might be worried about dropping your prices even just for a day, there can be benefits to doing so, especially if you’re relatively new to freelancing. Offering a short-term discount can help you attract clients quickly, gain experience, and start to build your portfolio.
However, if you do decide to offer a discount, be careful not to go overboard. Our blog on offering discounts as a freelancer provides great advice on how to offer discounts that don’t become detrimental to your business.
Becoming a Freelancer
We mentioned above that Black Friday can be a great time to reinforce your skills by taking courses. We have three courses that you may be interested in: Becoming A Proofreader, Becoming An Editor, and Becoming A Freelance Writer. You can try all our courses for free or take advantage of our bundled offer: Becoming A Proofreader and Becoming An Editor.
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