Black Friday Ideas for Online Business Owners
Wondering what to sell on Black Friday in your online business? You might already have everything you need to create a profitable Black Friday promotion.
If you're a coach, consultant, course creator, Human Design practitioner or online entrepreneur, Black Friday can be an opportunity to generate additional revenue without spending weeks creating a brand-new offer.
And if the thought of participating in Black Friday makes you want to run in the opposite direction? That's okay too.
In this episode of Unjaded, Vickie Dickson shares practical Black Friday sales ideas for online business owners, including ways to sell existing digital products, repurpose old courses and workshops, create limited-availability coaching offers, and pre-sell something you haven't built yet.
Drawing on her experience generating approximately $10,000 in Black Friday revenue in a typical year, Vickie explains why Black Friday doesn't have to mean slashing your prices, running expensive ads or creating something completely new.
Sometimes the easiest way to bring money into your business is to look at what you've already created.
In This Episode, We're Talking About
- Whether Black Friday is worth participating in as an online entrepreneur
- Why Black Friday can be an opportunity for small businesses, even when larger companies are competing for attention
- When to start promoting your Black Friday offers
- How to warm up your email list, podcast audience and social media followers before your sale
- Selling existing digital products, masterclasses, private podcasts and courses
- How to run an online business garage sale with offers sitting on your digital shelves
- Why limited-availability coaching sessions can make excellent Black Friday offers
- Creating added value instead of offering deep discounts
- How a five- or six-day Black Friday promotion can work
- Turning an existing course into an evergreen, self-paced product
- Pre-selling a course or program before creating it
- Black Friday ideas for new entrepreneurs who don't have an existing product library
- Using Black Friday to gain coaching experience and improve your skills
- Why Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday might be alternatives worth considering
1. Sell the Digital Products You Already Have
Before you create anything new for Black Friday, take a look at what's already sitting in your business.
Do you have an old workshop, course, masterclass, private podcast, digital report or training that people can still benefit from?
If you've been in business for a few years, chances are you've accumulated a library of valuable content that you're no longer actively selling.
Vickie shares how a business garage sale from Canadian Pinterest expert Megan Williamson sparked the idea of dusting off those forgotten offers and making them available again.
You don't necessarily need to completely rebuild or rebrand them.
Sometimes a simple, limited-time offer is enough to bring an existing product back into circulation.
Ask yourself: What have I already created that could be making money in my business right now?
2. Create a Limited-Availability Coaching Offer
Black Friday doesn't have to be about selling inexpensive digital products.
If you love working directly with clients, consider offering a limited number of one-on-one sessions, business intensives, coaching days or Voxer support packages.
These offers can work particularly well when your time and availability are limited.
And because people are purchasing access to your expertise and personal attention, you don't need to offer a dramatic discount.
You could offer a special bonus, additional support or an exclusive session format instead.
The value is in the experience of working with you.
3. Run a Different Black Friday Deal Each Day
Instead of one offer, you could create a series of promotions across five or six days.
Vickie shares that she's used this approach for several years, typically generating around $10,000 in Black Friday sales, with one previous year bringing in approximately $11,500.
Each day features a different opportunity, followed by a recap of the available offers.
This approach can be particularly useful if you have multiple courses, coaching packages, workshops or digital products that appeal to different parts of your audience.
The key is to plan ahead and give people time to become interested before the sale begins.
4. Turn an Existing Course Into an Evergreen Product
Have a course you've taught live that could become a self-paced program?
Black Friday might be the motivation you need to make it available.
An evergreen course is a program customers can purchase at any time and complete at their own pace, rather than waiting for a scheduled launch or live cohort.
Vickie discusses the possibility of making Content by Design available in an evergreen format and adding a personal session as a bonus.
This allows you to make an existing body of work more accessible without needing to recreate the entire program.
5. Pre-Sell a Course Before You Create It
What if you're newer in business and don't have an archive of products to sell?
You can still participate in Black Friday.
In fact, it might be an opportunity to finally get that course, workshop or coaching experience off the ground.
Vickie shares how the first version of Content by Design was sold during Black Friday before the full program had been created.
Four people purchased seats at approximately $997 each, generating around $4,000 in initial sales.
You can use a pre-sale to validate interest, secure paying clients and create the program with a clear delivery commitment.
The important part is being transparent about what people are buying and when they'll receive it.
6. Offer an Experience That Helps You Develop Your Skills
One of Vickie's early Black Friday offers was a 12 Days of Christmas Human Design experience.
Participants received short daily recordings exploring different aspects of their Human Design charts.
It was a way to serve clients while developing her skills and gaining valuable experience in a newer business.
If you're just starting out, consider what you could offer that would help your customers get a meaningful result while allowing you to practice your craft.
You don't have to wait until everything is perfect.
Sometimes getting into the room with paying clients is exactly what moves your business forward.
When Should You Start Marketing Your Black Friday Offers?
Don't wait until Black Friday morning to tell people what you're selling.
Start building awareness several weeks ahead of time through the channels you already use, whether that's your email list, podcast, LinkedIn, Substack or social media.
You don't need to be everywhere.
But if you're planning a Black Friday promotion, give your audience time to reconnect with your work, understand the value of your offers and recognize why they might want to buy.
And remember, participating in Black Friday doesn't automatically mean you need to run paid advertising.
Vickie explains why she prefers to avoid competing with major advertisers during one of the busiest shopping periods of the year.
Frequently Asked Questions About Black Friday for Online BusinessesWhat can I sell on Black Friday as a coach or online entrepreneur?
You can sell existing courses, masterclasses, digital downloads, private podcasts, coaching sessions, business intensives, self-paced programs or limited-time experiences. You can also pre-sell a new program with a clearly communicated delivery date.
Do I need to create a new product for Black Friday?
No. Start by auditing your existing products and services. An older course, workshop or training that remains useful could become a Black Friday offer without requiring weeks of new content creation.
Should I discount my coaching services for Black Friday?
Not necessarily. When you're selling personal access to your time and expertise, you can offer added value, an exclusive package or limited availability rather than a substantial price reduction.
Can I run a Black Friday sale if I'm new in business?
Yes. You could offer a small number of one-on-one sessions, a live workshop, a short guided experience or a pre-sale of a course you intend to create. Be clear about what customers will receive and when.
Is Black Friday worth it for small online businesses?
It can be. Black Friday is a period when many consumers are actively looking for offers. But whether it's worthwhile depends on your audience, products, profit margins, capacity and business goals. You don't have to participate simply because other businesses are doing it.
What if I don't want to participate in Black Friday?
You can skip it. You could also create a promotion for Small Business Saturday or Cyber Monday instead. You're the boss of your business, and you get to decide which opportunities are worth your energy.
Your Black Friday Business Audit
Before you decide whether to participate this year, take a few minutes to look at what's already available to you.
Ask yourself:
- What...
