The Black Friday and Cyber Monday weekend can easily become one of the most profitable times of year for your business. Just take FareHarbor client, Triton Charters, who made $250K in only 6 days during their Black Friday promotion last year.

Black Friday truly kicks off the holiday shopping season and we want to help you market your tours and activities so you can boost your online sales. 

According to TechTarget, 69% of people will shop online for Black Friday rather than in stores.

And 77% of Americans would rather receive experiences over physical gifts (Travel Pulse). You may be wary of offering a promotion during your slower months, especially as a small business. However, small (or large!) discounts can go a long way. Customers care about getting value for their money, and promotions make your customers believe they are getting the most out of what they paid for — no matter the size of the discount. 

There are countless ways tour operators can take advantage of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Below are some promotions that you could run to skyrocket your bookings this holiday season. 

1. Gift Card Sale

One great way to gain online sales is by offering a promotion with your gift cards. 

Gift cards not only allow your customers to buy for themselves, but they can also give the gift of experiences to their loved ones, just in time for gift-giving season. 

It’s easy to offer and promote gift cards with FareHarbor and you even have the option to customize them. You can add your logo, choose a color or pattern, and more! If you do not already have a gift card item in your Dashboard, this is your sign to set one up.

Pro Tip: Create a page on your website specifically for specials, deals, and discounts. This will provide a clear place for customers to find your promotions — and in this case your Black Friday gift card deal! You can also add a banner on the top of your website promoting your gift cards during the holidays.  

2. Free Gift or Add-on with Black Friday Purchase

Rather than offering a discount on the tour or gift card price, you could alternatively add a free gift or add-on with purchase as your promotion. 

You can offer a complimentary gift to be claimed when they check into your business. If you have a gift shop, choose a few items that are popular to give away as a souvenir. If you do not typically have merchandise, consider buying an item like a water bottle, t-shirt, or stuffed animal specifically for the promotion!

The add-on can be a bottle of champagne, hiking pole rental, or any additional item you could offer that would be the most enticing for your customers. 

3. Flash Sale

What gets clicks faster than a flash sale?! This limited-time offer can get your customers to act fast and purchase your tours now. Typically, you would run this from Black Friday through Cyber Monday (and if it’s doing well, throw in an added day on Tuesday as a bonus!).

You can create urgency and FOMO by incorporating language like “hurry” and “this won’t last long” to all of your marketing materials. 

Pro Tip: Add a countdown to your website and in your emails to further showcase your limited-time offer and show how long customers have left to take advantage of your sale. This type of visual will help get customers to book as soon as possible. 

4. Give Back

The holidays are a great time to give back to your local communities and charities. One way to do this is by donating a certain portion of all Black Friday sales to an organization near you.  

This type of sale is less about you making extra money, but is a great way to support a cause you believe in. Giving back can be great for your brand image, however, it is important to relay why this organization is important to you so it doesn’t seem like you are just doing it to look good.

These ideas are here to help you think of a promotion that will work great for your business. Mix and match or go all in for one of these ideas. For additional inspiration, be sure to read how this FareHarbor client made $250,000 from a Black Friday deal.