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Join me as I chat with Jonathan Courtney, Co-Founder and CEO of AJ&Smart, as we dive deep into Black Friday Campaign strategy. Jonathan shares his strategies and frameworks for leveraging Black Friday regardless of what type of business you run.
Episode Timestamps
00:00 - Intro
01:15 - The Importance of Black Friday for Businesses
04:21 - Types of Black Friday Sales
05:01 - Case Study: Endel's Renewal Strategy
08:49 - Comparing Strategies: MagicMind and AG1
12:48 - Apple's Unique Approach to Black Friday
14:25 - Creative E-commerce Strategies
20:12 - Bundling Products for Black Friday
22:51 - Startup Idea 1: Black Friday Agency
27:55 - Gamifying Promo Codes
29:59 - Our Black Friday Buys
31:41 - Live Streaming as a Sales Strategy
1) The Store Credit Hack
Instead of basic "20% off" - tell customers they have $21.63 in store credit expiring soon
Why it works:
• Feels like "their money"
• Specific numbers boost authenticity
• Creates urgency
2) The Premium Play
How luxury brands do Black Friday:
• No discounts
• Give gift cards with purchase
• Example: Apple gives $200 credit
Keeps brand prestige while driving sales
3) The Bundle Builder
Four Sigmatic's genius approach:
• Interactive bundle builder
• Unlocks bigger discounts at $59/$99
• Shows real-time savings
• Makes shopping fun
Steal this for your store
4) The Bonus Stack
MagicMind's approach:
• Start with core discount
• Add digital product access
• Include physical gifts
• Stack more bonuses as week progresses
Psychology: Value over Discount
5) The Subscription Push
SaaS playbook:
• Offer renewal discounts
• Add exclusive bonuses
• Example: Endel does 50% off + premium gifts
• Works for any subscription business
6) The QVC Strategy
Modern twist:
• Run 12-hour livestream sales
• Show limited quantities
• Create FOMO
• Add exclusive bundles
• Perfect for influencer brands
7) The Campaign Timeline
Smart businesses:
• Plan 6 months ahead
• Start ads 3 days before
• Build waiting lists
• Layer in bonuses
• Peak on Friday
8) The Profit Reality
Truth bomb:
• Could make 1-2 months revenue in 1 week
• Some brands make yearly revenue
• Even "bad" years saved by Black Friday
• Ignoring it = leaving millions on table
Remember: Black Friday isn't just a discount day.
It's a strategic revenue event that can make your entire year.
Don't flub it
Want more free ideas? I collect the best ideas from the pod and give them to you for free in a database. Most of them cost $0 to start (my fav)
Get access: https://www.gregisenberg.com/30startupideas
LCA helps Fortune 500s and fast-growing startups build their future - from Warner Music to Fortnite to Dropbox. We turn 'what if' into reality with AI, apps, and next-gen products https://latecheckout.agency/
BoringAds — ads agency that will build you profitable ad campaigns http://boringads.com/
BoringMarketing — SEO agency and tools to get your organic customers http://boringmarketing.com/
Startup Empire - a membership for builders who want to build cash-flowing businesses https://www.startupempire.co
FIND ME ON SOCIAL
X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/gregisenberg
Instagram: https://instagram.com/gregisenberg/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gisenberg/
FIND JONATHAN ON SOCIAL
X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jicecream
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-courtney-4510644b/
AJ&Smart: https://ajsmart.com/
Episode Timestamps
00:00 - Intro
01:15 - The Importance of Black Friday for Businesses
04:21 - Types of Black Friday Sales
05:01 - Case Study: Endel's Renewal Strategy
08:49 - Comparing Strategies: MagicMind and AG1
12:48 - Apple's Unique Approach to Black Friday
14:25 - Creative E-commerce Strategies
20:12 - Bundling Products for Black Friday
22:51 - Startup Idea 1: Black Friday Agency
27:55 - Gamifying Promo Codes
29:59 - Our Black Friday Buys
31:41 - Live Streaming as a Sales Strategy
1) The Store Credit Hack
Instead of basic "20% off" - tell customers they have $21.63 in store credit expiring soon
Why it works:
• Feels like "their money"
• Specific numbers boost authenticity
• Creates urgency
2) The Premium Play
How luxury brands do Black Friday:
• No discounts
• Give gift cards with purchase
• Example: Apple gives $200 credit
Keeps brand prestige while driving sales
3) The Bundle Builder
Four Sigmatic's genius approach:
• Interactive bundle builder
• Unlocks bigger discounts at $59/$99
• Shows real-time savings
• Makes shopping fun
Steal this for your store
4) The Bonus Stack
MagicMind's approach:
• Start with core discount
• Add digital product access
• Include physical gifts
• Stack more bonuses as week progresses
Psychology: Value over Discount
5) The Subscription Push
SaaS playbook:
• Offer renewal discounts
• Add exclusive bonuses
• Example: Endel does 50% off + premium gifts
• Works for any subscription business
6) The QVC Strategy
Modern twist:
• Run 12-hour livestream sales
• Show limited quantities
• Create FOMO
• Add exclusive bundles
• Perfect for influencer brands
7) The Campaign Timeline
Smart businesses:
• Plan 6 months ahead
• Start ads 3 days before
• Build waiting lists
• Layer in bonuses
• Peak on Friday
8) The Profit Reality
Truth bomb:
• Could make 1-2 months revenue in 1 week
• Some brands make yearly revenue
• Even "bad" years saved by Black Friday
• Ignoring it = leaving millions on table
Remember: Black Friday isn't just a discount day.
It's a strategic revenue event that can make your entire year.
Don't flub it
Want more free ideas? I collect the best ideas from the pod and give them to you for free in a database. Most of them cost $0 to start (my fav)
Get access: https://www.gregisenberg.com/30startupideas
LCA helps Fortune 500s and fast-growing startups build their future - from Warner Music to Fortnite to Dropbox. We turn 'what if' into reality with AI, apps, and next-gen products https://latecheckout.agency/
BoringAds — ads agency that will build you profitable ad campaigns http://boringads.com/
BoringMarketing — SEO agency and tools to get your organic customers http://boringmarketing.com/
Startup Empire - a membership for builders who want to build cash-flowing businesses https://www.startupempire.co
FIND ME ON SOCIAL
X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/gregisenberg
Instagram: https://instagram.com/gregisenberg/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gisenberg/
FIND JONATHAN ON SOCIAL
X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jicecream
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-courtney-4510644b/
AJ&Smart: https://ajsmart.com/
Creators & Guests
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For more startup ideas, we created a database of 30+ startup ideas you can take at https://gregisenberg.com/30startupideas