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Shopping on Black Friday has become as big a tradition as the feast the day before. As the top deal day of the year, your company can get in on the action with a handful of Black Friday marketing strategies. These ideas are geared toward spreading your Black Friday marketing word far and wide, both online and in person.

Social Media Campaigns

Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram can be total hotspots for Black Friday deals with the right kind of campaigns. You want campaigns that pique interest, generate excitement, and get people coming to your shop. Ideas include:

• Sweepstakes, where people enter their name and email for chance to win a big Black Friday discount
• Mystery surprises, where shoppers get a free gift based on the amount of Black Friday money they spend
• Sneak peeks at upcoming specials, with postings of fabulous photos showcasing the sensational stuff that’ll be on sale

Hashtags can also be super helpful for drawing in folks looking for deals. Try tags like #blackfridaysale, #blackfridaydeals, and #blackfriday2017.

In-Store Promos

Make sure anyone who comes into your physical shop between now and Thanksgiving knows you have phenomenal Black Friday events in store. Create several eye-catching banners to hang in strategic areas, like near the checkout, in display windows, and over the main entrance and exit.

Print up a batch of fliers you can leave on the front counter and hand to customers with every purchase. Signs on display racks also work for grabbing attention, as does a display of some of the most sizzling items you’ll have on sale.

Direct Mail Discounts

Sending out Thanksgiving cards to your previous customers is a sweet gesture, and including a Black Friday coupon code inside is a great way to get them coming back. Include a personal note in the card thanking them for their purchase earlier that year, and create a customized coupon code using the person’s name.

Writing the enclosed note by hand makes it all the more special. If you took the time to handwrite a note and create a personalized coupon code, that person may be more inclined to take the time to head to your shop and use it.

Email Deals

Email is another way to reach the masses with your Black Friday marketing, either with an existing subscriber list or one you compile from past customer information. Emails are a great way to promote specific products you’ll have on sale, complete with a link to the product on your website so they can simply click and buy when the time is right.

Encourage people to open and read the email with a catchy subject line they can’t resist. Create urgency by mentioning the limited timeframe of your deals, such as “Today only” or “Black Friday until noon.”

Run with these Black Friday marketing ideas and you’ll have all your bases covered. You’ll reach shoppers online, in your store, at their homes, and in their email inboxes. Once the masses are fully aware of all the tantalizing deals you have lined up, the sales are likely to start rolling in. Start getting the word out now with printed marketing materials from PaperDirect.

You’ve received some training, you’ve sent out your resume, and now — at long last — you’re finally headed toward your first job interview. If your palms are starting to sweat and your shoulders tense up at the thought, don’t worry. You are not alone! Interviewing for any job, let alone your first one, is a nerve-wracking experience.

Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to make sure the interview goes smoothly. Follow these first job interview tips to get an edge over the competition.

Prep Physically

Remember that when you step into the room with your potential employer, it’s not just your mind that needs to be working well. Make sure that you’re prepping your body correctly. Get a good night’s sleep the night before and eat a filling breakfast the morning of your interview. If you have time, do some yoga or hit the gym before your interview to boost confidence and get those endorphins going. There’s no sense being tired and hungry when you’re trying to impress your potential employers.

Dress for the Occasion

Think about the job you’re applying for and how you might dress for it on a day-to-day basis, then outfit yourself a step above that. If you’re trying for a manual labor job, go with business casual, like a formal button down shirt paired with slacks or a skirt. If you’re interviewing for an office position where the dress is business casual, consider wearing a suit or a professional dress.

Whatever you wear, make sure that your clothes are clean and as wrinkle-free as possible. Avoid flashy colors or bold fashion statements – there’ll be plenty of time to express your true fashion-forward self once you get the job.

Do Your Homework

Spend at least an hour researching the company at which you’re going to interview. Read articles about them, review who the decision makers are at the company, and try to find out what former employees are saying. A simple Google search of the company’s name should yield several results to peruse before you walk in the door. Glassdoor is also a useful resource for employee opinions and interview experiences.

When you’re informed, you can speak easily and handle any topic that comes your way, and your interviewers will be impressed with the effort you put in to learn about their company.

Project Confidence and Good Humor

This one is straightforward, but it can be an easy one to overlook when you’re walking into your first job interview. You might be nervous, but if you hold your shoulders back, look your interviewer in the eyes, give them a firm handshake, and keep a smile on your face, you’ll go a long way toward masking your anxiety.

You never know – a little feigned physical confidence may even inspire some inner confidence, too!

Send a Note Afterward

No matter how you think the interview went, you can only help yourself by taking the time to pick up a pen and write a short thank you note to your interviewer. A friendly note thanking them for their time might make all the difference between landing the job and being beat by the competition.

Follow these tips, and your first job interview is going to be a breeze. Don’t forget to prep in advance by doing some research, finding a professional outfit, eating a filling meal, and ordering thank you notes from PaperDirect to send after your interview. Now, go get ‘em!