Prime Day began in 2015 as a celebration of Amazon’s 20th birthday. It quickly grew from a $415 million event to more than $10 billion in 2020.

But with COVID-19, supply chain & inventory disruptions, economic unrest, and the uncertainty of Prime Day’s official dates, 2020 created a perfect storm that even the most proactive brand executive couldn’t have predicted.Prime Day revolutionized ecommerce and is now an integral part of many brands’ overall marketing strategy – yet last year’s unpredictability has left many executives wondering how to make the most of the major shopping event. A simple wash, rinse, and repeat may not work for your brand this year.

COVID-19 transformed Prime Day. Your strategy needs to transform, too.

A crucial first step in preparing for Amazon Prime Day is to prioritize inventory planning and merchandising. Any successful campaign begins with having a product to sell and knowing how to sell it. It’s also about selecting the right products to promote. With lengthy approval processes and fluctuating deal deadlines to prioritize, lead time considerations can make or break a successful Prime Day.

Once your brand’s Prime Day deals are solidified, two questions that commonly follow are:

Following product detail page best practices can help your brand boost conversions and build trust with consumers, while following SEO best practices will help your brand ensure keyword coverage on highly searched terms. Proactively collecting reviews can also supercharge your Prime Day conversions.

Once products are picked and product detail pages are ready, the next step is preparing your brand’s campaigns – both on and off Amazon – to drive revenue before, during, and after Prime Day. Following the right campaign timeline and tactics for your Prime Day advertising will help your brand drive revenue during Prime Day (even if you don’t sell on Amazon). Keep in mind that promotional strategies may differ on Amazon vs. other advertising channels.

Lastly, it’s never too early to start considering the holiday season. Brands like yours should also start thinking about post-campaign strategies to keep the momentum of Prime Day all the way through the holiday season through retargeting.