So, how are we all feeling? Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) are right around the corner, and I’m sure many of us are already deep in the trenches—sleepless nights, constant planning, and that nagging question: Will this be the year we hit our goals? The race is on to make the most of this high-stakes shopping season.
A flood of shoppers are gearing up to empty their wallets, but with every brand pushing out deals, the real question is: Who will they buy from? Inboxes will be more crowded than ever, and the competition to stand out is fierce.
But here’s the truth—BFCM isn’t just about slashing prices or bombarding customers with emails. It’s an opportunity to capitalize on the work you’ve been doing all year and set the stage for what’s to come. That’s why the best brands don’t wait until Q4 to start planning. They begin prepping as early as Q2, leveraging everything they’ve learned throughout the year.
And that’s why we’re not going to waste your time by telling you what percentage discount to offer or how many emails to send—those answers are already in your data.
Every store is different, and the ideal BFCM plan comes from analyzing your store’s unique metrics—what’s worked in the past, what your customers respond to, and what your inventory looks like.
But we are going to share something even more valuable: real BFCM strategies that my team and I have built for our e-commerce partners, strategies that have already generated hundreds of thousands of dollars during the holiday season. These are the actionable, proven steps that 7- and 8-figure brands are using to dominate BFCM—and they’re yours to steal. These strategies will show you how to approach BFCM with a long-term mindset—seeing it not as an isolated event but as part of a bigger, year-round strategy that sets you up for continued success.
1. Leverage the Q4 rush to grow your email and sms list
Every e-commerce store owner knows the thrill of BFCM—those few days where sales skyrocket, and your business feels unstoppable. But if you’re only focused on those two days, you’re playing the short game. The real winners? They’re thinking long-term.
This is the perfect time to grow your email and SMS list, build relationships, and create a strategy that turns holiday shoppers into year-round customers.
Why? Because repeat customers are gold. In fact, Business.com reports that repeat customers spend 67% more than new ones. While everyone else is chasing those quick sales, you can be growing your subscriber base for ongoing revenue.
For one of our clients, we doubled their subscriber list during the BFCM season by implementing simple but effective pop-ups and email flows. Here’s how we did it:
👉Special themed pop-ups: We created pop-ups that offered VIP access to Black Friday and holiday discounts, enticing website visitors to sign up.
👉Holiday-themed welcome flows: Once customers subscribed, they were greeted with a welcome flow that reinforced the excitement of the upcoming holiday promotions.
👉Exclusive discounts: By offering a small but meaningful discount, we gave customers an immediate reason to stick around and stay engaged.
Pro Tip: Want to maximize your sign-ups? Use a two-step pop-up strategy: offer a 10% discount for email sign-ups and then an extra 10% off for SMS sign-ups. This encourages customers to connect with you on multiple channels without overwhelming them.
2. Tailor your strategy to what works for your audience
One of the biggest mistakes brands make during BFCM is assuming that what works for others will work for them. Every audience is different, and so is every brand. Some customers love receiving multiple emails with flash deals, while others might prefer a single, well-timed offer. This is why it’s crucial to tailor your strategy based on your audience’s behavior and preferences.
Take one of our eyewear clients, for example. After testing different strategies, we found that their customers responded better to fewer, more focused emails. Instead of bombarding them with 15 emails a month, we scaled back to one lengthy newsletter and a few key promotional emails.
When BFCM came around, we applied the same principle:
👉One-week campaign: We ran a simple, seven-day campaign, starting one week before Black Friday and running through Cyber Monday.
👉Minimal emails, Maximum impact: The first email alone generated $29,000 in one day, and over the course of the week, we brought in more than $72,000.
The lesson here? Don’t assume you need to do more to succeed. Sometimes, less is more—especially if it aligns with your audience’s preferences.
Here’s a snapshot of all the BFCM email campaigns we sent out during the week:
3. Keep momentum going with multiple promotions
If you decide to go all-in on BFCM, here’s a crucial tip: don’t run the same discount all month long. Offering the same promotion day after day takes away from the sense of urgency and, honestly, it can feel spammy. Instead, switch things up to keep your audience engaged and excited.
For one of our clients, we used a variety of promotions throughout November to keep the momentum going:
Week 1: Early VIP access with a special discount exclusive to loyal customers.
Week 2: A free gift with every purchase over a certain amount.
Week 3: Tiered discounts (e.g., 10% off for $50+, 15% off for $100+), incentivizing bigger orders.
Week 4: Flash sales and limited-time offers exclusive to email and SMS subscribers.
By alternating promotions, we kept the excitement high and avoided giving the impression of running the same deal on repeat. Each week brought something new, keeping customers engaged and driving traffic without overwhelming them. This approach resulted in £118,383.36 in sales in just 30 days, accounting for nearly 40% of the store’s revenue.
4. Warm up your email list before BFCM
Picture this: it’s Black Friday week, and your inbox is flooded with 200 branded emails, all shouting about their best deals. Which one are you more likely to open? The email from a brand you know and love—or the one from that random website you signed up for at 3 a.m. while mindlessly scrolling through Instagram ads? That’s why warming up your email list before BFCM is critical. You don’t want to be the brand that gets lost in the crowd.
With less than two months left, here’s how to start warming up your audience:
👉Start Re-engaging now (for existing subscribers): Begin sending value-driven content, product updates, or early sneak peeks to remind your audience why they subscribed in the first place. Don’t just dive into promotional content; give them useful information that builds excitement for what’s coming. This primes them for the BFCM offers, so when your emails hit their inboxes during the rush, they recognize your name and are ready to engage.
👉Nurture new signups by offering Early Access to BFCM: : For new subscribers, the goal is to ensure they remember you beyond a generic "10% off for signing up" offer. Set up a holiday-themed landing page that offers them early access to your sale, or VIP discounts, paired with targeted ads on platforms like Meta and Google to drive more traffic to this page. Once they sign up, enter them into a dedicated email flow designed to build a connection with your brand. This flow should include sneak peeks, exclusive content, and early access to deals, ensuring that by the time BFCM hits, you’re not just a random site they stumbled across—you’re a brand they’re excited to shop with.
5. Focus your budget on retargeting ads
Wondering how to make the most out of your Google Ads during BFCM? Tamas, our Google Ads expert, has a clear strategy: it’s all about retargeting.
Here’s how to do it:
👉Highly segmented remarketing lists: Ideally, you’ll have segmented remarketing lists in place, targeting groups like cart abandoners, past purchasers, and those who’ve interacted with specific products. By showing hyper-relevant ads to each segment, you can offer tailored discounts or product recommendations that feel personal and timely. And don’t forget—set up dynamic remarketing to ensure you’re showcasing the exact products that visitors have already expressed interest in.
👉Cross-sell to people who bought from you post BFCM: After the initial purchase rush, run retargeting campaigns specifically for those who’ve already bought from you during BFCM. Offer them exclusive deals on complementary products, cross-sells, or even early access to post-BFCM promotions. This keeps the relationship going and maximizes your revenue per customer.
👉Extended deals for engaged non-purchasers: Not everyone will buy during the first wave of BFCM, but don’t lose hope. Run extended BFCM deals for those who showed interest—whether they browsed your site, engaged with your content, or added items to their cart but didn’t purchase. Offering these customers a follow-up deal ensures you’re not leaving potential revenue on the table.
By focusing on retargeting and segmentation, you can keep your audience engaged long after the initial BFCM push, capturing both new and returning customers.
Wrapping Up
Black Friday and Cyber Monday aren’t just about one-off sales. They’re an opportunity to build your brand’s long-term success by growing your email and SMS lists, refining your messaging, and learning what strategies resonate most with your audience. Whether it’s running different promos throughout the month, starting early with an exclusive VIP offer, or using personalized retargeting ads, the key is to think beyond the weekend and focus on building lasting relationships with your customers.
Ready to put these strategies to work? Book a free strategy call with Daniel Budai, our founder, and CEO, to see how we can help you win big this Black Friday. Limited spots available, so click here to secure yours now!
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