Black Friday Cyber Monday Email & SMS Planner
It’s November which means the start of peak retail trade for many businesses! Don’t freak out and pull a Micheal Scott, we’re here to get you organised amidst the mayhem.
To kick things off, we’ve put together a content guide for your November campaigns. Crisis averted.
Get your hands on the November Email & SMS planner (perfect for eCommerce), join the Just Send It Email Club, it’s that easy!
Wait, there’s more. We’ll also send you tips throughout the month so you’re not leaving any stones unturned when it comes to nailing your November & December email targets.
BFCM Top Tips:
1. Build your database
First up, it’s time to supercharge your subscriber list! In the lead-up to your sales period, focus on building your database so you can reach as many customers and prospects as possible. Kick off the month with a campaign that aims to grow your VIP SMS list so you can give them early access and other benefits reserved exclusively for this group. Don’t forget to sprinkle your socials with links so signing up is super simple for your audience. Now, let this tick over in the background so you can get to work rest on the month!
2. Knowing what to offer your customers
There are four key sales you can take advantage of in November; Click Frenzy, Black Friday, Cyber Weekend, and Cyber Monday. Establishing your pricing strategy can be tricky, but it’s crucial to find the sweet spot between meeting customer expectation while still making it work for you. Resist the urge to skimp on this by following the leader or rolling with a blanket 20% off Sitewide if that isn’t feasible for you. You know your customer’s needs better than anyone, so it’s up to you to make the most of this by giving them your best offer. Get creative! Will a % or $ off work better for you? A freebie? Also consider upselling or cross-selling.
Top Tips:
Considering using a ‘site take over’ so your website is all about your sale.
Include a countdown banner/ticker to create a sense of urgency.
3. Optimise your communication channels
Email and SMS are the ultimate dynamic duo. Klaviyo reported an average revenue increase of 21% in the first 60 to 90 days of use… couple that with major retail sale and you’ll have yourself a strong result.
Your email campaigns over this period will be crucial as they give you the opportunity to talk directly to your VIP loyal customers as well as those who are new to your business. We recommend segmenting your list, developing offers for each, and starting your email communication early on in the month to build excitement. Your campaign emails should be on-brand, clearly show your offer, and have multiple links for your customer to get to your website. This goes without saying, but you must have your flows (especially abandoned cart) tested and ready to go with an offer that’s too good to refuse.
SMS is best used sparingly for segmented sale announcements and reminders. SMS has a much higher open rate compared to email, so make sure you’ve got all your bases covered. Here’s a few ways you can use SMS to your advantage in November:
SMS key dates:
• Click Frenzy VIP access
• Click Frenzy launch
• Black Friday VIP access
• Black Friday Launch
• Black Friday Extension
• Cyber Monday
Set up your segments ahead of time so all you need to do is draft and test your SMS campaign before sending (don’t forget to include an Opt out!).
4. Create quality content ahead of time
Create quality content early on and schedule it, so you’re not pulling out your hair at the 11th hour. This will make life that much easier when it comes to developing email and social media posts content. Break down each sale you’re offering over the month and establish what creative is required for each activation and channel.
Consider;
Website banners
Pop-ups
Social media graphics (stories + feed posts)
Email imagery
5. Optimise your website
This means everything from site speed to navigation and checkout ease. If any of these are slow or difficult, you’ve lost a customer. That might sound tough, but BFCM is a highly competitive period, and with a market saturated with limited time offers, customers won’t be willing to wait around.
Website health checklist:
• Test your server capacity
• Optimise for a mobile-first approach
• Check load speed time
• Check inventory levels
• Ensure navigation makes sense
• Make sure your customer service processes are watertight!
Last but not least, pour yourself a big glass of wine, knowing you’ve put in the effort to make this as successful for yourself as possible. Then we can circle back to investing post-Black Friday loyalty to keep these customers coming back after the sales.
Best of luck! If you need help with your next campaign, get in touch today: