BFCM: Are You Ready?

• Segment your customer database based on behaviour, past purchases, or demographics helps target the right audiences with personalised offers. 
• Create VIP segments for loyal customers or exclusive early-access lists is key. This strategy keeps your top customers engaged before and throughout the BFCM period. By offering them a sneak peek at discounted items, you build anticipation and drive early interest. You can then leverage custom profile properties to segment those who have shown interest in VIP access, ensuring they receive priority access to sales and promotions. 
• Don’t neglect the use of SMS; remember SMS messaging needs to be both precise and concise. Ideal use includes reminders, SMS only perks, flash sales, sale announcements, etc.

Email List Maintenance & Data Privacy Laws Compliance

• Keep your email list clean. This is vital for maintaining high deliverability and engagement rates during BFCM. An outdated or unengaged list can harm your sender reputation, leading to emails landing in spam folders, which decreases your chances of reaching active shoppers. 
• Regularly remove inactive subscribers. This ensures that you’re targeting those most likely to engage. Additionally, a clean list means more accurate analytics, helping you track campaign success and optimise future strategies. Re-engagement and merchandising campaigns before BFCM can help win back dormant subscribers, further increasing your potential customer base for the BFCM season. 
• Ensure compliance with data privacy laws like GDPR during BFCM. Doing this essential to avoid legal risks and maintain customer trust. With high volumes of data collected during this period, securing customer information is critical. Before sending out any campaigns, make sure that the recipients have opted in to marketing communications from your brand. This is standard practice and is not limited to the BFCM Period.

• Test elements like subject lines, CTAs, and email designs before a high-conversion period, you can determine what resonates best with your audience.

• A data-driven approach allows you to refine campaigns for maximum impact, driving higher engagement and conversions during the BFCM rush.
  • E.g. include/exclude price and product description
  • Yes/No to emojis
  • Place of button or CTA asset in the email layout.

Cross-Channel Integration

Ensure that messaging, offers, and branding are aligned across email, SMS, and social media, you can reinforce your campaigns and avoid confusing customers.
This approach enhances brand recognition, increases engagement, and drives conversions, making it easier for customers to shop seamlessly across different platforms.

Post-BFCM Follow-Up

Following BFCM, targeted follow-up campaigns can encourage repeat purchases and provide valuable feedback. By offering exclusive post-sale promotions or personalised recommendations, you maintain customer interest, ensuring that shoppers continue to engage with your brand beyond a high-conversion period.

While technical requirements are crucial for driving conversions during a high-stakes period like BFCM, it’s essential to remember that you’re engaging with real people. Your messaging and planning should authentically reflect this with a human touch that resonates with your audience.