The Ultimate BFCM 2024 CRO & Retention Playbook
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are more than just a spike in holiday sales. For most of us, they’re a once-a-year opportunity to drive meaningful revenue, acquire new customers, and turn over inventory so that we can start 2025 with hopefully more customers and a stronger cash position than the previous year.
So without further ado, let’s jump into the tactics that can make or break your Black Friday weekend.
1. Merchandising & On-Site Discounting Strategies
Let’s start with your on-site experience.
While someone might’ve shown some initial interest by clicking on an ad or an email, it’s now our job to keep them on-site to ultimately drive that final conversion.
Here are the essential on-site features to consider when prepping your site for any major sale:
- Prominent Discounting: Chances are your Black Friday offer will include some form of unique offer or discount. Use banners, badges, and well-timed pop-ups to clearly highlight your deals. Capture attention with bright, bold visuals and limited-time messaging.
- Clear Product Pages: Whether you’re driving the majority of your traffic to the home page, custom landers, or PDPs, it’s essential that you consider how your “buy boxes” are presented. Clearly emphasize the offer, compare-at-pricing, urgency, sale copy, and any bundles or subscription upsells on your PDPs to easily guide customers to the best offer.
- Slash Pricing Strategy: Display original prices crossed out next to the sale price, creating a visual emphasis on the savings. The more clear the offer, the better.
- Bundling Deals: Offer bundled products at a greater discount to encourage higher average order values. This is a great way to upsell complementary products and reduce excess inventory – plus, it’s a great way to afford higher discounts while still maintaining higher contribution dollars per order.
- Post-Purchase Upsells: Trigger a post-purchase upsell on your site to suggest products that are either complimentary to your customer’s order, upsell an “upgrade” to subscription or bundle, or promote any products you’re long on inventory at a high discount. And the best part? It’s all post-purchase, so there is no downside risk to your pre-purchase conversion rates.
- Subscribe & Save Offers: Drive long-term value by promoting subscription options and offering extra savings or perks to customers who commit to regular deliveries.
2. Design an Effective Post-Purchase Journey
Fast forward…
You got the customer to make their first order – great! But what now?
After all, a customer is only worth as much as their cumulative LTV. And your business's growth rate potential is bound by your ability and speed to make customers worth more to you over time.
While LTV was and is a buzzword in e-commerce, it is undoubtedly one of the variables (but not the only) that dictate a brand’s ability to succeed at scale.
A few strategies to maximize customer retention through post-purchase:
- Data-Driven Recommendations: Create post-purchase email and SMS flows that are based on product or collection-specific data. Recommend complementary products based on past purchase history and personalize your recommendations for each customer.
- Referral Programs: Offer exclusive discounts or incentives to encourage customers to refer friends. Never underestimate the power of word of mouth…
- Loyalty Points Programs: If you’re using a loyalty program, make it clear to your new loyalty customers through email and SMS what benefits they’re getting access to – and how they can redeem them with future purchases going into the holiday season.
- Subscription Programs: Be proactive about subscriber churn but introduce new subscribers to unique subscriber-only benefits such as early access to sales, exclusive products, or ongoing Subscribe & Save discounts.
- Bundle Offers in Follow-Ups: Include special bundled offers in follow-up emails or SMS. This tactic often incentivizes a quicker return to your store.
3. Engagement Strategies Through Email and SMS
The sale doesn’t end once a customer completes a purchase. Thoughtfully crafted email and SMS campaigns are essential to turn one-time buyers into loyal customers and drive additional revenue after Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
- Thank-You and Product Care Tips: Start with a simple, personalized thank-you message. Add value by including care tips or usage advice for their recent purchase, which strengthens satisfaction and keeps your brand top of mind.
- Exclusive Offers and Discounts: Give customers a reason to come back with time-limited discounts or special offers on products that complement their initial purchase. Position these offers as exclusive, reserved only for customers who bought during BFCM.
- Gathering Feedback and Reviews: Reach out for product reviews and feedback. Showing customers that their opinion matters builds trust and contributes to future conversions with new buyers through social proof.
- Seasonal Promotions and Reminders: Keep your brand on their radar with targeted holiday promotions and reminders of loyalty program perks. This is a chance to retain post-BFCM interest, offering perks that make your brand a frequent choice during the holiday season.
4. Strengthen Customer Retention Beyond BFCM
While BFCM helps generate revenue, building a strategy to keep those customers engaged afterward is where long-term profitability lives. Use these retention strategies to foster brand loyalty that continues to drive revenue in 2025 and beyond:
- Customer Segmentation: Develop targeted, personalized messaging by segmenting customers based on purchase behavior, interests, and order history. Tailored content keeps your brand relevant and boosts engagement.
- Re-Engagement Campaigns: Keep inactive customers interested with exclusive offers and product recommendations based on their past purchases. A well-timed re-engagement email or SMS can often reactivate interest.
- Content Marketing That Adds Value: Build a long-term connection with customers by sharing helpful content, such as product guides, styling ideas, or sustainable use tips. This can establish your brand as more than a retailer, making it a trusted source of information.
- Early Access and Exclusive Drops: Reward loyalty with special privileges like early access to new products or limited-edition drops. Creating a sense of exclusivity and recognition for your customers enhances their connection to your brand.
Wrapping Up
Black Friday and Cyber Monday can be the beginning of long-term growth, not just a one-weekend boost. By focusing on smart merchandising, strategic customer engagement, and retention, you’ll generate meaningful revenue and enter 2025 cash-rich and prepared for sustained success. Optimizing your store experience, implementing post-purchase strategies, and building strong customer relationships will set your brand up for a powerful year ahead.
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