Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM) isn’t just the biggest shopping weekend of the year—it’s a battleground where eCommerce brands either conquer the competition or get left behind. As digital storefronts prepare for the onslaught, there’s one weapon that stands out in this retail war: email marketing. Effective email marketing can be the difference between a customer hitting “Buy Now” or abandoning their cart. Let’s dive deep into why email marketing is your golden ticket this BFCM and how you can ensure your campaigns are top-notch revenue drivers.
Why email marketing is paramount, especially during BFCM
Email marketing has long been the backbone of digital communication, but its importance skyrockets during BFCM. Consider this: during BFCM 2022, email marketing drove 25% of all online sales, making it the leading revenue-generating channel for eCommerce brands. Unlike social media or paid ads, email offers a direct line to your customers’ inboxes, ensuring that your most engaged audience sees your promotions, discounts, and offers.
This personalized communication channel allows you to tailor messages, create urgency, and build anticipation leading up to BFCM. With the average ROI for email marketing being $42 for every $1 spent, neglecting your email strategy could mean missing out on substantial revenue.
“60% of consumers prefer to receive promotional messages and updates via email, compared to 20% who prefer social media and 17% who prefer text messages. Email remains the most effective way to communicate with customers.”
Website Magazine
How to plan long and short-term email marketing campaigns
Long-term campaigns
The key to a successful BFCM email marketing strategy starts long before November. A solid long-term campaign involves building awareness and nurturing your audience months in advance. This can include a series of teaser emails, early bird offers, or VIP list sign-ups. By gradually increasing the frequency of your emails as BFCM approaches, you keep your brand at the forefront of your audience’s mind without overwhelming them.
Begin by segmenting your audience based on past behaviours, purchase history, and engagement levels. Send out educational content or sneak peeks that build anticipation for your upcoming sales. Use this time to clean up your email list—remove inactive subscribers to ensure higher deliverability rates.
Short-term campaigns
When BFCM week hits, it’s time for your short-term campaigns to shine. These should be laser-focused, with clear, compelling calls to action. Your emails during this period should create urgency—think of limited-time offers, flash sales, and countdown timers. Make sure your subject lines are attention-grabbing; they’re the gateway to your campaign’s success.
A well-timed abandoned cart email during BFCM, with a small additional discount or free shipping, can be the nudge that turns indecision into a purchase. Remember, frequency is crucial during this period—but don’t overdo it. Balance the need to stay in your subscribers’ inboxes with the risk of becoming spammy.
Personalization & exclusive offers
Personalization is no longer a luxury—it’s an expectation. According to Epsilon, 80% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase when brands offer personalized experiences. During BFCM, standing out in a crowded inbox is crucial, and personalization is your secret weapon.
Personalized recommendations: Utilize customer data to send product recommendations based on past purchases or browsing behavior. For instance, if a customer bought a winter coat last year, they might be interested in a matching scarf or gloves this year.
Exclusive offers: Reward your loyal customers with early access to sales or exclusive discounts. This not only drives immediate sales but also fosters a sense of loyalty. Segment your email list to target VIP customers with special offers that are not available to the general public.
“80% of people who identify as frequent shoppers say they only purchase with businesses that tailor their experience.”
Sender
Why it’s important to start early to capture your audience’s attention
The early bird catches the worm, and in BFCM email marketing, this couldn’t be more true. Starting your campaigns early allows you to build anticipation and ensures your brand doesn’t get lost in the noise of last-minute promotions.
Early email campaigns allow you to educate your audience about your upcoming offers, allowing them to plan their purchases. This could involve sending out sneak peeks of upcoming deals, exclusive previews for loyal customers, or even a countdown to the sale. Early engagement also helps identify which offers resonate the most, allowing you to tweak your strategy before the big day.
Consider the case of a brand that starts sending BFCM emails in September. They can gradually ramp up the excitement, use A/B testing to fine-tune their messaging and segment their audience based on interactions with these early emails. By the time BFCM arrives, they have a well-oiled machine ready to maximize conversions.
Know your audience and segment appropriately
Not all customers are created equal, and not all of them will respond to the same message. Effective segmentation is crucial to ensure that your emails hit the right tone and offer the right products to the right people.
Demographic segmentation: Start by segmenting your audience based on age, gender, location, and other demographic factors. For example, a 20-year-old in Los Angeles might be more interested in trendy tech gadgets, while a 50-year-old in New York might be more inclined toward luxury goods.
Behavioral segmentation: This involves dividing your audience based on past purchasing behavior, browsing history, or engagement with previous emails. A customer who frequently buys tech products might be interested in your BFCM deals on electronics, while a frequent clothing shopper might be more responsive to fashion discounts.
Psychographic segmentation: Understanding your audience’s lifestyle, values, and interests can help you craft messages that resonate on a deeper level. For example, environmentally conscious consumers might respond better to sustainability campaigns.
By segmenting your audience, you can create more targeted campaigns that are more likely to convert.
Don’t forget to conduct A/B testing
A/B testing is critical to any successful email marketing campaign, especially during BFCM when competition is fierce. Testing different elements of your emails—subject lines, call-to-action buttons, images, and content—can provide valuable insights into what works best for your audience.
Subject lines: Test different subject lines to see which ones generate the highest open rates. For example, you could test a straightforward “50% Off All Items” against a more intriguing “Your Exclusive BFCM Deal Inside!”
Email content: Experiment with different layouts, images, and messaging. Does a product-focused email perform better than one that tells a story? Does including a video increase engagement?
Timing: Send your emails at different times of the day or week to see when your audience is most responsive. The optimal send time during BFCM could differ from your regular campaigns due to the increased volume of emails your audience receives.
“Brands that A/B test every email see a 37% higher ROI than those who don’t.”
Litmus
The impact of data loss on your email marketing efforts
Imagine this: it’s two days before BFCM, and your email list is gone—wiped out due to a data breach, system error, or human mistake. It’s a nightmare scenario that could decimate your BFCM sales, as your meticulously planned campaigns suddenly have no recipients.
Data loss doesn’t just mean lost contacts; it means lost opportunities, lost revenue, and potentially lost customers. Recovering from such a loss can take weeks, if not months, by which time the BFCM shopping frenzy is long over.
Back up your email data: To avoid this disaster, regularly back up your email data. Whether it’s contact lists, segmentation data, or email templates, having a secure backup ensures that you can quickly recover from any unexpected data loss and get back to running your campaigns.
“If I had known eCommerce platforms don’t provide full backups and can’t restore your site, I would’ve been using Rewind from day one. It saved us from a nightmare during Black Friday when we accidentally deleted all of our product images just days before the sale.”
Matt Davis, Whisker Seeker Tackle
Why you should think about backing up your email data with a third-party platform
While email platforms like Klaviyo and MailChimp are robust, relying solely on them for data storage can be risky. Data breaches, accidental deletions, and even platform outages can leave you vulnerable. A third-party backup solution provides an extra layer of security, ensuring your data is safe and recoverable.
Ease of use: Backing up your data with a third-party platform like Rewind is straightforward. With automated backups, you can set it and forget it, knowing your data is continuously being saved. Should the worst happen, you can quickly restore your email lists, segments, and templates, minimizing downtime and potential revenue loss.
Peace of mind: Knowing that your email marketing data is safe allows you to focus on crafting the best BFCM campaigns possible without worrying about potential data loss.
How and why Rewind is the right platform for Klaviyo and Mailchimp backups
When it comes to backing up your email data, Rewind is the go-to solution for eCommerce brands using Klaviyo and MailChimp. Here’s why:
Seamless integration: Rewind integrates directly with both Klaviyo and MailChimp, allowing for automated, daily backups of all your critical email marketing data. This includes contact lists, campaign history, templates, and even segmentation data. The integration is designed to be user-friendly, ensuring that even those who aren’t tech-savvy can easily set up and manage their backups.
Automated backups: One of Rewind’s standout features is its automated backup system. Once set up, Rewind automatically backs up your data daily without you having to lift a finger. This means that even if you forget to back up your data manually (because, let’s face it, we’re all human), Rewind has you covered.
Quick and easy recovery: In the event of data loss, time is of the essence. Rewind lets you restore your data with just a few clicks, ensuring you can quickly get back to running your BFCM campaigns without significant interruptions. Whether it’s a single email template or your entire contact list, Rewind’s recovery process is fast and efficient.
Data security: Security is paramount when dealing with customer data. Rewind ensures that your data is encrypted and stored securely, protecting it from potential breaches or unauthorized access. This level of security protects your business and helps maintain customer trust, which is crucial during the high-stakes BFCM period.
Scalability: Whether you’re a small business with a modest email list or a large enterprise managing multiple segments, Rewind scales with your needs. As your email marketing efforts grow, Rewind continues to provide reliable backup solutions without any additional complexity.
Customer support: During BFCM, the last thing you want is to run into an issue without help available. Rewind offers exceptional customer support, promptly addressing any questions or problems. Our team is available to assist you with setup, troubleshooting, or any other needs that may arise.
“We rely heavily on our data being available and accurate. During a crucial sales period, we mistakenly deleted a significant email segment. Thanks to Rewind, we restored it quickly and continued our campaigns without missing a beat.”
Julia Friesen, eCommerce Merchandising Manager, Knix.com
Take control of your BFCM email marketing strategy
As BFCM approaches, your email marketing strategy should be a top priority. Your emails can drive record-breaking sales with the right planning, personalization, segmentation, and testing. However, don’t overlook the importance of protecting your data. A small oversight can lead to catastrophic losses, which is why backing up your email data with a reliable third-party solution like Rewind is essential.
By starting early, staying organized, and using the best tools available, you can ensure that your email marketing efforts help your brand not only survive but thrive during BFCM. Remember, your competition is just an email away—make sure yours stands out, delivers value, and converts like never before.
Ready to safeguard your email marketing data this BFCM? Don’t wait until it’s too late—get started with Rewind today and ensure your campaigns run smoothly from start to finish. Learn more about Rewind’s eCommerce backup solutions and keep your data secure so you can focus on what really matters—driving sales and delighting your customers.
Miriam Saslove">
