BFCM Marketing Ideas For 2024

Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) are big deals in the retail world. It’s a time when sales and profits skyrocket, making it a key moment for marketers and retailers.?

The 5-day period from Black Friday to Cyber Monday is the biggest holiday sale season in the United States, with over 200 billion USD up for grabs. Black Friday and Cyber Monday (in short, BFCM or Cyber Week) can become a weekend bonanza for online retailers all over the world if they plan it correctly. In this article, we will look into the ins and outs of Black Friday and Cyber Monday!?

Here’s a quick look at their origins:

Black Friday

The term "Black Friday" dates back to the 1960s and was initially used by police in Philadelphia to describe the chaotic crowds and heavy traffic that followed Thanksgiving.?

The "black" in Black Friday was later reinterpreted in the retail world to mean that businesses would move from being "in the red" (running at a loss) to "in the black" (turning a profit) due to the surge in sales. By the late 20th century, retailers across the U.S. embraced Black Friday as a major shopping event, offering discounts to kick off the holiday shopping season.

Cyber Monday

Cyber Monday is a newer event that was created by retailers in 2005 to encourage online shopping. The National Retail Federation coined it as a way to extend the post-Thanksgiving shopping frenzy into the online space.?

Noticing that people were increasingly shopping online the Monday after Thanksgiving, particularly at work, retailers promoted Cyber Monday to boost eCommerce sales.

Today, Black Friday and Cyber Monday mark the start of a major shopping season worldwide, with promotions spanning online and in-store.

Predictions For BFCM And BFCM Marketing 2024

For BFCM 2024, trends are anticipated to be influenced by shifts in consumer behavior, technology, and an emphasis on sustainable and personalized shopping experiences.?

Here are some key predictions:

1. Early and Extended Sale Periods - This is one BFCM marketing tactic that is stealing the deal. We have statistical data to back this statement - In 2023, over 60% of holiday shoppers started purchasing before Thanksgiving week【source: NRF】.
2. Mobile-First Shopping Experience - It is significant to note that mobile sales made up over 55% of all online BFCM transactions in 2023【source: Adobe Analytics】. With mCommerce growth, retailers will continue to optimize mobile platforms to accommodate this trend, ensuring smooth, fast checkout options.
3. Hybrid and Omnichannel Experience - Retailers focusing on omnichannel strategies (like BOPIS - Buy Online Pick Up In-Store) for BFCM 2024 will likely gain a competitive edge in convenience and conversion rates. BNPL (Buy Now Pay Later) transactions surged by 20% during BFCM 2023, with 43% of Gen Z shoppers preferring BNPL for budget management【source: Adobe Analytics】.
4. Limited Time Offers - 45% of customers report making impulse purchases during BFCM when presented with time-limited offers【source: PYMNTS】. This sense of urgency is effective, so retailers will likely use flash sales, countdowns, and app notifications to maximize conversions.

Check All the Current Offers & Miss Out Nothing!

Deals and Offers?

How To Prepare A Business For Black Friday & Cyber Monday?

Preparing for Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) can significantly impact your business’s success during the holiday season.?

Here’s a streamlined guide to help you get your business ready:

Plan Early with Strategic Goals

• Set clear objectives for BFCM, such as boosting revenue, clearing inventory, or attracting new customers. Define key performance indicators (KPIs) like sales volume, traffic, and conversion rates to track success.

Create Irresistible Offers and Discounts

• Design discounts that appeal to your target audience, like tiered pricing, flash sales, or bundles. Consider offering exclusive deals or early access to loyalty members for added appeal.

Leverage Social Media Marketing

• Social media is a great platform for festive marketing. You have the majority of your customers on various social media, and all you need is to attract them and keep them engaged with you, even after the grand BFCM sale. A normal strategy is to write regular posts, informing your audience about your new offers, features, or products.

Gamify Your Offers To Increase Traction

• If you are still debating whether or not to add the gamification feature to your online store, BFCM Sales can be your best shot to do it. Customers love a well-built and interactive website, that is exactly what will happen to your eCommerce store.?

• Including segments like “spin the wheel, ” be a game changer. We also have the perfect plugin that will help you do this. Points and Rewards for WooCommerce - is the answer to almost all your gamification questions.?

Countdown Timer For BFCM

• A countdown timer for BFCM deals or product launches induces excitement. Include the time that remains to make the sale live or for the product to sell out. Instill urgency in your customer’s mind with a countdown timer.

The countdown time can be set on hours, days, or weeks, based on the inventory you have in your stock and the approaching event. Now, how will you incorporate this countdown timer into your website?

We have a solution for this — WooCommerce Order Bump Plugin!

Prepare for Increased Customer Support

• Train your team to handle inquiries quickly and efficiently. Consider adding chatbots to provide 24/7 support and ensure your return and refund policies are clear to build trust.

Keep the Buzz Alive

• The end of the festival is not the end of sales and customers’ needs. The BFCM could be just the beginning of a purchase by a particular customer, so stay connected to them with your coming normal day sales or festive days.

• Nurture them with regular emails. Use different types of email templates; eBook email templates, business email templates, resources email templates, announcement & promotional email templates, etc. for your email marketing.

The Last Few Pieces Of Retention And Reflection For BFCM Sale

• Why should your relationship with holiday consumers have to come to an end after the holidays? Focus on Post-Sale and Post-Purchase activities.?
• After the Huge traffic and sales have left, it is your time to analyze what worked and what didn’t. Create benchmarks for the next holiday sales to understand the best-performing campaign, product, ads, bundles, or subscriptions.
• It is advised that all the marketers and developers start planning and executing new updates before the festive season begins, to avoid last-minute delays and chaos.
• Partner with a non-profit organization or create deals like “ From every order, we will donate some to the old age/ orphanage” or “With every order, we will plant 2 trees, provide free meals to the underprivileged, etc”.
• Use the data, emails, and product Wishlist data to retarget customers for the next holiday sales and prepare your upcoming Black Friday strategy and Cyber weekend planning.

Final Check – Are You Ready For BFCM 2024?

This article presented you, with simple tips to boost your online store sales on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.?

Here is the crux of this article in the form of an infographic-

Please do let us know in the comments if you find this article helpful in making your eCommerce store BFCM marketing and sales-ready.?

I hope all your doubts are clear regarding Black Friday eCommerce strategy or Cyber Monday marketing campaigns.