Preparing for BFCM
I’m always so tickled by the sudden increase of worry and concern around Black Friday/Cyber Monday (#BFCM), as if it’s the first year, and we need to dream up this must-be-viral strategy to see customer engagement and conversion. But beyond that, let’s dig into something for a moment.
When it comes to BFCM, many times, form and function outperform flashy. And by that, I mean the customers want to be in and out, just like they do any other day, but with perks, benefits, and a quick checkout … because let’s face it, your customers have another store to jump to, whether it be ecomm or brick-and-mortar. Let’s give your customers the best BFCM experience and receive that confirmation on why they continue to shop your store every other time throughout the year.
6 Ways to Prepare Your Ecomm Shop for BFCM
1. Participate!
Some brands may opt out of participating in BFCM, however customers expect you to participate in some way. If you’re not offering a promotion, consider a round up or bundling option. Either way, offer something exclusive from you to your customers that want to join in on the fun. If not, I’m sure your competition is.
2. Audit the Check-Out Experience - Make it Quick, Make it Easy, Make it Informed
Speed is the name of the game … and making sure the customer receives the discount. And even more than that, the post-transaction flow needs a review. Take a few extra steps to walk through each scenario of a check-out, ensuring the customer does have a seamless experience while also making sure notifications and communications flow through with correct, updated messaging.
领英推荐
3. Be Clear with Policy Changes
Whether it’s the length of shipping, refunds or exchanges, be clear on store policies, especially if those change for BFCM. Many times, because of special sales or promotions, limited-time policy changes take effect. Hiding these policy changes will only make for a potential poor customer experience when the emails and phone calls start post-transaction.
4. Tracking and Validation
Because there is so much movement on and around BFCM, document the tracking strategy and validate with testing. Just like Santa, check it twice. Whether it’s UTM parameters, new pixels or different tags, go through the process to make sure what you see in your BI tools or GA are appearing as you intend. This will not only help create clear, transparent reporting but also the ability to intervene if something appears wonky when customers start engaging.
5. Community Support
Is there an opportunity to share your BFCM message and expand the reach with a close partner, brand or organization that aligns with your business? Start to solidify those plans now and be ready for the cross-collaboration when you start to bridge the communities.
6. Cross-Channel Strategy
Check on the channels where you plan to promote and make sure your audiences are ready for segmentation and deployment. BFCM weekend generates more messaging than a regular weekend. Be prepared to send out additional emails, SMS, retargeting efforts in order to cut through the noise … but don’t forget the segmentation. Yes, sends are up, but also, messaging is up as well. Keep your customers in front, offering them the correct communication for the promotions and messaging that still resonates with them during BFCM.
Getting caught up in the creative strategy and promotional execution is exciting; it’s the fun part. Just as important is the review of functional steps for your customers. I hope this quick list helps jumpstart your team to review those important customer retention elements this upcoming season!