September 18, 2024
14 Timeless BFCM Promotion Ideas That Are Proven Working
Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM), the biggest sales holiday of the year, is rolling in any minute. Of course, you’ll need to offer hot deals to sell like hotcakes. However, a well-thought-out BFCM promotion plan is so much more than that.
You might have to think about several questions like:
- Which channel to communicate the message to your customers
- What kind of deals resonate the most with your potential shoppers
- How to optimize your sales channels for BFCM
Just like that, the list goes on and on.
If you want to drive more sales for the nearly-approaching BFCM and don’t know where to get started yet, don’t worry since we’ve got you covered.
OneMobile’s eCommerce experts have compiled a list of the 14 best BFCM promotion ideas that stand the test of time.
1. Run early access promotions
Why wait for the big day when you can start the party early? By offering deals before the official BFCM weekend, you’re giving your customers a chance to shop without the stress of competing with the masses.
Not to mention that instead of cramming all your sales into a few days, running an early access promotion will allow you to stretch out your BFCM season for as long as you like it.
Here are some tips to run early access promotions effectively:
● Email your loyal customers: Give your email subscribers or loyalty program members first dibs on your deals.
● Use social media teasers: Drop hints about your early access deals on your social platforms to build anticipation.
● Offer exclusive perks: Provide early-bird shoppers with additional benefits like free shipping or a gift with purchase to sweeten the deal.
2. Prepare your email and push notifications calendar
Don’t leave your BFCM communication to chance. A well-planned calendar for your emails and push notifications can make all the difference in cutting through the noise.
Here’s how to nail your messaging schedule:
● Start early: Begin teasing your BFCM deals in late October to build anticipation.
● Increase frequency: Ramp up your communications as BFCM approaches, but be careful not to overwhelm.
● Mix it up: Alternate between emails and push notifications to keep your audience engaged without bombarding a single channel.
● Time it right: Schedule your most important messages for high-engagement times, like evenings or lunch breaks.
● Plan for follow-ups: Don’t forget post-BFCM communications to thank customers and maybe offer a last-chance deal.
For instance, with OneMobile, you can send push notifications to your inactive app users to warm them up for your BFCM deals.
Send push notifications with OneMobile
3. Give more loyalty points exclusively for BFCM
If you have a loyalty program in place, make the best out of it for your BFCM promotion. One way to do so is by offering your customers more points (1.5x or 2x points) for purchases during your BFCM campaign.
For instance, you can use OneLoyalty to quickly adjust your loyalty program point settings and showcase an announcement bar to promote your deal.
🔎 OneLoyalty is a free loyalty plugin developed by OneMobile to work with OneMobile. This means it integrates more deeply with OneMobile than any other loyalty app in the market.
4. Use countdown timers for urgency
According to the psychological principle of scarcity, people place higher value on items or opportunities that are perceived as limited or rare. Therefore, displaying a constantly updating timer can encourage your customers to make quicker purchasing decisions, potentially increasing your conversions.
● Be strategic with placements: Aim for prominent places to ensure that your countdown timer gets seen. For instance, consider placing a countdown timer at the hero section of your website or at the top of your mobile app’s home screen.
● Use clear messaging: Accompany your timer with concise, straightforward text explaining the offer and its expiration.
● Ensure mobile responsiveness: Make sure your timers display correctly on all devices, especially mobile.
Put a countdown timer at the top of your app
5. Try a spin-to-win promotion
Want to add an element of excitement to your BFCM offerings? A spin-to-win promotion can be just the ticket to engage customers and boost sales. This interactive approach not only captures attention but also taps into the thrill of chance, making the shopping experience more memorable.
Capture more leads for your BFCM with a spin to win popup
To make your spin-to-win promotion a success, consider these tips:
● Limited spins: Create a sense of urgency by offering a limited number of spins per customer or timeframe.
● Social sharing: Encourage winners to share their prizes on social media, expanding your reach.
● Email capture: Use the promotion as an opportunity to grow your email list by requiring an email address to spin.
6. Bundle deals and product discounts
Bundle deals and product discounts are classic BFCM strategies that continue to be effective year after year. By offering these types of promotions, you can increase your average order value while giving customers the feeling of getting more for their money.
Here’s how to make the most of bundle deals and product discounts:
● Create themed bundles: Group related products together to create attractive packages. For example, a skincare bundle with cleanser, toner, and moisturizer.
● Offer tiered discounts: Encourage larger purchases by increasing the discount as customers buy more. For instance, 10% off for spending $50, 15% off for $100, and 20% off for $150.
● Use BOGO promotions: “Buy One, Get One” deals are always popular. You can offer the second item free or at a discount.
● Highlight the savings: Clearly show how much customers are saving with the bundle compared to buying items separately.
● Allow customization: Let customers create their own bundles from a selection of products for a personalized experience.
Take Glossier, for instance, the brand offers various product bundles and they even let shoppers create their own bundles.
Increase your average order with product bundles
7. Offer free shipping
Did you know that high shipping cost are among the top reasons customers abandon their carts? Therefore, besides discounts and bundles, free shipping is another effective deal to drive more sales for BFCM.
For example, Fashion Nova, a popular online fashion retailer, often runs free shipping promotions during BFCM. They typically offer free shipping on all US orders with no minimum purchase required, which is a strong incentive for customers to shop with them over competitors.
However, just like any other discounts, make sure to offer free shipping so that free shipping doesn’t eat into your profits too much. Therefore, a wise way to offer free shipping is to set a threshold that your customers must reach in order to claim a free shipping deal.
8. Promote new product launches
While BFCM is often associated with discounts on existing products, it’s also an excellent opportunity to generate excitement around new product launches. The increased traffic and consumer attention during this period can provide a significant boost to your new offerings.
To make the most of new product launches during BFCM, consider creating a pre-launch campaign. Tease your upcoming products in the weeks leading up to BFCM through email marketing, social media posts, and on your website.
Consider emailing your customers about new product launches during BFCM
You might also consider offering early access or special pricing on new products exclusively for your loyal customers or email subscribers.
Another effective strategy is to bundle new products with bestsellers. This can help introduce your new offerings to a wider audience while also boosting sales of your popular items. For instance, a skincare brand might bundle its new face serum with its bestselling moisturizer at a special BFCM price.
9. Host giveaways on social media
If you’re looking for cost-effective methods to maximize your brand exposure at this BFCM, we highly advise you to host giveaways on your social media channels.
By leveraging the excitement of the holiday shopping period, you can create buzz around your brand and products while growing your social media following.
To start, think of a prize that resonates with your target audience. This could be one of your popular products, a curated bundle of items, or even a shopping spree on your store.
When setting up your giveaway, consider the entry requirements carefully. Common methods include asking participants to follow your account, like the post, tag friends in the comments, or share the post to their stories. You might also ask them to sign up for your newsletter or visit your website. However, be mindful not to make the entry process too complicated, as this could deter potential participants.
Here’s an example of how a giveaway might look:
“🎉 BFCM GIVEAWAY! 🎉 Win our Ultimate Holiday Bundle for $500! To enter:
1️⃣ Follow @yourbrand
2️⃣ Like this post
3️⃣ Tag 2 friends who love [your product category]
4️⃣ Bonus entry: Share to your story and tag us!
Winner announced on Black Friday. Good luck! #BFCMGiveaway #YourBrandName“
10. Localize your website
It’s true: BFCM originates from the United States. Nevertheless, it’s now more and more popular across other countries as well. Therefore, if you want to gain an edge over your competitors and drive sales globally for the upcoming BFCM, an effective tactic is localizing your website so international shoppers can browse your products in their local language and check out in their local currency.
Nevertheless, Shopify doesn’t support built-in localization tools, so you’ll need to leverage a credible translation app like Transcy to localize your store. The app allows you to translate your store into 148+ languages and offers real-time conversion for 168+ currencies.
It even automatically detects your customers’ geolocation to showcase your website in the appropriate language and currency settings.
11. Offer limited-edition products
Have you ever felt the thrill of owning a limited-edition item from your favorite brand? That special feeling of exclusivity and pride can be a powerful motivator for customers, especially during Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM).
Limited-edition products are perceived as rare and unique, making them highly desirable. Customers often feel a sense of pride and satisfaction from owning something not everyone can have.
A notable example is Lush’s campaign during a previous Black Friday, where they launched a limited edition orangutan-shaped soap. This product was not only unique but also tied to a charitable cause, with proceeds going to the SOS and the Orangutan Information Center.
Lush’s limited bath bomb released in the previous BFCM was a huge hit
Lush produced exactly 14,600 soaps, mirroring the number of Sumatran orangutans left in the wild. The campaign was a success, with all soaps selling out, highlighting the power of combining exclusivity with a meaningful message.
12. Run referral discounts
If you already have an adequate customer base and are looking for a low-cost marketing channel to promote your store during BFCM, implementing a referral program is a no-brainer.
Referral programs are relatively inexpensive compared to traditional advertising. Not to mention that people are more likely to trust recommendations from their family and friends than branded content.
If you’re considering starting a referral program to gain more customers this BFCM, here are some strategies to consider:
● Ensure your offers are enticing: Provide rewards that appeal to both your referrers and referees. Analyze your past data to determine what your customers prefer, whether it’s discount codes, gifts, or free shipping.
● Establish clear guidelines to prevent referral abuse: It’s advisable to reward referrers only when referees complete a purchase, ensuring the program’s effectiveness for your business.
● Utilize cookies for tracking: Implement cookies to monitor referrals, which helps capture customers who visit the referral link but don’t purchase immediately, allowing you to reward the referrer if a purchase occurs later.
● Advertise your program across multiple platforms: Use diverse channels like email, social media, and your website to inform customers about the referral program.
13. Partner with influencers
Want to make a splash this BFCM? Influencer marketing is an old but gold channel. Though it comes at a relatively high cost, influencers’ voices are trusted by their engaging audience, which can drive outstanding results for your flash sale season.
Some of our pieces of advice to help you run effective influencer campaigns:
● Define what you want to achieve– is it brand awareness, increased sales, or more followers on your social media?
● Experiment with micro-influencers who have highly engaged audiences. They often have more personal connections with their followers and can be more cost-effective.
● Don’t interfere too much with the influencer’s content creation process. Instead, trust the influencers you work with just like you trust the process.
● Consider assigning personalized discount codes to each influencer. This not only tracks performance but also makes their followers feel special.
14. Offer product add-ons
People shop on BFCM not only for themselves but also for their loved ones. Therefore, product add-ons can play a crucial role in enhancing the shopping experience. Here are some ideas:
● Gift wrapping: Offer complimentary or premium gift wrapping services. This adds convenience for customers looking to present their purchases as gifts, making the shopping experience more seamless and appealing.
● Name carving or personalization: Allow customers to personalize items with names, initials, or special messages. This is particularly attractive for products like jewelry, leather goods, or tech accessories, adding a unique touch.
● Gift cards: Include a customizable gift card option that can be added to purchases. This allows the recipient to choose their preferred items, adding flexibility and thoughtfulness to the gift.
● Bonus samples: Provide free samples of other products with each purchase. This encourages customers to explore more of your offerings and adds perceived value to their purchase.
Amped up to finish the year strong?
The biggest flash sales season of the year is approaching. If you want to break through the limits and round up your bottom line, this is your shot, so plan ahead, analyze your past data (if any), experiment with new promotion ideas, and make every move count.