The Ultimate Guide for 2024 BFCM Checklist

Are you ready to make this Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) season your most successful yet? Whether you're a seasoned merchant or a small business owner, having a comprehensive strategy in place is crucial to navigating the busiest shopping days of the year. Imagine transforming the chaos of BFCM into a seamless, profitable experience for both you and your customers. It all starts with the right checklist.

From meticulous campaign planning & pre-purchase preparation to effective post-purchase strategies & data monitoring, and from ensuring a smooth purchase experience to implementing insightful post-purchase tactics, we've got you covered. Our comprehensive checklist will help you streamline your efforts, enhance customer satisfaction, and drive long-term growth.

Campaign Planning and Preparation Checklist

Develop your Overall strategy for BFCM

Analyze Market Trends and Past Campaign Performance

• Delve deeper into customer data, including demographics and shopping patterns, to tailor your marketing strategy. Analyze factors such as age, gender, location, interests, and past purchase behavior to create targeted campaigns.
• Conduct market research to identify current top-selling products and potential hot items for the upcoming BFCM season. Stay updated on the latest trends and consumer preferences.
• Retrieve data from your past BFCM campaigns to identify areas that led to undesired conversion and retention rates. Analyze metrics like cart abandonment rates, customer churn rates, and repeat purchase rates to pinpoint areas for improvement.
• Collect information on your competitors' pricing and promotion strategies as references. Benchmark your offerings against industry standards and identify opportunities to stand out.

Set Specific Goals and Create a Detailed Budget Allocation Plan

• Goal Setting: Define clear, measurable goals with a timeline for the campaign (e.g., increase in new users, revenue targets). Ensure that your goals are specific, achievable, and aligned with your overall business objectives.
• Timeline: Plan the overall calendar for the pre-BFCM period, including key milestones such as product launches, promotional campaigns, and customer communication.
• Budget and allocation: Determine the overall budget for your BFCM campaign and conduct budget allocation for different promotion/traffic channels based on their historical performance and potential impact.

Design Compelling Promotions and Pricing Strategies

• Create effective promotions, including exclusive bundles, time-limited discounts, tiered discounts, early bird access sales, and more.
• Launch reward programs that offer points for purchases made during BFCM. It is a great chance to enhance retention during BFCM, offering customers a second reason to come back shopping at your store.
• Offer complimentary gifts with purchases over a certain amount. Leverage the power of scarcity and exclusivity to boost average order value (AOV).

Plan Inventory and Logistics for Demand Management

• Forecast Demand: Use historical data and market trends to forecast demand and ensure sufficient stock levels for top-selling items. Collaborate with your sales and marketing teams to anticipate potential spikes in demand.
• Supplier Coordination: Track and monitor stock levels while closely coordinating with suppliers in advance to avoid out-of-stock situations and ensure timely delivery of products. Establish clear communication channels and set realistic expectations.
• Carrier selection: Evaluate your carrier's past performance capability (like on-time rate, customer reviews, etc.) to decide on your carrier partner. Choose reliable and efficient shipping providers to ensure a smooth customer experience.
• Low-stock or out-of-stock notification automation: Set up low-stock notifications for potential product shortages or overstock. You can implement efficient inventory tracking systems to maintain visibility over your stock levels across multiple channels and locations.

Foster Cross-Team Collaboration and Communication

• Establish regular check-in meetings across departments to align on goals, share updates, and address any challenges, ensuring everyone is on the same page. Encourage open communication and collaboration to streamline the campaign execution process.

Pre-Purchase Checklist

Drive more traffic

Refine Marketing Traffic Channel Strategies

Optimize Paid Advertising Campaigns

• Set Up BFCM Campaigns: Strategically decide on your target audience and map out the content for your ads. Choose key campaign topics that align with customer interests and your brand identity.
• Budget Allocation: Allocate your advertising budget among channels based on historical BFCM performance. Set clear expectations for your return on investment (ROI) to ensure you maximize your ad spend.
• A/B Testing: Conduct A/B tests to quickly evaluate the effectiveness of different ad creatives and copy. Monitor the results to optimize your future ad performance and make data-driven decisions.
• Retargeting: Implement retargeting strategies to reach custom audiences, including your email list, website visitors, and social media engagers. This approach helps re-engage potential customers who have shown interest in your products.

Focus on Organic Search with Long-Term Preparation

Organic Search (Long-Term Preparation)

• Keyword Research: Conduct thorough keyword research to identify and target high-traffic, relevant keywords related to your products. This will help improve your visibility in search engine results.
• SEO Optimization: Optimize your website content, meta title & descriptions, and headings etc. to enhance search engine rankings. Ensure that your website is structured to facilitate easy navigation and a positive user experience.
• Content Marketing: Create product-related updates, informative blog page, and tutorials that showcase real-world applications of your products. Consider marketing ads that highlight customer testimonials and success stories, illustrating how your products solve specific problems or enhance everyday life.
• Backlink Building: Develop a strategy for acquiring high-quality backlinks to improve your website's domain authority. Collaborate with reputable sites to feature your content and products.

Develop Your Email and SMS Marketing Strategy with Personalized Content

• Design Email & SMS Marketing Strategy: Create a comprehensive strategy that outlines your messaging, target segments, and timing for outreach.
• Build and Segment Email & SMS Target Lists: Organize your audience into segments based on their behavior, preferences, and past purchases to tailor your communications effectively.
• Set Up Trigger Automation Workflows: Implement automated workflows to reach your targets at the right moments, like Cart Abandonment Triggers, Welcome Series Triggers, Post-Purchase Follow-Up Triggers and more.
• Enable Product Personalization and Pricing Promotions: Personalize your Email & SMS campaigns with product recommendations and exclusive pricing offers to increase relevance.
  • Send a "Welcome" message to notify new subscribers of their enrollment and give them discounts.
  • Inform existing customers about BFCM deals and promotions using appealing visuals and clear call-to-action links.
  • Launch a win-back journey targeting lapsed customers, particularly those who abandoned their carts.
  • Prepare a reminder Email/SMS to be sent 1-2 days before BFCM to prompt action.
• A/B Test Your Email & Messaging Performance: Continuously test different elements of your Email & SMS campaigns to refine your approach and boost engagement.

Leverage Social Media Effectively to Touch Your Targets

• Develop Your Strategies: Outline your social media strategy, including target audience identification, asset creation mapping, and promotion channels.
• Create a Content Calendar: Plan and schedule posts, stories, and videos for the pre-BFCM period to maintain consistent engagement with your audience.
• Build Segmented Customer Target Lists: Segment your audience on different social media channels to ensure your messaging resonates with each group.
• Create Engaging Content: Develop compelling content, such as product usage scenarios and customer unboxing videos, to showcase your products effectively.
• Monitor and Track Performance: Analyze the performance of your social media campaigns by tracking metrics like reach, engagement, and conversions. Use this data to adjust your strategies as needed

Engage Influencers and Affiliates to Enlarge Your Cyber Impact

• Identify Key Influencers and Affiliates: Find influencers and affiliates who align with your brand and target audience. Their endorsement can help expand your reach and credibility.
• Reach Out Early: Contact influencers early to secure collaboration slots and negotiate terms. Early engagement can lead to more effective partnerships.
• Coordinate Campaign Details: Communicate campaign details, including content guidelines, posting schedules, and tracking links, to ensure smooth execution.
• Track Performance: Monitor the performance of influencer campaigns and be prepared to adjust your strategies based on the results.

Utilize Press Releases for Promotion

• Draft Press Releases: Write press releases to announce your BFCM deals, new product launches, or other noteworthy events. Ensure the content is newsworthy and engaging.
• Build a Media Contact List: Compile a list of relevant media contacts and distribute your press releases well in advance to maximize coverage.
• Follow-Up: Follow up with media contacts to ensure they received your press releases and offer additional information if needed.
• Prepare a Press Kit: Create a press kit that includes high-quality images, product information, and company background to support media coverage and enhance your brand's visibility.

Increase Click-Through Rate and Conversion Rates

Enhance Product Discoverability To Increase CTR and Conversion Rates

• Analyze your shoppers’ interests: Analyze aggregated data and overall search trends to better understand customer interests. By utilizing advanced analytics tools and natural language processing (NLP), you can gain deeper insights into how customers phrase their searches and identify common keywords related to their products.
• Utilize Autocomplete and Predictive Search Features: Enhance the search experience by incorporating autocomplete and predictive search features. These tools guide customers towards popular BFCM deals, making it easier for them to find what they are looking for.
• Highlight BFCM-Specific Categories: Promote BFCM-specific categories or collections prominently in the search bar. This visibility encourages shoppers to explore special offers and themed products.
• Offer Personalized and Performance-Based Sorting: Implement advanced product filters on category pages that allow customers to sort products based on their preferences and past behavior. This personalization improves product discoverability and enhances the shopping experience.

Enrich Product Tagging for Better Exposure

• AI-Driven Product Tagging: Use AI technology to enrich your product tagging by generating tags based on product images, titles, listing descriptions, and customer reviews. This ensures that your products are easily searchable and categorized correctly.
• Customize Tags for Your Industry: Tailor tags based on your specific industry or marketing needs. Ensure that these tags align with your merchandising strategy to enhance product visibility.
• Sync BFCM Product Listings Across Platforms: Make sure your BFCM product listings, including product names, bundle items, and inventory numbers, are synced across different platforms. Consistency is key to avoiding confusion and ensuring a seamless shopping experience.

Optimize Ratings and Reviews to Build Trust with Your Customers

• Collect Customer Reviews in Advance: Proactively gather customer reviews before BFCM, such as automated post-purchase email requests, targeted surveys, and review platform integrations.
• Design Reward Programs: Create reward or loyalty programs that encourage customers to share their feedback through text, pictures, or videos. Consider implementing tiered discounts as an incentive for participation.
• Engage Customers with Thank-You Cards: Include thank-you cards in your packages to foster customer engagement and encourage repeat purchases. A personal touch can enhance customer loyalty.

Refine Your Merchandising Strategy to Optimize Your Product Layouts and Checkout Process

• Optimize Layouts for Mobile and Web: Ensure that both mobile and website layouts are optimized to showcase the latest collections, BFCM discounted items, and relevant products effectively. A user-friendly interface enhances the shopping experience.
• Adopt Advanced Algorithms: Utilize algorithms that enhance the shopping experience, such as "complete the look" or "shop similar items." These features can increase customer satisfaction and drive additional sales.
• Customize Checkout and Post-Purchase Pages: Tailor your checkout pages, post-purchase one-click upsell (OCU) pages, thank-you pages, and order-tracking pages to create a cohesive customer journey. Clear and engaging content on these pages can boost conversions.
• State Policies and Costs: Ensure that your return and refund policy, shipping costs, carriers, estimated delivery times, and available payment methods are clearly communicated. Transparency builds trust and can reduce cart abandonment.
• Run A/B Testing: Conduct A/B tests on various elements of your website to monitor performance and make timely adjustments. Testing different layouts, messaging, and offers can help identify the most effective strategies.

Increase your upsell and cross-sell with personalized Product recommendation

• Utilize AI-Driven Recommendation Engines: Implement AI-driven recommendation engines that suggest products based on customers' browsing history and past purchases. Personalization can significantly increase upsell and cross-sell opportunities.
• Display Related Products on Checkout Pages: Incorporate features like “Frequently Bought Together” and “Add the Product in One Click” on the checkout page. Additionally, include a free shipping bar to encourage customers to add more items to their cart.
• Implement Personalized Homepage Banners: Create personalized homepage banners that showcase tailored BFCM offers based on customer preferences and behavior. This targeted approach can drive higher engagement and conversions.

Post-Purchase Checklist

Provide Fast and Reliable Order Fulfillment

Process Orders Efficiently

• Implement an Order Management System (OMS) for automatic order reception: An effective OMS works with your eCommerce platform, inventory management, and shipping systems. This lets you see stock levels in real-time, control inventory better, and prevent overselling. It also allows you to confirm and process orders automatically, which improves customer satisfaction by providing faster shipping and tracking.
• Verify order details (product availability, customer information, and payment authorization): Check product availability to confirm that items are in stock and ready for shipment. Validate customer information to avoid delivery errors and ensure a smooth fulfillment process. Moreover, confirm payment authorization to secure transactions and prevent fraud.
• Prioritize orders based on delivery deadlines, or special handling requirements: Ensure that time-sensitive orders are processed first to meet delivery promises. Give priority to high-value customers to enhance their shopping experience and loyalty.
• Group similar orders for batch processing: This approach allows you to streamline tasks such as picking, packing, and shipping, reducing repetitive actions and saving valuable time. By processing orders with similar items or destinations together, you can optimize resource allocation and minimize handling errors.

Prepare for High-Volume Shipping

• Implement quality control checks to ensure correct items are packed: Make sure your packing and shipping process is accurate and reliable. Check that the right items are packed for each order. Use the right packaging materials to keep items safe and secure during transit.
• Select reliable carriers based on delivery speed, cost, and service quality: Choose carriers known for their timely deliveries, competitive pricing, and excellent customer service to ensure a smooth and efficient shipping experience.
• Automate the generation of shipping labels and documentation: Streamline your shipping process by automating the generation of shipping labels and necessary documentation. Implementing automation reduces manual entry errors, saves time, and ensures consistency in labeling and paperwork.
• Provide easy and real-time order tracking and shipping notifications: Implementing a robust tracking system that allows customers to monitor their orders in real-time enhances transparency and builds trust. By integrating your order management system with carrier tracking services, you can provide customers with accurate, up-to-date information on the status of their shipments. By providing transparent updates on the status of orders, businesses can manage customer expectations and build trust. Here are some key considerations:
  • Implement Order Tracking Systems: Integrate order tracking systems into your website and order management processes to give customers visibility into their order status. This can include features like tracking numbers, estimated delivery dates, and real-time updates on shipping progress. Ensure that these tracking systems are user-friendly and easily accessible to customers.
  • Send Proactive Shipping Notifications: Proactively send shipping notifications to customers at key milestones, such as when an order is placed, shipped, and delivered. These notifications should include relevant details like tracking numbers and estimated delivery dates. Automating these notifications can save time and ensure consistency in communication.
  • Make a Contingency Plan for Delivery Exception: Start by identifying critical shipments and prioritizing them in your logistics strategy. Get to know different carriers so you can switch if your main one is delayed. Have a backup plan with various options like ground shipping or local delivery. Tell customers about delays and give them updated delivery estimates.
• Ensure orders are dispatched promptly to meet delivery timeframes: Make sure orders are sent out on time by improving how you pack, ship, and deliver. This means making your operations more efficient so you can handle more orders without delays.
• Monitor delivery performance and address any issues promptly: Ensure a seamless delivery experience by actively monitoring delivery performance and promptly addressing any issues that arise. Track key performance indicators such as delivery times, success rates, and customer feedback to identify and resolve problems quickly.
• Provide multiple fulfillment options
  • In-house Fulfillment: In-house fulfillment involves managing and processing orders directly from your warehouse or storage facility. This option gives you complete control over the entire fulfillment process, from inventory management to packaging and shipping. During BFCM, in-house fulfillment allows for more flexibility and quicker response times to sudden spikes in demand.
  • Store-based Fulfillment: Store-based fulfillment, also known as Buy Online, Pick Up In Store (BOPIS), leverages your physical retail locations to fulfill online orders. This method can significantly reduce shipping costs and delivery times, as customers can pick up their purchases directly from the nearest store.
  • Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA): Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) allows merchants to store their products in Amazon’s fulfillment centers, where Amazon handles the picking, packing, and shipping of orders. FBA can enhance your product’s visibility on Amazon’s platform and provide access to Prime shipping, potentially boosting sales.
  • Third-party Fulfillment: Third-party fulfillment involves outsourcing your order processing and shipping to a specialized logistics provider. Third-party providers can offer scalable solutions, advanced technology for tracking and managing orders, and often better shipping rates.

Develop an Efficient Customer Communication

• Send order confirmation emails and post-purchase thank-you emails: Ensure that confirmation emails include order summaries, estimated delivery dates, and tracking information to keep customers informed and reassured. Additionally, sending thank-you emails after the purchase fosters goodwill and reinforces customer loyalty.
• Strategically Promote Related Products Through Cross-Selling Opportunities: Adding product recommendations to tracking and returns pages reminds customers of other items they might like. On the tracking page, businesses can highlight related products that the customer has recently bought. The returns page can also suggest items that go with the returned product, helping customers find replacements or alternatives.
• Develop a crisis management plan for handling unexpected issues or PR crises: A well-prepared crisis management plan allows your team to respond swiftly and effectively to any issues that arise, minimizing potential damage to your brand’s reputation. The plan should include roles and responsibilities, a crisis action plan, and pre-approved messages.

Offer a hassle-free Returns Procedure

Ensure your return policy is clear, up-to-date, and easily accessible on your website

In order to provide customers with the confidence they need to complete their purchase, a transparent return policy is essential. It is advisable to display your return policy prominently on your website, ideally linked from the homepage, product pages, and checkout process.

Provide seamless exchange experience to recapture revenue

A streamlined and user-friendly exchange process can make a significant difference in retaining these customers and converting potential returns into new sales. Make your exchange policy easy to find on your website with instructions. Offering different ways to exchange items makes the process easier for different customers.

Implement a return fraud management system to protect revenue

A return fraud management system should have clear policies and procedures to deter fraud. Tell customers about your return policy on your website. This should include things like how long they have to return items, why they can return items and any fees. Restocking fees or proof of purchase can stop fraud without upsetting customers.

Set automation rules to expedite the return process

Automation rules can make the return process faster by automatically categorizing returns based on certain criteria. These rules can trigger actions like generating return shipping labels, updating inventory, and issuing refunds or store credits.

Process returns quickly and update inventory records accordingly

A simple return process makes sure that returned items are checked, restocked, and sold quickly. This helps you avoid losing money and manage your stock levels better.

Communicate return status and resolution to the customer

Providing real-time notifications via email or SMS reassures customers that their return is being handled efficiently and keeps them informed of any necessary actions on their part.

Process refunds promptly and notify customers of the refund status

Efficient refund processes can speed up refunds and reduce delays. Clear communication is also important. Sending customers timely notifications about their refund shows transparency and reassures them that their request is being addressed.

Provide responsive and problem-solving customer services

Provide prompt customer support and create an FAQ section

Deliver exceptional customer service by offering prompt and personalized support for any post-purchase issues, ensuring your customer service team is readily available and equipped to handle inquiries efficiently. By analyzing customer inquiries and feedback, you can identify recurring issues and provide clear, comprehensive answers in an easily accessible FAQ section on your website.

Use a desk help system to track and manage customer interactions

Provide responsive and problem-solving customer services by using a desk help system to track and manage customer interactions. This system ensures that all inquiries, issues, and resolutions are meticulously recorded and addressed promptly, allowing your customer service team to deliver personalized and efficient support.

Nurture customers into long-term relationships

Segment your email list based on customers’ purchase behavior for targeted marketing

Grouping customers by how they buy lets you send relevant emails. Personalized emails can help you sell more. You can send exclusive offers to high-value customers, recommend products to recent purchasers, or re-engage inactive customers with special promotions.

Implement a referral program for new customers

A well-structured referral program encourages existing customers to promote your brand by offering incentives such as discounts, store credits, or exclusive offers for both the referrer and the referred.

Offering exclusive discounts to customers

Boost customer engagement and satisfaction by offering exclusive discounts for your customers.

Send holiday greetings, seasonal messages, and personalized birthday offers to make customers feel valued

Strengthen customer relationships by sending holiday greetings or seasonal messages to maintain engagement throughout the year. Maintaining consistent communication with your most dedicated customers helps sustain their engagement and loyalty. Regular updates through newsletters, emails, or social media posts ensure that your loyal customers are the first to know about exciting new launches, exclusive services, and important company milestones.

Encourage customers to share their purchases on social media and websites

Give customers discounts or let them show off their purchases on social media. This content builds a sense of community among your customers.

Create a community forum for customers to share their experiences and tips

The forum can let customers talk about their purchases and share reviews and tips on using products. It helps customers engage with you and gives you useful feedback.

Data Reporting

Data Gathering and Analyzing

To ensure the success of the BFCM campaign, it is essential to monitor key performance indicators such as sales, revenue, and conversion rates. Customer data helps us understand customer behavior, including what they buy and why. This lets us create targeted marketing campaigns. It also helps us see which marketing channels work best. KPIs like order accuracy, delivery time, and customer satisfaction help us make sure our processes are efficient and meet customer expectations.

Transforming Data into Actionable Insights

The first step is to gather insights into the campaign strategy in order to ensure that the overall approach is aligned with the desired goals. Next, focus on campaign messages to make sure they reach your target audience. Understand your target audience by looking at their demographics, preferences, and behaviors. This helps you market to the right people.

Elevating Your BFCM Strategy for Next Year

It is advisable to learn from competitors' post-BFCM strategies to identify successful practices and avoid common pitfalls. Develop strategies to transform seasonal shoppers into year-round customers, fostering long-term loyalty and repeat business. Furthermore, implement retargeting campaigns aimed at one-time buyers to re-engage them and encourage future purchases.