Your week-by-week guide to Black Friday and Cyber Monday success

Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) are the biggest shopping days of the year. For e-commerce brands, they can make or break your holiday season. Customers are ready to buy, competition is fierce, and inboxes are overflowing. 

To stand out, you need more than discounts. You need a strategic countdown plan. This post breaks down what to do each week leading up to BFCM, so you can drive sales and build lasting customer relationships.

Key Dates:

• Black Friday 2025: November 28.
• Cyber Monday 2025: December 1.

Four weeks out: Lay the foundation

Start early. The best campaigns begin weeks before November.

Action steps:

• Align your team across customer service, fulfilment and finance.
• Set KPIs like email revenue, SMS conversions and new signups.
• Clean your database and re-engage inactive contacts.
• Segment your audience (e.g., VIPs, new subscribers).
• Finalise your campaign calendar.
• Test discount depth by segment and channel.

Pro tip: Avoid blanket emails. Poor targeting hurts deliverability.

Three weeks out: Warm up your audience

Build excitement and increase engagement gradually.

Action steps:

• Send teaser emails to less active subscribers.
• Use soft asks to collect preferences (progressive profiling).
• Promote sign-ups with perks like early access or wish lists.
• Launch wish lists and personalise content.
• Test subject lines, CTAs and creative formats.

Pro tip: Use branded ‘from’ addresses to build trust and encourage replies.

Two weeks out: Prep for omnichannel success

For retailers, every touchpoint must be connected because every experience matters. Ensure every channel is ready across email, SMS, push and in-app.

Action steps:

• Set up and test mobile alerts.
• Schedule sends at staggered times.
• Authenticate domains (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) and check sender reputation.
• Review all assets and links.
• Send early-access offers to loyal subscribers.
• Prepare mobile wallet coupons for in-store use.

Pro tip: Start with engaged subscribers to boost deliverability.

Go time: Black Friday to Cyber Monday

Execute with precision. Every message counts.

Action steps:

• Send in tiers, starting with engaged subscribers.
• Monitor deliverability and adjust if needed.
• Use short subject lines and strong CTAs.
• Control cadence – don’t blast every deal to everyone.
• Create urgency with countdowns and limited-stock alerts.
• Segment holiday-only shoppers for tailored offers.
• Use SMS and push for quick-hit reminders.

Pro tip: Clarity beats complexity. One strong offer works better than many.

Post-Cyber Monday: Segment and retain

The sale is over, but the relationship isn’t.

Action steps:

• Thank buyers with shipping updates and product tips.
• Re-engage non-buyers with ‘last chance’ offers.
• Reduce send frequency to avoid fatigue.
• Analyse performance and apply insights to future campaigns.
• Move contacts into post-purchase or nurture flows.
• Activate referrals with limited-time offers.
• Handle returns smoothly to retain new customers.

Pro tip: A heartfelt thank-you builds loyalty better than another discount. BFCM is high stakes, but with a clear plan, it can be a launchpad for long-term growth. Stay disciplined, data-driven, and customer-focused. With SAP Emarsys, you’ll have the tools to personalise at scale and make this your most successful season yet.

The post Your week-by-week guide to Black Friday and Cyber Monday success appeared first on Inside Retail Australia.