It’s that time of year again. Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) used to be one day sale events, but now it can last for several weeks. As a result, businesses are realising that they need to plan ahead in order to be successful.
Our webinar, “The BFCM Blueprint: How to Build Hype and Boost Conversions” unveiled a strategic blueprint to help guide retailers through the busy period. This framework is designed to help businesses of all sizes thrive by prioritising foundational stability before layering on advanced tactics. Here’s a summary of the expert tips for a successful BFCM strategy.
Part 1: Optimising Your Site with The “Crawl - Walk - Run” Framework
The first part of the webinar saw our account manager, Debra, discuss the technical and user experience aspects of site optimisation. The “Crawl - Walk - Run” framework provides a clear roadmap to ensure businesses’ sites are ready for the surge in traffic and transactions.
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Crawl - The Non-Negotiables: This initial phase is all about securing your foundation. It involves essential, non-negotiable steps like testing your servers for traffic spikes, ensuring your site is mobile-optimised, and verifying that your checkout and payment gateways are fully functional. The focus is on technical stability and a seamless user experience.
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Walk - The Engagement Boosters: Once the foundation is solid, the next phase is about boosting customer engagement and conversions. This involves tactics like creating SEO-friendly landing pages to build anticipation, streamlining the checkout process to reduce cart abandonment, and using prompts to increase average order value.
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Run - The Differentiators: The final phase is for advanced strategies. These differentiators can set your brand apart. Examples include implementing AI for dynamic merchandising and personalisation, offering "Buy Now, Pay Later" options, and using predictive analytics to prepare for the future.
Part 2: Building Hype with The Storyteller's Playbook
The second part of the webinar, presented by the marketing team, focused on building hype through marketing. It emphasised pairing a strong marketing strategy to accompany your online store. This section was broken into 2 parts, proposing a 360-degree approach that leverages both owned and paid media.
Owned Media: The foundation before spending on advertising, StudioForty9 suggests maximising the channels you already have. These include your email list and organic social presence. These are your most valuable assets as they directly to those who are already engaged with your brand and therefore build a solid foundation of your Black Friday, Cyber Monday story.
Paid Media: Following owned media, the presentation also examined a "Run" phase in which paid media can help amplify your messaging. This is where the initial storytelling and trust-building on owned channels are boosted with strategic advertising to reach a wider audience. The seamless integration of owned and paid media is what creates a powerful, cohesive narrative.
Start Early, Be Strategic
This webinar delivered an invaluable lesson: Black Friday and Cyber Monday success isn't about a last-minute sprint but a marathon of strategic planning. By adopting the “Crawl - Walk - Run” framework, businesses can build a steady foundation, engage their audience effectively, and maximise conversions.
Ready to dive deeper into these strategies?
Click here to watch the full recording and get more details on the month by month steps to help you achieve success throughout the Q4 period. If you would like to discuss any of the points in this webinar you can reach out to our team here.
