As the leaves turn golden and the air grows crisp, savvy e-commerce entrepreneurs know it's time to gear up for the biggest shopping extravaganza of the year: Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM). This isn't just a weekend of deals; it's a make-or-break opportunity that can define your entire year's success. In the digital jungle of discounts and doorbusters, just participating isn't enough – you need to dominate.
At Bottomless Labs, we've seen firsthand how BFCM can make or break a brand's bottom line for the entire year. Our post-click agency has a proven track record of optimizing landing pages and boosting conversion rates for brands like Ridge, Carnivore Snax, and Plunge, so naturally, we're no strangers to Black Friday. Over the years, we've been lucky enough to create and optimize hundreds of DTC funnels, giving us a concrete understanding of what makes them successful or not. This is a guide to everything we're deploying this year to help our clients crush Black Friday. We hope it helps.
The Early Bird Catches the Black Friday Cyber Monday Worm
Forget last-minute scrambles. The secret sauce to BFCM success is beginning your strategy well in advance. It's October 1st. If you haven't started to prep yet, start now.
We recommend beginning by split testing to fine-tune every aspect of your site. Test everything from your landing page layouts to your buy box copy. By the time the Black Friday/Cyber Monday frenzy hits, you need to be ready to go.
TEST RECOMMENDATION: One landing page type that crushed for our clients last year at Bottomless was a bridge page. Bridge pages are short, simple landing pages that show all of the information for the sale/promo, and link to the PDP (Product Detail Page). It's important to reiterate the deal on the PDP with a banner, buy box images, or update the buy box copy. Since you can now fully customize product page templates and LPs all from Replo, it's super easy to do.
The AOV Game: Playing for Keeps
During Black Friday, traffic surges, and conversion rates usually reach an all-year high. While everyone's fighting for clicks, the real winners are focusing on Average Order Value (AOV). It's not just about getting customers through the door; it's about maximizing what's in their cart when they leave.
Here are some offers we've been implementing for some of our clients this year to help with AOV:
Buy One, Get One (BOGO): The classic that never fails.
Spend X, Unlock Y: Create a treasure hunt within your store. Set spending thresholds that unlock special items or discounts, turning shopping into an exciting game.
Tiered Discounts: The more they buy, the more they save. It's a simple concept that can drive complex buying behaviors, pushing customers to reach for that next discount tier.
Free Gift with Purchase: Offer a complementary product that enhances the main purchase, adding perceived value.
Design that Converts: Optimizing Your Landing Page
The way you speak to your customers through design is incredibly important this time of year. When it comes to creating high-converting landing pages for your BFCM campaigns, we've found Replo to be the only tool worth our time. We've tried em all and now 100% use Replo for LPs. It just makes the whole process so much easier and faster. Here are some design tips.
Clickable Announcement Bars: Make your announcement bars clickable and linked to where the promo can be claimed. Make your offers impossible to miss. Use bold, contrasting colors, and clear messaging.
Urgency is Your Friend: BFCM is all about FOMO. Normally countdown timers aren't the best. They feel inauthentic and spammy. During BFCM however, they are expected and really move the needle. Limited stock indicators and displaying the end date of the sale will help to create a sense of urgency.
CTAs That Command Action: Your Call-to-Action buttons should be more than afterthoughts. Use action-oriented language like "Unlock the Deal" or "Shop now and Save X". Ditch the "learn more" and "shop" buttons.
Omnichannel Consistency: Your BFCM message should be a broken record, playing the same tune across all channels. From your homepage to your ads, emails, and landing pages, create a cohesive narrative that reinforces your offers at every touchpoint.
Optimize Above the Fold: In the fast-paced BFCM environment, you can't afford to bury the lead. Ensure your most compelling offers and key information are visible without scrolling. This includes:
- Your headline offer (e.g., "50% OFF STOREWIDE");
- A clear, prominent CTA;
- Any time-sensitive information (e.g., "Sale Ends Midnight Monday");
- A hero image or video showcasing your best products.
Remember, you have mere seconds to capture attention. Make them count by putting your best foot forward, right at the top of the page.
Copywriting that Sells: Clear, Concise, Compelling
When it comes to copywriting for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, clarity trumps cleverness every time. Here's how to craft copy that converts:
- Be Direct: Now is not the time for subtle wordplay or obscure references. State your offer clearly and concisely. Instead of "Unlock a World of Savings," try "50% Off All Products."
- Focus on Transactional Benefits: Transactional benefits take the lead here; things like "free 30-day returns", "free shipping", or "1-year warranty". Make them clear and concise.
- Use Power Words: Incorporate words that trigger emotional responses, like "Exclusive," "Limited," "Now," and "Save." People will buy items they don't even want on BFCM just because of the deal. Play into that.
- If You Can't Scan It, Can It: Use bullet points, short paragraphs, and highlighted text to make your copy easy to skim. Remember, BFCM shoppers are in a hurry…most of the time sitting at a Thanksgiving table across from nagging family members.
- Show the Savings: Clearly display both the original and sale prices. Use strike-through text on the original price to emphasize the discount.
Another Example:
❌ "Dive into a sea of savings this weekend!"
✅ "BLACK FRIDAY SPECIAL: 50% OFF ALL SWIMWEAR
• Was $100, Now $50
• Save $50 on every item
• Free shipping on orders over $75; Offer ends Monday at midnight. Shop now!"
Don't Forget the Long Game: Retention Matters
BFCM isn't just about short-term gains. There's enormous potential for long-term growth, so don't drop the ball on retention. Keep the big picture in mind:
- Craft pre- and post-purchase emails with future engagement in mind.
- Design upsell landing pages (we have seen huge success with these) that encourage repeat business or upsells and cross-sells.
- Landing pages like "complete the set, you already have XYZ product" perform extremely well.
- Consider pushing subscription incentives instead of basic one-time deals. There are a few deals lined up this year that give the biggest savings to customers who will subscribe. I.e “Buy Once and get 25% off OR Subscribe and Save and get 75% (BFCM exclusive deal).”
The Final Countdown
As the big day approaches, remember that success lies in the details. Every discount, every banner, and every email is an opportunity to connect with your customers and drive sales. Start early, test rigorously, and create an experience that not only meets but exceeds the sky-high expectations of Black Friday shoppers.
With these strategies in your arsenal, you're not just prepared for BFCM – you're poised to conquer it. So, gear up, get creative, and get ready to watch those sales soar. The BFCM battle is coming, and now, you're armed for victory.
If you are a DTC brand that needs help getting some Replo landing pages set up and ready to launch for black Friday, feel free to reach out and we’ll see if we can help!
P.S - Check your work. Don't forget about QA (Quality Assurance). The last thing you want to do is launch a page with a button that does not work or a coupon that doesn't auto-apply. TEST EVERYTHING. Then once you're done testing everything, test it all again. Test on different devices, browsers, breakpoints, etc. Leave no stone unturned.