November has arrived, bringing the final push towards Black Friday. It’s time to fine tune your email marketing strategies and ensure everything is in place for the busiest shopping event of the year
This month you are making last minute adjustments and then getting your emails ready to press send. There’s a lot to do and the time will fly by so make sure you are ready.
So, here’s your November to-do list for optimising those email marketing campaigns, just in time for Black Friday.
(For September’s list, read it here and October’s is here).
1. Create and schedule Black Friday emails
If you started drafting your emails in late October, great! But if not, don’t worry – early November is your last chance to craft and finalise your Black Friday emails.
Use this time to schedule your campaigns within your email service provider. Remember, you still have a window to test subject lines and send times to optimize your outreach. Consider A/B testing to find the best performing variations before the big day.
Now is also the time to check and update your email automations, including abandoned cart and post purchase.
2. Give your audience an opt-out.
Black Friday emails can be overwhelming for some subscribers, and not everyone will want to participate in the shopping frenzy.
Respect their inboxes by offering an easy opt-out option specifically for your Black Friday promotions.
This not only reduces unsubscribe rates but also helps maintain a positive brand image by showing consideration for your audience’s preferences
3. Final adjustments to digital assets
Ensure that your website, checkout process, and opt-in forms are all optimised and fully aligned with your Black Friday campaigns.
Update all digital assets to clearly reflect your Black Friday offers, making sure the customer journey is seamless from start to finish.
Test everything to avoid any last minute hiccups.
4. Send the campaigns – early birds/VIP access first
Begin your Black Friday campaign rollout by sending your first emails to those who signed up for early bird or VIP access. These subscribers are your most engaged audience, so make sure they feel special with exclusive offers or early access deals.
This approach not only rewards loyalty but also helps you gauge initial campaign performance before reaching the wider audience.
5. Monitor the campaigns
Email marketing isn’t a ‘set it and forget it’ strategy, especially not during Black Friday.
Continuously monitor your campaign’s performance, checking key metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates.
Be vigilant about potential issues, such as deliverability problems or website downtime, and be ready to respond to customer inquiries or opt-out requests.
Your ability to react swiftly to data will be crucial in maximizing the success of your campaigns
6. Plan for Post-Black Friday Engagement
While Black Friday may be the main event, planning for the post-Black Friday period is equally important.
Prepare email templates for key follow-up campaigns: send personalised thank you emails to customers who made purchases, promote Cyber Monday deals to keep the momentum going, and craft follow-up emails that encourage product reviews or cross-sells.
The insights you gain during Black Friday can also be invaluable for optimising your Christmas campaigns
Good luck with your Black Friday campaigns. I hope they are a roaring success.
Need some help and guidance with your email marketing? Whether it’s starting from scratch or your need an overhaul, I’d love to help you. Contact me to get started.
