How Ethical Ecommerce Brands Can Prepare for BFCM with Email
As that busy season of Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM) approaches (it seems a long way off now, but you watch…), ecommerce brands have an unparalleled opportunity to engage their audiences and drive substantial sales. However, success during this period hinges on more than just discounts and deals; it’s about crafting a strategic and thoughtful email marketing plan that resonates with your audience’s values. For conscious, ethical brands that balance profit with purpose, here’s how to prepare your email marketing strategy and content for BFCM. Our number 1 tip? Prep is best started earlier than later.
Understanding the Importance of BFCM for Ethical Brands
BFCM presents a dual opportunity for ethical brands: a chance to boost sales significantly while also promoting values of sustainability, community, and conscious consumerism. Conscious brands can leverage this peak shopping period to not only drive revenue but also reinforce their commitment to positive impact. Here’s how to prepare an email marketing strategy that aligns with these goals.
As that busy season of Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM) approaches (it seems a long way off now, but you watch…), ecommerce brands have an unparalleled opportunity to engage their audiences and drive substantial sales. However, success during this period hinges on more than just discounts and deals; it’s about crafting a strategic and thoughtful email marketing plan that resonates with your audience’s values. For conscious, ethical brands that balance profit with purpose, here’s how to prepare your email marketing strategy and content for BFCM. Our number 1 tip? Prep is best started earlier than later.
Understanding the Importance of BFCM for Ethical Brands
BFCM presents a dual opportunity for ethical brands: a chance to boost sales significantly while also promoting values of sustainability, community, and conscious consumerism. Conscious brands can leverage this peak shopping period to not only drive revenue but also reinforce their commitment to positive impact. Here’s how to prepare an email marketing strategy that aligns with these goals.
Key Preparatory Steps for BFCM Email Marketing
1. Segment Your Audience
Segmenting your email list is foundational for personalised marketing. Divide your audience into distinct groups based on their purchase history, engagement levels, and interests. For instance, frequent buyers might receive exclusive early access to sales, while new subscribers could get a special welcome discount.
2. Craft Compelling Subject Lines
Your subject line is the first thing recipients see, so make it count. It should be attention-grabbing yet authentic, reflecting your brand’s values. Consider incorporating elements of urgency and exclusivity, such as “Exclusive Early Access: Sustainably Sourced Deals Inside!” or “Limited-Time Offer: Ethical Finds for Your Holiday List!”
2. Craft Compelling Subject Lines
Your subject line is the first thing recipients see, so make it count. It should be attention-grabbing yet authentic, reflecting your brand’s values. Consider incorporating elements of urgency and exclusivity, such as “Exclusive Early Access: Sustainably Sourced Deals Inside!” or “Limited-Time Offer: Ethical Finds for Your Holiday List!”
3. Design Engaging and Purposeful Content
Your email content should be visually appealing and aligned with your brand’s aesthetic. Use high-quality images and clear, concise copy to convey your message. Highlight the ethical aspects of your products, such as sustainable materials, fair trade certifications, or charitable partnerships. Remember, your content should not only drive sales but also reinforce your brand’s commitment to making a positive impact.
3. Design Engaging and Purposeful Content
Your email content should be visually appealing and aligned with your brand’s aesthetic. Use high-quality images and clear, concise copy to convey your message. Highlight the ethical aspects of your products, such as sustainable materials, fair trade certifications, or charitable partnerships. Remember, your content should not only drive sales but also reinforce your brand’s commitment to making a positive impact.
4. Plan a Sequence of Campaign Emails
Don’t rely on a single email to do all the work. Plan a sequence of emails that build anticipation, inform, and convert. Here’s a suggested email sequence:
- Teaser Email: Build anticipation with a sneak peek of what’s coming. Highlight key dates and exclusive offers.
- Early Access Email: Reward loyal customers with early access to deals. This can help build momentum and drive early sales.
- Main Sale Email: Announce the start of your BFCM sale. Use bold visuals and clear calls-to-action (CTAs).
- Reminder Email: Send reminders as the sale progresses. Highlight popular items and create urgency with phrases like “Only a few hours left!”
- Last Chance Email: Urge customers to take final advantage of deals. Emphasise the limited time remaining.
Thank You Email: Post-sale, thank your customers and consider offering a preview of future deals or exclusive content.
5. Ensure All Your Foundational Flows are Good to Go
Flows are our automated heroes all year round, but through BFCM they can do even more of the heavy lifting. Take a strategic re-think of your core flows for this key period; including your welcome series, abandoned cart, and abandoned browse, to take advantage of this huge new influx of traffic heading their way! But remember, this might look like a lot of work but can be prepped in advance, ready to go when your sales do.
- Welcome Series: Update your messages for new customers to reflect any limited time offers and savings they can take advantage of, whilst also introducing them to your brand.
- Abandoned Checkout: Make increased use of FOMO and the additional incentive of limited time sale offers to push revenue. Ensure you have both metrics: Added to Cart and Checkout Started covered so maximum potential customers are reached!
- Abandoned Browse: Your opportunity to communicate with people who’ve simply viewed your products, make your BFCM offer clear in your messaging, and ensure you’re taking the opportunity to communicate why your brand is worthy of a sale.
- Links: Change up links to land on your BFCM landing pages, instead of more generic pages that are more relevant the rest of the year.
- Time Delays: Consider decreasing the time delays between key messages, to increase urgency to purchase (and ensuring those purchases happen during the sale window!)
5. Capture That Traffic!
Your site will be much busier than usual, so it’s time to step your data capture up a notch! Set up BFCM pop-up forms and have them drafted and ready to go, so you can be there from the get-go with capturing that all important email subscription, alongside maximising your BFCM visibility.
5. Capture That Traffic!
Your site will be much busier than usual, so it’s time to step your data capture up a notch! Set up BFCM pop-up forms and have them drafted and ready to go, so you can be there from the get-go with capturing that all important email subscription, alongside maximising your BFCM visibility.
6. Optimise for Mobile
A significant portion of your audience will view emails on their mobile devices. Ensure your emails are mobile-friendly with responsive design, easy-to-read fonts, and tappable buttons.
6. Optimise for Mobile
A significant portion of your audience will view emails on their mobile devices. Ensure your emails are mobile-friendly with responsive design, easy-to-read fonts, and tappable buttons.
7. Incorporate Social Proof and UGC
User-generated content (UGC) and social proof can significantly boost trust and engagement. Include testimonials, reviews, and photos from real customers. Highlighting authentic experiences with your products can reassure potential buyers of their quality and ethical impact.
8. Test and Analyze
A/B testing is crucial for understanding what resonates best with your audience. Test different subject lines, visuals, and CTAs to optimise performance. After your campaign, analyse the data to learn what worked and what didn’t. Use these insights to refine future strategies. And don’t just start testing during BFCM – start as early as you can to give you the biggest window of opportunity for testing!
Addressing Common Questions and Concerns
Q1: How can we maintain our brand’s ethical values during a high-pressure sales period like BFCM?
Maintaining ethical values during BFCM involves transparency and authenticity. Communicate clearly about how your products are made, the sustainability practices you follow, and the positive impact your customers are making by purchasing from you. Avoid over-promising and ensure your marketing messages align with your brand’s mission.
Q2: What type of content should we include in our BFCM emails?
Your content should be a mix of promotional and value-driven messages. Highlight your unique selling propositions (USPs), such as eco-friendly materials, fair trade practices, or charitable donations tied to purchases. Use compelling visuals, clear CTAs, and emphasise the limited-time nature of your deals to create urgency.
Q3: How can we stand out in a crowded inbox during BFCM?
Standing out requires a combination of eye-catching design and relevant, personalised content. Segment your audience for tailored messaging, use bold and attractive visuals, and craft compelling subject lines. Incorporate elements of social proof and highlight what makes your brand unique.
Q4: How can we measure the success of our BFCM email marketing campaign?
Key metrics to track include open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates, and overall sales generated from the email campaign. Additionally, monitor unsubscribe rates to gauge if your frequency or content is overwhelming your audience. Post-campaign, analyse these metrics to understand what worked and where there’s room for improvement.
Addressing Common Questions and Concerns
Q1: How can we maintain our brand’s ethical values during a high-pressure sales period like BFCM?
Maintaining ethical values during BFCM involves transparency and authenticity. Communicate clearly about how your products are made, the sustainability practices you follow, and the positive impact your customers are making by purchasing from you. Avoid over-promising and ensure your marketing messages align with your brand’s mission.
Q2: What type of content should we include in our BFCM emails?
Your content should be a mix of promotional and value-driven messages. Highlight your unique selling propositions (USPs), such as eco-friendly materials, fair trade practices, or charitable donations tied to purchases. Use compelling visuals, clear CTAs, and emphasise the limited-time nature of your deals to create urgency.
Q3: How can we stand out in a crowded inbox during BFCM?
Standing out requires a combination of eye-catching design and relevant, personalised content. Segment your audience for tailored messaging, use bold and attractive visuals, and craft compelling subject lines. Incorporate elements of social proof and highlight what makes your brand unique.
Q4: How can we measure the success of our BFCM email marketing campaign?
Key metrics to track include open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates, and overall sales generated from the email campaign. Additionally, monitor unsubscribe rates to gauge if your frequency or content is overwhelming your audience. Post-campaign, analyse these metrics to understand what worked and where there’s room for improvement.
Conclusion
Preparing your email marketing strategy for Black Friday Cyber Monday requires careful planning and a deep understanding of your audience. For ethical ecommerce brands, this is also an opportunity to showcase your commitment to sustainability, community, and conscious consumerism. By segmenting your audience, crafting compelling content, and maintaining transparency, you can drive significant sales while staying true to your values. Remember, the key to success lies in balancing the urgency of BFCM with the authenticity and purpose that define your brand. Happy selling!
Meet the Author!
Heather Thomas, our Email & Content Manager has been with Hello Earth for over 2 years! Heather successfully manages our Email accounts across a range of brands from the Menswear fashion industry, to Health & Beauty.
Meet the Author!
Heather Thomas, our Email & Content Manager has been with Hello Earth for over 2 years! Heather successfully manages our Email accounts across a range of brands from the Menswear fashion industry, to Health & Beauty.
