BFCM, short for Black Friday Cyber Monday, is a massive retail event that spans the weekend following Thanksgiving in the United States. In recent years, Black Friday has expanded from in-store chaos to online platforms, offering customers even more access to incredible deals.

BFCM is a chance to grab must-have items at unbeatable prices. However, for retailers, it's more than just a shopping event—it's a golden opportunity to significantly boost sales and revenue.

Offering great deals is one thing, but making sure your customers know about those offers is another challenge altogether. We have four highly effective methods that can help you promote your BFCM deals more effectively in this post.

What is a BFCM sale? 

BFCM, short for Black Friday Cyber Monday, is a massive retail event that spans the weekend following Thanksgiving in the United States. It combines two of the most significant shopping days of the year: Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Black Friday, which takes place the day after Thanksgiving, traditionally signals the start of the holiday shopping season. It is notorious for its doorbuster deals, early-morning queues, and chaotic in-store shopping experiences. Over the years, Black Friday has expanded from the traditional offline stores to online platforms, offering customers even more ways to access incredible deals.

Cyber Monday follows Black Friday and is entirely focused on online shopping. Initiated to boost online shopping post the hectic Black Friday for those people who are tired after a busy weekend with Black Friday, it has grown into the biggest e-commerce event in a year. Retailers extend Black Friday offers or introduce new Cyber Monday specials, catering to those who prefer shopping at their own homes.

The year 2024 schedules Black Friday for November 29th and Cyber Monday for December 2nd. These dates mark a long weekend packed with shopping opportunities as retailers across industries compete to draw the attention of eager holiday shoppers.

Why should businesses consider BCFM as the most important sale event in a year?

For consumers, BFCM is an opportunity to grab highly sought-after items at a fraction of their usual prices. However, for retailers, BFCM is much more than just a shopping event—it's a golden chance to significantly boost their sales. Statistics from previous years underscore just how impactful BFCM can be for businesses.

While Black Friday is significant as its retail traffic record on this day is five times higher than on average shopping days , Cyber Monday tends to be even bigger in terms of sales volume and customer engagement. Retailers should plan to offer their best discounts and prepare for a surge in customer support inquiries as more orders come in on Cyber Monday.

Adobe Analytics reported a record-breaking $9.8 billion in Black Friday online sales in 2023, reflecting a 7.5% increase from the previous year (excluding inflation). Meanwhile, Cyber Monday saw an even larger surge, with consumers spending $12.4 billion, a 9.6% jump from 2022.

Further data from the U.S. Department of Commerce highlights the growing trend of e-commerce during this period. In the third quarter of 2023, e-commerce grew by 7.75%, far outpacing total retail growth, which only saw a 2% increase. Another data source, Mastercard Spendingpulse, reported that Friday eCommerce sales increased 8.5% year over year, while in-store sales only increased 1.1%.

This suggests that consumers are increasingly choosing to shop online during BFCM, avoiding the crowds and opting for the convenience of digital shopping. It makes it clear that focusing on BFCM is an essential event for businesses looking to maximize their holiday season revenue.

Four ways to promote your BCFM sales effectively

Promote the offers directly on your website

Your online store is the ideal starting point for grabbing customers' attention with your BFCM promotions. Many shoppers begin exploring new stores before the sale to find the best deals, so it’s essential to make a lasting impression during this period. Displaying your offers prominently as soon as visitors arrive on your site can encourage immediate purchases, rather than waiting for them to be redirected through other channels later on.

Customers don’t actively search for discount coupons every time they visit a website, so it’s crucial to ensure that your BFCM deals are highly visible. Showcasing your offers on your homepage is a must, but consider taking it a step further by featuring them on other pages as well, using pop-up windows or embedded blocks. This strategy ensures that visitors can easily spot your promotions, no matter where they navigate on your site.

In addition to highlighting your Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers, businesses should remember to provide clear instructions on how to redeem these discounts. Many shoppers abandon their carts simply because they struggle to apply the offers correctly, so don’t let this opportunity pass by! Make the process as straightforward as possible by guiding customers step-by-step through the checkout.

To maximize visibility, promote your BFCM deals in key locations across your website, such as:

• Announcement bar: A slim, attention-grabbing bar at the top of the page that immediately informs visitors of your sale.
• Header banner or slide bar: A large, eye-catching banner that highlights your top deals and draws customers deeper into your site.
• Collection banners: Showcase discounts on specific product collections to guide customers directly to the deals they’re most interested in.
• Pop-up windows: Use timed pop-ups to remind visitors of ongoing offers or create urgency with countdown timers.
• Sale badges, labels, or embedded blocks on product pages: Add visual cues to individual products to make it clear which items are on sale and what kind of discount is being offered.

> Struggling to find an appropriate application helping you display your free gifts, volume discounts, package deals, etc. on popup windows or product pages? Take a look at our Salepify here.

Maximize your email marketing

Email marketing is a powerful tool for promoting your BFCM sale, especially when targeting customers who have previously made purchases or subscribed to your mailing list. These customers are already familiar with your brand and more likely to engage with your promotions, as their subscription indicates a potential interest in returning for more.

When planning your BFCM email marketing strategy, it's crucial to include different types of emails tailored to various stages of the customer journey.

• Warm-Up Emails: Start by sending a warm-up email before BFCM to get your customers excited about the upcoming sale. Make sure your first newsletter or promotional email reaches their inbox at least 10 days before the beginning day.
• General Promotional Emails: Create engaging promotional emails to send regularly to everyone who has opted in to receive promotional content.
• Segmented Emails: Businesses should also segment their email lists into categories such as previous customers, loyal customers, subscribers, and new contacts. Tailor the content to each group, like offering exclusive deals for loyal customers, which taps into their desire for special treatment and unique offers.
• Abandoned Cart Emails: During BFCM, cart abandonment rates tend to spike, with nearly 77% of online shoppers abandoning their carts daily in 2023. Set up automatically triggered abandoned cart emails to recapture these customers and encourage them to complete their purchases.
• Thank You Emails: After the sale ends, don’t forget to send a thank-you email to your customers. This is also a great opportunity to encourage post-sale engagement, such as inviting customers to leave reviews, share their purchases on social media, or explore related products.

Spread promotions on social media

Promoting your BFCM sale on social media can be a highly effective way to connect with both your existing audience and potential new customers. An impactful social media strategy involves engaging with your followers before, during, and after your campaign. This approach is also one of the most popular methods for reaching new customers.

In fact, a survey by Simplicity reveals that nearly 50% of consumers discover new brands and attractive deals through platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok. When a campaign gains viral traction, it can generate a surge in visitors transitioning from social media to your landing pages, leading to rapid revenue growth.

However, it’s important to carefully consider this approach for BFCM 2024. In 2023, there was a significant decline in the number of shoppers who learned about sales from brands on social platforms. According to Tapcart, 36% of consumers reported making a purchase directly from an ad, which is a decrease from 44% in 2022. Given this trend, you might want to focus on promoting sales directly on your website or utilizing other forms of communication. However, if you’re confident in your content and resources, then pursuing a social media strategy could still be worth the effort!

Promotion on your store's blog posts

Businesses should also consider promoting their BFCM sale through Shopify blog posts to take advantage of the increased search activity during this shopping season. People frequently turn to Google for gift ideas on Black Friday, looking for inspiration and recommendations. By creating blog content that addresses these common search queries, you can position your store as a helpful resource and attract free organic traffic.

In your blog posts, don't just provide general ideas—use the opportunity to highlight your own products and services. Recommend items from your store that align with the themes of your content, and make sure to emphasize any special BFCM deals or discounts you're offering. This allows potential customers to find what they're looking for without needing to search elsewhere. When your store is featured as part of the solution, it increases the likelihood that visitors will choose to shop with you, driving more sales during the BFCM event.

To illustrate this point, let’s take a more specific example. If you're on the hunt for a third-party app that can display your free gifts, volume discounts, package deals, or cart upsell offers on all pages of your store, then why not give Salpify by Tek Labs a try?

Conclusion

In conclusion, Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM) offers a prime opportunity for retailers to boost sales and attract customers. To make the most of this event, focus on effectively promoting your deals through your website, email marketing, social media, and blog content. By strategically showcasing your offers and engaging with your audience, you can drive significant traffic and maximize your sales potential during this high-impact shopping weekend.