Mastering BFCM Email Marketing: Kickstart Your Campaigns Ahead of Time

[Trevor]

The annual BFCM bonanza offers an incredible chance to expose your store to an enormous audience. In the most recent BFCM season, independent businesses worldwide maderecord-breaking sales of$7.5 billion, a 19% increasefrom the previous year. This surge in online shopping shows no signs of stopping for the 2023 season.

Consumers are approaching the holiday shopping season with intent, actively seeking out the best deals from their favorite brands. A recent survey of more than 24,000 consumers worldwide revealed that 76% were looking for higher-quality productsthat will last, while84% planned to compare prices for the best discountsbefore making a purchase during the BFCM weekend.

More than52 million consumers globally purchasedfrom brands in 2022, a 12% increase from 2021. The BFCM weekend represents thehighest volume shopping event of the year for merchants. While not an exact indicator of the full holiday season, this event underscores the significant impact independent businesses have worldwide.

So, how do you attract the attention of these online shoppers in time for the BFCM sales? And, more importantly, how do you transform these BFCM shoppers into loyal, repeat customers?

Email marketing is an effective strategy to prepare your existing customers for upcoming deals and entice new visitors to sign up, allowing you to stay in touch throughout the year. This article will provide insights on how to collect emails, create engaging content, and decide on a schedule. Before you know it, you'll be an email marketing pro!

Building Your Email List

The first step is to persuade people to sign up for your email marketing. The most effective way to do this is by offering something of value in return. This could be a discount code upon sign-up, or exclusive content like a downloadable PDF, style guide, or even a multi-day workshop or challenge.

If creating free guides or PDF downloads seems daunting, consider offering a regular blog or newsletter. This approach allows you to provide free information, build relationships, establish your brand, and gently guide people towards your business. For your blog, focus on topics related to your business and industry insights that you can share with your customers.

Collecting emails can be done in various ways, such as

• Newsletter Sign-Up Pop-Ups:Implement a pop-up on your website that prompts visitors to sign up for your newsletter. This can appear when they first land on your site or when they show signs of exiting.

• Account Creation:Encourage customers to create an account before making a purchase. This not only speeds up the checkout process for them but also provides you with their email address.

• Lead Magnets:Offer something of value, like a discount code, free shipping, or a free trial, in exchange for an email address.

• Social Media Campaigns:Use your social media platforms to promote sign-ups to your newsletter.

• Online Contests or Giveaways:These can be a great way to gather email addresses. Just make sure it's clear that by entering the contest, participants are agreeing to sign up for your newsletter.

• Feedback or Surveys:Ask visitors for their email addresses when they fill out feedback forms or surveys on your website.

You can manage customer emails from within the admin area. Head toCustomers > Email Subscribersto see who has signed up for email marketing.

Crafting Your Newsletter Content

There are several types of content you can create for your email marketing campaigns.

• Welcome Emails:These are sent to new subscribers or customers, introducing them to your brand and setting the tone for future communications.

• Educational Emails:Share informative content related to your industry or products. This could include how-to guides, blog posts, or videos.

• Product Launch Emails:Announce new products or services to your email list. These emails should highlight the benefits and features of the new offering.

• Promotional Emails:These are used to promote special offers, discounts, or sales. They are designed to drive purchases and should include a clear call-to-action.

• Re-engagement Emails:Target subscribers who haven't interacted with your emails or website for a while. These could offer special discounts or ask for feedback to encourage interaction.

• Cart Abandonment Emails:Remind customers who have left items in their online shopping cart without completing the purchase. These emails often include a gentle nudge to complete the transaction, sometimes offering a discount or free shipping as an incentive.

• Event Invitation Emails:If you're hosting a webinar, workshop, or any other event, send an email invitation to your list.

• Customer Appreciation Emails:Show your gratitude to your loyal customers with a special thank you email. This could also include exclusive discounts or gifts.

• Seasonal or Holiday Emails:Capitalize on various holidays or seasons to send themed emails with relevant offers or content.

• Survey or Feedback Emails:Ask your subscribers for their opinions or feedback on your products, services, or previous emails.

Each type of email serves a different purpose and can be used at different stages of the customer journey. Keeping a balance between email types will help keep your customers engaged and further add to the trust and credibility your brand has with its audience.

Writing Effective Subject Lines

The subject line can significantly influence whether a customer opens your email. You can experiment with different styles, such as simple, humorous, or urgent subject lines. Here are a few examples!

Simple Subject Lines:

• "Your Weekly Update is Here"
• "New Arrivals Just for You"
• "Here's Your Exclusive Discount Code"

Humorous Subject Lines:

• "We Like Your Style (And Your Bad Jokes)"
• "Don't Open This Email (Reverse Psychology)"
• "Is Your Wardrobe Feeling Lonely?"

Urgent Subject Lines:

• "Only 24 Hours Left to Save!"
• "Hurry, Your Cart Items are Selling Out"
• "Last Chance to Grab Your Favorites"

Question-Based Subject Lines:

• "Ready for Our Biggest Sale of the Year?"
• "Need Help Finding the Perfect Gift?"
• "Looking for Style Inspiration?"

Personalized Subject Lines:

• "John, Your Custom Recommendations are Here"
• "Sarah, We Miss You! Here's a Special Offer"
• "Alex, Check Out What's New in Your Favorite Category"

The key is to keep the subject lines relevant to the content of the email and engaging enough to prompt the recipient to open the email. Experiment with different styles and monitor your open rates to see what works best for your audience.

Writing Engaging Email Copy

主要的波dy of your email is where you communicate your key points. Strive for a conversational tone rather than sounding like an advertisement. Let your personality shine through while maintaining your brand voice to foster relationships with your customers over time.

Remember to include a Call to Action (CTA) button in your email. This can significantly influence whether your customers decide to engage further with your brand.

However, it's important to exercise restraint when using gifs, emojis, and exclamation marks in your emails, as excessive use may lead to your email being flagged as spam. Additionally, strive for a balanced tone in your communication to avoid sounding overly promotional. Here are some examples of words to avoid in your subject line to maintain this balance:

• Urgent
• Click here
• Offer expires
• Limited Time
• Cash or money
• Winner
• Free or Free Gift
• Instant Access

Always include a physical address for your business and an unsubscribe button on all emails as required by theCAN-SPAM Act.Be sure tocheck out our Best Email Practices guidefor a more in-depth look at what you can do.

Utilizing Shopify Email

With the basics of crafting your emails covered, it's time to start creating!Shopify Emailis a great resource, allowing you to send up to 10,000 manual or automated emails per month. Any additional emails beyond the free limit cost $1 USD for every 1,000 additional emails sent (or $0.001 USD per email).

There are also various mail apps likeKlaviyo: Email Marketing & SMSorPrivy ‑ Pop-Ups, Email, & SMSthat you can use to collect customer info, plan your campaigns, or create newsletter pop-ups.

For a full walk-through of how to use Shopify Email to set up campaigns,check out this guide. If you're uncertain about any part of the process, refer to ourFAQ guide.

Good luck and happy selling!