{"id":2900,"date":"2025-10-01T04:31:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-01T04:31:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/messagemedia.com\/au\/?post_type=blog&p=2900"},"modified":"2025-11-06T20:21:51","modified_gmt":"2025-11-06T20:21:51","slug":"bfcm-sms-marketing-checklist","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/messagemedia.com\/au\/blog\/bfcm-sms-marketing-checklist\/","title":{"rendered":"Your SMS marketing checklist for Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM)."},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Last updated September 2023<\/sub><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keen to harness the power of SMS to reach and convert customers this Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM)? Why wouldn\u2019t you? SMS, after all, is a cheap and easy way to get your best discounts and offers in front of hungry shoppers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once the domain of door-busting deals, with shoppers queuing for hours outside actual stores before the sales started, BFCM has now morphed into more of a shop-from-home event. Last year, online spending on Black Friday<\/a> hit a record $10.8 billion, over 10% more than they did last Black Friday, according to data from Adobe Analytics. Mobile devices accounted for 52.28% of all online Black Friday spending.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With more shoppers browsing and buying from their devices, no wonder SMS marketing is shaping up to be a top tool for online retailers during this year\u2019s BFCM sales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

10 things to tick off your BFCM SMS marketing checklist.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

1. Build earlybird excitement.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Start sending your BFCM deals in October. Yep, that\u2019s before Halloween, folks. Shoppers will already be on the lookout for the best BFCM deals by then \u2014 and you\u2019ll want your brand on their radar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To build buzz, kick-start a campaign that drip-feeds promotional SMS messages in the weeks leading up to BFCM. As the big weekend draws closer, ramp things up with even better deals and discounts. Don\u2019t forget to test and monitor each text\u2019s performance as you go, and make adjustments accordingly.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"SMS-marketing-example-early-BFCM-sale\"
Get your Black Friday deals early at Everlens. 25% off all lenses plus other great savings. Shop here: [URL] Reply STOP to opt out.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

2. Make it mobile.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

With more shoppers using their phones to buy stuff, make sure your entire customer journey is mobile-first. Which means adding SMS to your BFCM marketing strategy, and exploring the use of mobile landing pages<\/a> to really make your special deals stand out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Think about it. Email inboxes are inundated. App notifications often get ignored. But a sweet SMS that pops up on your customer\u2019s phone will get seen \u2014 each and every time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Follow texting best practices.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Like any marketing channel, there are do\u2019s and don’ts when it comes to using SMS for connecting with customers. Like, don\u2019t send too many texts, and most definitely don\u2019t text people without their permission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the flip side, make sure you do use SMS to maximise sales. Things like a quick SMS after a cart abandonment or a bulk SMS to promote a flash sale can work wonders on your bottom line. Read up on SMS for marketing campaigns<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Hone your delivery strategy.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Think about how you can use SMS to support the delivery experience. Whether customers plan to use Click and Collect or a postal service, you can set up automated texts that notify customers about the progress of their order. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not only does this reduce the number of calls coming through to you, but it also ensures a great delivery experience.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"SMS-marketing-example-order-ready-for-pickup\"
EXAMPLE: <\/strong>Hi Sally, Bee\u2019s Knees here. Your beekeeping nets (order #6847) are now ready to be picked up. Check our opening hours here: [URL]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

5. Earn customers\u2019 trust.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Use BFCM as an opportunity to build long-term relationships, not just one-time-purchases (OTPs). This way, you\u2019ll continue reaping the rewards long after the \u2018Sale\u2019 sign comes down. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are three things to keep in mind:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Be personal. <\/strong>Use the customer\u2019s name to add a human touch.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Add an opt-out option.<\/strong> Give them an easy way out (if they want it). It\u2019s the law, after all.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Have a conversation. <\/strong>Enable two-way messaging<\/a> so customers can easily get in touch, ask questions and more.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    6. Curate covetable collections.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Your customers are busier than ever. They crave shortcuts to this season\u2019s must-have purchases, and there\u2019s no quicker short-cut than a link in an SMS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Create a gift guide on your website and build a bulk SMS that links straight to it. Time the send of this text to coincide with the launch of your big BFCM sale, and watch the shoppers roll in.<\/p>\n\n\n

    \n
    \"SMS-marketing-example-BFCM-weekend-sale\"
    EXAMPLE: <\/strong>Hi Leigh, looking for a gift for the dog lovers in your life? Get 50% off our collar collection at Pup Simple this BFCM weekend: [URL] Reply STOP to opt out.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

    7. Create a sense of urgency.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    With most text messages seen almost instantly, SMS is great for time-sensitive campaigns. And nothing entices people to \u2018buy now\u2019 more than the fear of missing out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    So, when planning your BFCM deals, think about when and how to run \u2018limited time only\u2019 promotions. For example, you could send out an SMS before a one-hour-only 20% off sale, or before a 24-hour BFCM pre-sale.<\/p>\n\n\n

    \n
    \"SMS-marketing-example-24-hour-sale\"
    EXAMPLE: <\/strong>Hey Tom, like the sound of 25% off camping gear? Offer available for 24 hours only, so be quick. Use code 24CAMP: [URL] Reply STOP to opt out.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

    8. Recapture their hearts (and carts).<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    According to Statista<\/a>, the average global cart abandonment rate is around 75.6%, and during Black Friday. That\u2019s 8 in every 10 shoppers. Imagine if you could turn this number around and capture more of these potential sales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    By integrating SMS into your ecommerce platform, you can. Connect SMS with Shopify<\/a> or BigCommerce<\/a> and off you go. Fast and targeted, texting is a powerful tool for recovering abandoned carts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    \r\n ROI up 1000x with abandoned cart SMS reminders. <\/h2>\r\n\r\n

    <\/p>\r\n\r\n

    \r\n Read case study<\/a> <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n \r\n
    \r\n \"Image\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n