Boost Sales with BFCM Marketing: Strategies to Encourage Repeat Purchases and Loyalty

Cultivate and Leverage Customer Loyalty

It sounds like a no-brainer, but let’s take a minute to unpack why customer loyalty should be at the center of your BFCM marketing strategy.

Higher ROI from Loyal Customers vs New Customers

We all know it costs more to get a new customer than to retain one. The same logic applies to Black Friday/Cyber Monday customers.

In a recent study, research found that existing customers are 50% more likely to try new products and spend 31% more, on average, compared to new customers.

By focusing on encouraging repeat business from existing customers during the crucial holiday shopping season, you can increase customer retention rates throughout the year that impact your bottom line.

Building Loyalty with Reward Programs During BFCM

Reward programs continue to be an excellent way to encourage customer loyalty. Capitalize on this strategy during the BFCM rush by offering shoppers things like:

• Exclusive discounts when they reach purchase tiers
• Early access to to BFCM deals
• Double or triple points on BFCM purchases
• Limited-time deals

By incorporating a loyalty program into your BFCM marketing plan, you’ll not only incentivize shoppers to become repeat shoppers, but also open the door to long-term relationships that build brand loyalty.

Example: A compelling offer to send to new customers might be, “To show our thanks for choosing us this Black Friday, join our loyalty program today and get 500 bonus points to use on your next purchase.”

Using Customer Feedback and Past Purchases

BFCM is an opportune time to dig into your historical customer data to define customer segments. Research past purchase history and customer feedback to create audience segments for targeted email and digital advertising campaigns recommending complementary products.

Lean into customer feedback to shape your messaging, too. Doing so helps build a more personalized connection that shows your brand listens and implements customer feedback to improve their experience.

Pro tip: Dig into this data and build your email lists early! Star warming up your audience to BFCM deals ahead of the season.

Create BFCM Campaigns to Encourage Repeat Purchases

Now that we understand the role of customer loyalty, let’s explore some ideas for BFCM promotional campaigns aimed at building repeat purchases.

Offer Exclusive Deals and Early Access Throughout the Week

In the past, customers waited in line for hours to be the first shoppers at big box stores on Black Friday. Now, you can make loyal customers feel special by providing them with exclusive digital BFCM offers leading up to the big weekend.

Consider sending early access codes to email subscribers or entice shoppers to purchase quickly with flash sales throughout the week. Better yet, allow them to use stackable discounts for savings on savings. (Pro tip: Give customers bigger discounts compared to the rest of the year to really push the incentive.)

Example: Send an email to one of your repeat purchase lists ahead of Black Friday saying, “As a token of our appreciation for always choosing [insert brand name], enjoy 48-hour early access to our Black Friday sale with an additional 10% off your entire purchase!”

Use a Tiered-discount Strategy

Using a tiered discount system can encourage customers to spend more (e.g., 10% off $50, 15% off $100, 20% off $150+). Offering bundle deals to increase average order value works in the same principle.

However, keep in mind the balance between attracting customers and maintaining profitability. Consider a tier-based system if your business offers products commonly bought as pairs or multiples to maximize sales.

Example: If you run an undergarments company, send an email to existing customers offering bundles, saying, “Take advantage of our exclusive BFCM bundles and save! 20% off 3+ pairs, 30% off 4+ pairs, etc.”

Increase Engagement with User-Generated Content

Leveraging user-generated content (UGC) on social media might be your best bet this BFCM. In a 2024 study, 44% of Gen Z said they encounter new companies on social media each day and 33% weekly, while 35% of millennials said they find new companies daily and 29% on a weekly basis.

If this is your target audience, consider encouraging your audience to participate in UGC by creating:

• A BFCM-themed photo content
• A branded hashtag to showcase their purchase
• An incentive for them to capture and publish their reviews and testimonials

Incorporating UGC builds trust and excitement around your brand and BFCM offerings for both new and repeat customers. Allow and champion customers to partner with you in your efforts.

Generate New Customers With a Referral Program

Sometimes you can’t beat a trusted, word-of-mouth referral, especially during the holiday sales season. Reward new BFCM shoppers with a referral code to share with their friends and family and watch the brand trust spread like tinsel.

Referral programs can include exclusive offers like:

• A one-time introductory discount for new customers
• A free gift for every referral during BFCM

Whatever you decide, define and A/B test the program ahead of Cyber Week to analyze every element. And ensure the offer is worthy enough to spark interest.

Personalize Offers with Customer Data and Segmentation

Personalization (and let’s face it, a great deal) is the best way to stand out against the crowded BFCM competition. Let’s look at how you can target customers with better messaging this season.

Personalization is key to standing out in the crowded BFCM marketplace (Bonus points if you use an identity resolution tool to gather anonymous website visitors to increase your email list!).

Create Personalized Email and Paid Ads for Maximum Impact

If someone was already considering a product on your site or has purchased a similar product in the past, you want to target them with personalized messaging that speaks to that exact experience, not a generic email that won’t stand out in their inbox.

Use the segmented data to craft highly personalized email and paid ad messages. You can target lookalike audiences based on your best customers on Instagram or shoot an email to people who frequently purchase socks from your website.

Example: Your email to frequent sock purchases might read, “Coziness awaits! Grab your exclusive BFCM deals on all of our warmest socks inside.”

Enhance Conversions with Website Visitor Tracking Software

Website visitor tracking software, like Untitled, tracks visitor behavior and interactions on a website. It enables eCommerce businesses to capture invaluable data about their website visitors, tracking information like visitor behavior, visitor attributes, page visits, and actions.

You can leverage this data to enrich your first-party data, enhancing your email lists and increasing your chance at converting customers with your tailored BFCM offers. Or, utilize the hidden website visitors to create a new list of lookalike audiences to target on social and entice lurkers to return to your site to take advantage of timely deals.

Offer a Top-notch Customer Experience and Customer Support

It’s imperative to make a great impression for first-time shoppers during BFCM. Let’s look at how a positive customer experience can impact repeat purchases.

Make It Easy to Purchase and Track Orders

One of the best ways to instill trust during a BFCM purchase experience is to clearly communicate order logistics.

Make it easy for shoppers to find and understand expected shipping times and delays, offer hassle-free returns and exchanges, and integrate with a shipping partner that provides real-time shipping updates to manage expectations.

If you make it memorable and seamless for customers, they will thank you with repeat purchases.

Use Customer Support Tools to Improve Experience

If, however, someone still has trouble with their order, implement a chat bot ahead of BFCM to handle common queries. But don’t stop there. Train your human support team to answer calls or emails for 24/7 support throughout the holiday shopping week.

Shoppers are busy, and the last thing you want when they’re ready to make a purchase or exchange is to lose their business.

Maintaining Customer Loyalty After BFCM

Don’t let all your hard work for BFCM go to waste. Here’s how you can keep new and loyal customers engaged long after the holiday season is over.

Post-BFCM Emails

Keep the good times going with personalized email campaigns. Send thank-you emails to shoppers immediately after purchase and a few days after, offering exclusive discounts and offers. Targeting shoppers with a New Year’s promotion is also a great way to keep their attention and even tap into resolution-related products or services.

Use Customer Feedback to Shape Future Campaigns

Tap into BFCM performance data and customer feedback to shape future strategies. Send customers quick post-purchase surveys to gather feedback and speak with your customer support team to understand wins and losses.

But here’s the deal: you should actually use this feedback to improve your processes. Customers are savvy enough to notice user experience details.

Analyze sales and marketing data to pinpoint top-performing promotions and best-selling products. Study how you can improve or replicate processes throughout the year and into the next holiday season.

Reward Loyalty Program Members Throughout the Year

Reward new loyalty program members throughout the year. Highlight the benefits of your program by sending them exclusive access to members-only events or sales or access to new products before non-program members.

Loyalty programs are a dime a dozen, so you want to make it worthwhile for customers and keep them engaged to stick around to the next BFCM. Craft unique offers that resonate with your audience and reward their loyalty with discounts.