Are you ready for the biggest retail weekend of 2024?
It might be tough to think about Black Friday/Cyber Monday (BFCM) when you’re currently in summer vacay mode, but retailers who plan ahead are better positioned to make a big splash during this holiday shopping season.
Consider that in 2023, Black Friday revenue alone accounted for $9.8 billion in revenue; Cyber Monday was even higher at $12.4 billion. And with a persistently uncertain economic climate, most retailers can’t afford to just wing it during the fourth quarter.
As more consumers depend on SMS marketing and mobile shopping, retailers are in a great position to boost sales in 2024—if they plan ahead!
Here are six things you should do right now to get the most out of your SMS marketing on Black Friday/Cyber Monday weekend.
1. Mark all important dates on your marketing calendar
Thanksgiving in the United States is late in 2024, which means that the entire BFCM weekend falls over the end of November and beginning of December. Here are the official key dates:
- Black Friday: November 29, 2024
- Small Business Saturday: November 30, 2024
- Cyber Monday: December 2, 2024
- Giving Tuesday: December 3, 2024
Just because these dates are later on the calendar this year doesn’t mean you can put off your preparations! In fact, this is an excellent year to offer promotions or sales to opted-in customers early in November.
(Sample text idea: “Hey [Name], you don’t need to wait till Black Friday to get a great deal! Check out our flash sale: [URL] [opt out message]”)
2. Start gathering opt-ins now
Now is the time to start your BFCM marketing strategy. Your goal for summer and early fall is to get shoppers to opt in to your messages before November. Here are a few strategies retailers use to gather opt-ins to promotional messages:
- Check that your website and emails offer a clear way to opt-in for text messages.
- If you have brick-and-mortar locations, employees may ask customers to opt-in for text messages.
- Consider offering a discount for opting in, such as a one-time 10% off coupon code, or offer early access to sales for opting in.
(Sample text idea: “Thanks for opting in! Here’s your one-time 10% off code: [link]”)
3. Make sure your sending lists are healthy
You can write the best messages, promote the best sales, and send at the perfect times, and none of that will matter if your lists aren’t healthy.
What do we mean by healthy? Here are three things to check:
- Can all the numbers in your database receive texts? Run a number lookup tool to make sure and to see what carriers your recipients use.
- Is your 10DLC registered properly? If not, start now to make sure registration is complete when you’re ready to start sending.
- Do you have clear opt-ins and opt-outs in place? Remember, opt-ins and opt-outs are required to maintain compliance.
🔥 Got burning registration questions?
We’ve got answers! Join our 10DLC registration and delivery experts as they answer the most frequently asked registration questions.
4. Set up your campaigns well in advance
It’s never too early to start registering campaigns! By starting now, you’ll ensure that any hiccups along the way are taken care of before the busy shopping season starts. Make sure you:
- Register any new 10DLC campaigns with The Campaign Registry or through your campaign service provider.
- Get short codes registered.
- Verify toll-free campaigns.
As part of your campaign planning process, check your content to make sure your messages don’t contain any SHAFT-C content. In addition, be sure the content of your campaigns adheres to their original purpose—that is, avoid campaign drift throughout the shopping season.
5. Check all your integrations and optimizations
With so many consumers now shopping directly from their phones, optimization for mobile is now a business imperative. Test your site to be sure ordering is effortless.
And while you’re at it, make sure your whole messaging API and any relevant integrations work seamlessly as well. For instance, if you want to send a “thank you” text or solicit feedback from customers after a purchase, you’ll need to be sure your ordering system can automatically send those texts.
(Sample text idea: “Thanks for your order today! Let us know how we’re doing: [URL]”)
6. Personalize your campaigns
In this highly targeted marketing environment, personalization can make the difference between an abandoned cart and a customer for life. As much as possible, target your messages to the recipient based on previous purchases or browsing history.
And if that cart is abandoned? Send a reminder text, and consider offering a discount for following through on the purchase.
(Sample text idea: “[Name], did you forget something? Finish checking out with a 10% discount: [URL]”)
Feeling a little behind? Don’t worry—there’s still plenty of time to execute a great SMS marketing strategy. Open your calendar, bookmark some deadlines, and start planning today to rack up big wins this holiday season.
Bandwidth is here to help! To learn more about how we can power your SMS marketing success, contact us to talk to an expert.
