Black Friday SMS Handbook

Are you ready for the biggest shopping weekend of the year?

If that very question made you break out in a cold sweat, don’t stress!

Our messaging experts can help you plan your best Black Friday/Cyber Monday (BFCM) weekend ever. We’ve compiled the best messaging tips, practices, and guidelines into a simple, easy-to-follow guide that will boost your holiday sales through the end of 2024.

And if you’ve already started executing your BFCM strategy? Use our guide to support your messaging plans and make sure you didn’t forget anything.

The importance of a head start on BFCM

It’s not an exaggeration to say that Black Friday/Cyber Monday is the biggest shopping weekend of the year. In 2023, Black Friday revenue alone accounted for $9.8 billion in revenue; Cyber Monday was even higher at $12.4 billion.

Driving those numbers was mobile messaging. Marketing platform Attentive reported that text messaging drove a 58% increase in online revenue year-over-year for its customers during Cyber Week 2023.

Preparing for the next Black Friday and Cyber Monday is always top of mind. It really does start the day after the last one. And because of the ecosystem work, it’s definitely a challenge that we’re continuing trying to stay on top of.

– Nate Kliger, Attentive

The 2024 holiday shopping season will present real opportunities for retailers to boost the bottom line—but it’s not without challenges. One big challenge is a late Thanksgiving in the US; the 2024 holiday shopping calendar will be shorter than any year since 2019.

While it might be true that the best BFCM retail strategy started immediately after the previous one, retailers can still post big numbers with a 90- or 60-day strategy leading up to the key weekend.

Mobile messaging should be an integral part of any retail strategy, especially during Cyber Week 2024. Retailers can use text messages to promote early sales, support in-store shopping, boost engagement, drive brand loyalty, and help close sales.

“Attentive sent over 2.2 billion messages during Cyber Week, and we drove $1.8 billion in revenue for our customers…. Across the board, we’re seeing significant growth this year and from our side, we’re expecting much bigger numbers.”

– Nate at Attentive

Why text messaging, anyway?

The message is clear: over and over again, text messages beat other communication channels in open rates, ROI, and preferences. Consider:

• Text messages maintain open rates of 98% and higher, well above e-mail and social media ads.
• Almost 45% of businesses report higher ROI on MMS/SMS than through e-mail or social media ads.
• About 38% of consumers prefer to receive messages from businesses on messaging apps native to their devices.

Brands and messaging platforms know that text messaging is a vital part of any seasonal retail strategy. In fact, in a recent Bandwidth poll, 59% of respondents said they are relying more on MMS/SMS as part of their Black Friday campaign channel strategy.

“Almost 60% of businesses are relying more on MMS/SMS as part of their 2024 BFCM marketing strategy, according to a 2024 Bandwidth survey.”

Reaching customers through mobile messaging is no longer an optional marketing strategy for most brands. In 2024, and especially during the holiday shopping season, text messaging could be the key to standing out in a crowded marketplace and posting big wins.

So how can platforms and brands make the most of mobile messaging in the 2024 holiday shopping season?

Messaging best practices for BFCM 2024

The best ideas and messages in the world won’t boost your sales during the holidays if your system isn’t primed and ready to go before Black Friday.

To make sure your messages hit their intended recipients and bring the results you are hoping for, start with these behind-the-scenes best practices.

Check the health of your sending lists.

• Run a number lookup tool to make sure all the numbers in your database can receive texts.
• If you’re sending traffic over 10DLC numbers, make sure your 10DLC campaign is registered properly. If it’s not, start the process now so it’s ready to go in November.
• Verify that your messages offer—and honor—clear opt-ins and opt-outs. Remember, opt-ins and opt-outs are required to maintain compliance.

Set up your campaigns.

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.
• Register a new short code campaign.
• Verify toll-free campaigns.

Check all your integrations and optimizations.

With so many consumers now shopping directly from their phones, optimization for mobile is now a business imperative. Make sure your whole messaging API and any relevant integrations work seamlessly. 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.

Optimize your website. Before you start sending any links, make sure your website and online store are optimized for viewing on a mobile device. Do the pages work on a smartphone screen? Is it easy to look at item details, including reviews, sizes, or product specs? Can items easily be customized? Review your site and store carefully, checking for any friction in the customer journey. Your goal is to make it as easy as possible for your customer to complete a purchase.

Work with your partners.

Whether you’re the platform powering the messaging traffic of many brands, or an individual brand sending it, now is the time to work closely with any partners in your marketing strategy. Platforms, check in with your customers to help them choose the right numbers for their messages, register traffic, check their sending lists, and make suggestions based on data around the types, times, and messages that get the best responses.

Brands and retailers, if you use a communication platform, check in with your rep to make sure your strategy is on track to meet your goals for the season. And if you don’t use a platform, consider whether it might make sense for you to find a partner who can help maximize your results this season!

Feeling a little lost when it comes to messaging?

Bandwidth can help you find the right platform to help you take advantage of this powerful platform. Download our “How to choose your messaging provider” checklist.

Download here

Set up for BFCM success

Once you’ve checked the health of your lists and verified that all your messaging channels are working properly, you might want to dive into writing those fun text messages that will drive people to your site.

Before you get too creative, though, remember—even if your lists are healthy and everything is working smoothly, a few bad texts can bring your whole strategy to a halt if they cause customers to block your numbers or report you as spam.

Keep a few tips in mind to make sure you don’t unintentionally cause your BFCM strategy to go sideways.

Focus on opt-ins.

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.

Be clear about privacy.

One of the most common reasons for 10DLC campaigns to be rejected is an unclear privacy policy–or the lack of a privacy policy altogether! Make sure you have a privacy policy that clearly explains how customer data will–and won’t–be used.

Want to ensure approval of your 10DLC campaigns?

Find out what’s expected in your privacy policy in our 10DLC vetting tips and tricks.

Learn more

Keep it clean.

As part of your campaign planning process, check your content to make sure your messages don’t contain any SHAFT-C content. SHAFT-C stands for “Sex, Hate, Alcohol, Firearms, and Tobacco/Cannabis.” While some products that fall into those categories are legal in some jurisdictions, carriers filter any substance considered illegal at a federal level. If you don’t want to be blocked, you must follow SHAFT-C guidelines. 

Avoid campaign drift.

Campaign drift happens when a number previously registered for one use case is used for content unrelated to that original use case. As you register your campaigns with The Campaign Registry, make sure you define them clearly, and then make sure you write messages that adhere to your use cases.

Use the right number for the right purpose.

If you’re just starting out on your mobile messaging journey or looking to expand your SMS marketing efforts, you need to make sure you’re using the right number for the right purpose.

Short codes

Toll-free

10DLC

The OG of text channels, Short codes, are available in the US and Canada and allow for MMS video messages as well as basic SMS messages. Because short codes offer the most reliability, they are the only recommended channel for urgent or crisis alerts.

PROS

• Most reliable delivery rates
• Typically offers the highest throughput rates
• Sometimes considered the Cadillac of texting

CONS

• Longest time to market
• Higher startup cost than 10DLC or toll-free
• Not voice-enabled

Want to learn more? Contact a Bandwidth messaging expert.

Use messaging to boost BFCM sales

Mobile messaging is key

Mobile messaging should be a key part of any omnichannel marketing strategy; a Bandwidth survey found that 55.1% of consumers regularly open shopping alert texts, and the Mobile Ecosystem Forum found that 59% of global consumers said they’d purchased a product via mobile device in 2023.

While messaging is a powerful tool, it shouldn’t be the only one in your marketing toolkit. Instead, think of text messaging as part of a strategy that includes channels such as RCS, WhatsApp, Messaging, e-mail, and even direct mail. Each channel can support the others and drive more customers to your online or physical store.

Whether you are just starting to use messaging as part of your overall retail strategy or have been texting customers for years, it’s likely there are ways you can improve your approach for better outcomes in 2024.

Here are just a few ideas:

• Shopping cart reminders: Text your customers to remind them of items in their online shopping carts. If possible, include a discount code to improve the chances that they’ll finish their purchases.
• Flash sales: Make up for the shorter season by offering flash sales early in November. Then plan additional flash sales throughout the big weekend and up to your holiday shipping deadlines.
• Shipping info: Speaking of shipping, use text messages to update customers on the status of their orders by texting at checkpoints along the way with a link to tracking info.
• Personalization: Use mobile shopping data and customer feedback to target offers to the customers most likely to take advantage of them.
• In-store support: Remind customers of your physical store location by offering in-store pickup. Or, when customers are reluctant to purchase in the store, remind them of mobile shopping options, gather opt-ins, and market to them via text.
• Surveys: Make your surveys fun and relevant to your products. Outdoor gear retailers can ask customers to vote on their favorite winter weather attire. Local eateries could ask their customers’ favorite holiday desserts.
• Feedback: When customers do make a purchase, text with a follow-up survey. Offer a coupon code or percentage discount for completing the survey.

Campaign with style

The behind-the-scenes foundations are vital to messaging health, but we all know that the real fun is in writing and sending messages that drive sales. This is the place where your brand voice can shine and customers can get the personalized texts that drive them to click “buy now.”

Go ahead and start brainstorming and writing all that creative, witty, fun, interesting messaging copy that’s been brewing in your head since last holiday shopping season.

And to make the most of your messages, consider these tips to stand out from the crowd.

Use your ad budget now.

Spend smarter, not bigger. Ad prices are lower early in the shopping season, so run online ads in September and October with the goals of building your list and getting customer survey info. When prime shopping season starts, you’ll have a bigger list and more targeting opportunities.

Maximize your VIPs.

Offer your VIPs early access to sales, bonus reward points, or discounts for referring a friend. Include your VIPs in decisions such as item color preferences or popular pairings.

Remember Giving Tuesday.

A poll commissioned by Tom’s of Maine in 2023 revealed that 80% of Gen Z and Millennial shoppers are likely to base their purchases on a brand’s mission or purpose. Consider a Giving Tuesday promotion that sends a portion of the day’s sales to an organization in line with your company’s mission or purpose.

Text smarter.

Marketing platform Yotpo found that sometimes, less really is more. In its 2024 SMS Benchmark Report, Yotpo found that messaging flows–that is, automated sequences–outperformed general campaigns in ROI. The company also found that messages sent during daytime hours, especially US morning hours, resulted in the most revenue for brands. According to Yotpo’s data, texting smarter might be the key to maximizing revenue.

Use images strategically.

One advantage of using MMS is the ability to include images and videos–and in a highly visual world, those images can definitely make texts stand out! But you don’t necessarily need images with every text. Use them when it makes the most sense, such as with a new or unique product. For example, everyone knows what Crocs look like, but they may not have seen Nike’s newest shoe.

Personalize, personalize, personalize!

If “location, location, location” is the mantra of real estate, “personalize, personalize, personalize” is the mantra of modern retail marketing. A 2021 McKinsey survey found that 71% of consumers expect personalization, and 76% get frustrated when they don’t find it. Mobile messaging is uniquely positioned to offer the kind of personalization customers want!

Choosing a provider

Messaging platforms still need a provider for messages! Choosing the right provider can make the difference between a stumbling and frustrating holiday shopping season and one that maximizes your revenues before you close the books on 2024.

Here are just a few things to look for when choosing a messaging provider:

Provides human support.

When you’re confused about your messaging options or frustrated over a technical issue, there’s no substitute for a human point of contact who can untangle it all. Look for a carrier with knowledgeable, friendly support staff who can hop on a call and help you out.

Supports industry best practices.

The right carrier has a wealth of expertise and a seat at the industry table to help you follow best practices.

Acts proactively.

A great messaging carrier stays informed of changes in the industry and passes on relevant information to customers so the customers aren’t blind-sided by higher costs or new regulations. When customers are negatively impacted by changes, a good carrier is willing to review services and options to see if there are better ways to meet customer needs.

Partners with customers.

Executing a great text messaging strategy requires great partners. Look for a carrier that will help you analyze your strategy and make improvements. Also, make sure the carrier is interested in what’s best for your business. If sending fewer text messages makes sense for you or your messaging customers, your carrier shouldn’t be trying to talk you into more messages.

Prioritizes deliverability.

All the right messages won’t matter at all if they don’t get delivered–especially during Cyber Week! The right carrier will help messaging platforms and brands make sure all the foundational work is done before Black Friday and then will help ensure messages are delivered to consumers in a timely way.

“I think every single sale or coupon or cart abandonment is really important for the customer. But on days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, it’s super critical. And so I think being able to actually deliver all those messages, drive all of that revenue without any issues was a huge win for me and my team, which was super exciting.”

– Caroline at Attentive

Want to learn more about how to pick the right messaging provider?

Download our checklist

That’s a wrap!

Ready to put a bow on your best holiday shopping season ever?

Whether you still feel overwhelmed or you’re already making your January vacation plans because your holiday marketing strategy is totally dialed in, Bandwidth has your back. Our experts can help you start from the beginning or fine tune your best plan ever.

To help you even more, we’ve created a free 60-day planning checklist to help you make sure your messaging system is ready. Download the one that best suits your needs below.

Checklist for Platforms Checklist for Brands