BFCM is over. Now what?

The sales are over (or are they?). You did your best to get the word out and have everything in place to handle Black Friday and Cyber Monday expectations. But you still want to encourage additional business, so now what?

After Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM), business owners should focus on maintaining momentum and preparing for the rest of the holiday season. Here are some quick, actionable strategies:

Leverage Holiday Shoppers

Retarget BFCM Shoppers: Use retargeting mailings and ads to encourage recent buyers to return for more purchases, such as gifts or stocking stuffers. Make sure you give them a reason to do so, too.
Upsell & Cross-Sell: Offer related products or services to customers who purchased during BFCM. For example, suggest accessories or upgrades for the items already on the way.

Plan for Last-Minute Shoppers

Offer Extended Deals: Create “Holiday Countdown” promotions or special offers for the weeks leading up to Christmas. Be clear about drop-dead order dates to “get in time for Christmas.” Post these dates everywhere on your website so they can’t be missed.
Focus on Convenience: Highlight expedited shipping options, gift-wrapping services, or local pickup to attract last-minute buyers.

Engage Your Customer Base

Send Follow-Up Emails: Thank customers for shopping during BFCM, introduce them to upcoming holiday specials, and, again, be sure to let them know your drop-dead order dates.
Encourage Reviews: Ask customers to leave reviews or share their purchases on social media. Offer incentives like discounts or entry into a giveaway if they do.
Loyalty Rewards: Reward repeat customers with exclusive offers, points, or discounts for their next purchase.

Capitalize on Gift Card Sales

Promote Gift Cards: Encourage customers to buy gift cards for friends and family. Highlight them as an easy, versatile gift option. (There are WordPress plugins for that!)
Bundle Offers: Pair gift cards with products for added value (e.g., “Buy a $50 gift card and get a free ornament”).

Optimize Inventory Management

Clear Excess Inventory: Run “end-of-year clearance sales” to make room for new products in the upcoming year. Use this as an opportunity to clear out dead weight.
Highlight Best-Sellers: Focus on promoting and restocking top-selling items from BFCM. Review your stats and give customers more of what they like.

Engage with Post-Holiday Shoppers

Prepare for Gift Returns & Exchanges: Offer hassle-free returns and exchanges, and use this as an opportunity to upsell or provide store credit.
Post-Holiday Sales: Launch after-Christmas sales to attract customers looking to spend gift money or take advantage of discounts.

Invest in Brand-Building

Social Media Engagement: Share holiday-themed content, behind-the-scenes looks, and customer stories to build emotional connections.
Highlight Charitable Giving: Promote any donations or charitable campaigns your business is involved in to foster goodwill and align with the season of giving.

Analyze BFCM Performance

Review Sales Data: Identify what worked and what didn’t during BFCM to refine your strategies for the next big sales event. As of today, Valentine’s Day is 72 days away!
Customer Insights: Use data from BFCM sales to understand customer preferences and tailor future campaigns.

These strategies can help sustain sales and position your business for a strong finish to the year. Then we get to start all over next year because as you know, the holidays will be here before you know it. 😉

At your service,