Tune up your email program before the biggest shopping day of the year.
We don’t need to tell you how important Black Friday can be for e-commerce stores. It’s a golden opportunity to boost sales and connect with customers during one of the biggest online shopping weekends of the year. That’s why it’s crucial to get your email program in top shape ahead of time.
As an e-commerce store owner, chances are you already have an email program in place and may have even run successful Black Friday email campaigns in the past. So, we’re not here to talk strategy. Instead, we’re here to guide you through some essential housekeeping steps to make sure your email program is ready for the holiday traffic headed your way.
In this post, we’ll cover a few important things you can do now to tune up your email program for Black Friday. Don’t forget to download our Black Friday Email Program Preparedness Checklist at the end of this post to help you get the most out of the shopping season!
How to Tune up Your Email Program for Black Friday
With Black Friday fast approaching, it’s time to get your email program in top shape. Think of it as a quick tune-up to ensure everything runs smoothly when the holiday rush begins.
1. Review Your Flows and Pick A/B Test Winners
If you’ve been running A/B tests on your email flows, now’s the time to declare the winners. Why? So that your subscribers-and potential customers-get the best possible version of your emails during the Black Friday rush.
Focus on flows that impact high-traffic moments, such as:
- Welcome flows: Make a great first impression.
- Abandoned cart, checkout, and browse flows: Capture lost sales.
- Win-back flows: Re-engage those dormant customers.
You may also consider tweaking your core flows to include Black Friday-specific offers. Whether it’s an exclusive discount or a countdown to sales, giving your existing automations a holiday refresh can help bring new urgency and excitement.
2. Update Email Captures to Highlight Black Friday Offers
As you know, email capture forms can be powerful tools for growing your email list. In their holiday prep guide, Klaviyo recommends using at least two forms on your site leading up to Black Friday: an embedded form and a pop-up form with a teaser.
The key is to make sure these email captures are updated to highlight any Black Friday-specific offers.
For example, if your subscribers will receive an extra 10% off advertised Black Friday prices on your site, make that crystal clear in your sign-up forms. This can be an extremely effective way to drive new email and SMS sign-ups in the weeks leading up to Black Friday.
» Looking for more Black Friday SMS Marketing Tips? Check out Klaviyo’s 7-step guide to success.
3. Clean Your Lists, Check Segments, and Test Technical Stuff
This step is crucial. There’s nothing worse than spending weeks crafting the perfect email campaign only to have technical issues derail your efforts. Here are a few things to double-check:
- Clean your email lists: Remove inactive subscribers and ensure your list is up-to-date.
- Test your sign-up forms: Make sure all pop-ups, embedded forms, and other signup sources are working properly.
- Verify welcome emails: Test that new subscribers receive your welcome email, and double-check that it’s coming from the correct sender name and email address.
- Run a test order: Make a mock purchase to ensure that your post-purchase emails-like order confirmations and shipping updates-are working as expected. Check that all links and images load correctly.
These steps will help you avoid any email-related mishaps and ensure that everything runs smoothly.
» Need a more thorough review of your email program? An in-depth email marketing audit can help!
Black Friday Email Program Preparedness Checklist
We’ve put together a Black Friday Email Program Preparedness Checklist just for you. This downloadable guide will help you review all the key elements of your email program before Black Friday, ensuring you’re fully prepared for the busiest shopping weekend of the year.
Don’t leave anything to chance-download the checklist and start tuning up your email program!
Download the Black Friday Program Preparedness Checklist
By taking the time to fine-tune your email flows, update your sign-up forms, and check all the technical details, you’re giving your brand the best possible chance for success this Black Friday. A little bit of preparation now means you’ll be ready to handle the influx of shoppers with confidence.
Remember, it’s the small tweaks that can have a big impact. So, take a deep breath, make those final adjustments, and get excited for the sales to start rolling in. You’ve got this!