THE 2025 BFCM GUIDE: Brought to you by ECOM DEPARTMENT and KLAVIYO

Black Friday/Cyber Monday 2025 is fast approaching!

Our Head of Email & SMS Marketing, Janella, shares top tips to optimize your campaigns—from list cleaning and segmentation to testing and post-BFCM retention strategies. 👇🏼

BEFORE BFCM

PLAN AHEAD & TEST EARLY

  • Sales are launching earlier each year, and inbox competition is heating up fast.

  • Pro tip: Begin A/B testing now—subject lines, CTAs, offer types, and send times—so you already know what performs best before peak week.

CLEAN YOUR LIST

MOBILE-FIRST

  • Mobile shopping continues to rise, with the expectation that 55% of all holiday eCommerce purchases are expected to take place on mobile this year. 

  • Ensure your emails, existing flows, and landing pages load quickly, with concise copy, tappable CTAs, and mobile-optimized images.

  • Don’t forget to sync your SMS flows and campaigns—BFCM 2024 saw a 30% lift in conversions for brands pairing email + SMS.

DURING BFCM

SIGN UP FORMS & SALE BANNERS

  • Our tried and true method for increased list growth and sale visibility during BFCM.. we call them “GATED” popups. This popup should feel like a doorway to the sale, making it feel like the event of the year (since it probably is).

  • Sale banners - These additional image blocks should be visible within all flow messaging (Klaviyo’s universal blocks will make this easy to organize + turn off post-event). Design tips: Clear headline (Ex: “30% Off Sitewide”) + Simple CTA

PERSONALIZATION IS KEY

  • Personalization pays off! During BFCM, messages with personal touches get higher click rates. Top tips: use first names, show relevant products, and try text-only campaigns to build connections.

  • Klaviyo’s 2025 forecast shows 35% of consumers want discounts on items they’ve viewed multiple times. AI can help by automatically recommending products based on past behavior, and we’ve seen great results using these AI-powered product feeds in client emails.

  • Pro tip: Stuck on copy? Let Klaviyo AI draft subject lines, email content, or SMS text ideas based on your prompts.

SEGMENTATION

  • Identify key holiday buyer personas to target group-specific campaign messaging. See a few of our top recommendations below: 

    • VIPs – Reward loyalty with exclusive access or limited drops (Emails + SMS for VIPs are sent out before the general public)

    • Gift Givers – Highlight bundles, sets, and “under $50” guides.

    • Highly Engaged + Have not purchased during sale period (Espresso Shot) – Prioritize this segment for additional PM sends and final email pushes. This segment is our favorite and we consider this our secret weapon! Think of it as a little nudge for those that are close to the finish line 🛍️

AFTER BFCM

The journey doesn't end here. It’s the starting point for long-term retention. 

Post-purchase flows and retargeting winbacks are where real lifetime value begins. 

Use Klaviyo’s “Turn BFCM Shoppers into Repeat Customers” guide to set up valuable personalized engagement strategies.

TL;DR
Plan early, send smart, and nurture your new customers into loyal ones. ✨ Good luck!

Some amazing BFCM resources brought to you by Klaviyo:

Have additional questions? Email our Head of Partnerships and Business Development 👉 ana@ecomdepartment.com