📌Pin this article and come back to it in 2025 to fully take advantage of these budget crushing, revenue generating, year making Black Friday tactics.

Black Friday Weekend: The most exciting and stressful four days of the year for e-commerce brands to either shine or stumble. This year, my clients didn’t just participate; they thrived, smashing records and engaging customers with a combination innovative strategies and well executed tried and true tactics. If you’re wondering what fueled their success, it wasn’t luck. It was a mix of thoughtful planning, fresh ideas, and calculated risks. Let’s dive into the playbook that made BFCM 2024 unforgettable.

Turning Up the Volume on Email and SMS Marketing

I always have a twinkle in my eye when I start working with a new brand and they are underutilizing (or not using) email marketing. It’s incredibly rewarding to get to launch a low cost, high impact channel for them and see their delight at the quick wins. For several clients, 2024 marked the launch of their email marketing initiatives—and what a debut it was. By building segmented lists and delivering targeted campaigns, they created buzz before Black Friday even began. Early access deals for subscribers, personalized recommendations, and countdown sequences ensured that email wasn’t just another channel—it was *the* channel.

One standout effort featured a custom apparel brand that moved from Mailchimp to Klaviyo a few months earlier. We offered VIP early access to their first ever sitewide sale. Loyal customers were thrilled to shop before the general public, and the results spoke volumes: email-generated revenue tripled compared to the previous year over Wednesday and Thursday – before the sale was even live to the public.

The Switch to Klaviyo: A Game-Changer

Speaking of Klaviyo, this year, I moved several clients from MailChimp and other platforms to Klaviyo, and the difference was immediate and impressive. Klaviyo’s superior segmentation and analytics allowed us to target audiences with precision and measure success with detail worth nerding out about. This switch was instrumental in their Black Friday success, enabling dynamic, personalized campaigns that resonated deeply with customers.

One client, for example, was able to capture an astounding number of new customers who had been receiving emails for months, or even years, without making a purchase. By offering a sitewide sale for the first time, paired with Klaviyo’s targeted messaging, they finally converted these dormant subscribers into buyers with 45% of their BFCM revenue coming from new customers who were signed up for emails but hadn’t yet purchased.

Low-Cost Meta Ads to Build Black Friday Ready Email and SMS List

In the weeks and months leading up to Black Friday, we ran low-cost Meta ads designed to grow our marketing lists. These campaigns were crafted to attract high-intent customers with compelling offers and engaging content. We tested a variety of lookalike and interest based audiences as well as dozens of creative assets to find not only the lowest cost conversions, but the highest quality. The engagement rate for these subscribers was north of 40% – meaning, they were opening, clicking and buying already. Feeding the email list in this way set the stage for Black Friday’s record-breaking performance.

One client saw a substantial ROI from this strategy, as many of the new subscribers converted during the Black Friday sale, validating the investment in list-building efforts.

Sitewide Sales: A Bold First Step

For a few of my clients, this Black Friday was their first venture into sitewide sales. For these historically non-promotional brands, it was a gamble that paid off. By simplifying the decision-making process for customers and offering clear, irresistible discounts, they broke through the noise of competing promotions.

One brand, for example, offered 20% off everything—a move they had never dared before. Combined with compelling email and social campaigns, their site traffic and conversion rates soared, resulting in their not only their highest single-day of revenue ever, but their top 3 highest grossing days ever, all within a 7 day period.

Engaging Social Video Ads

Static posts are so last season. This year, clients leaned into dynamic, engaging video content. From TikTok-style product demos to behind-the-scenes peeks at Black Friday prep, social feeds came alive with creativity.

One client, an automotive accessories, created short, captivating reels featuring their charismatic team and concepts that connected authentically with their customers and culture. Paired with a sprinkle of humor, a little craziness (maybe a leaf blower and a stack of hundred dollar bills were used) and timely Black Friday messaging, these ads drove traffic directly to their site. The results? A without disclosing too many details, they saw a massive and exciting increase in social-driven sales compared to last year.

Cashback—Literally

Who doesn’t love cash? One of the most unique strategies came from a brand that offered cashback—but with a twist. Customers received actual physical cash in their order boxes. Not only was it a memorable surprise, but it also generated a flurry of social media buzz and phone calls from customers calling to enquire if this was real (and subsequently placing large orders). This unconventional approach turned a transactional experience into a delightful one.

Influencers Driving Amazon Sales

Amazon remains a powerhouse for Black Friday shoppers, and several clients tapped into the influencer goldmine to drive traffic there. By partnering with creators with engaged audiences who genuinely loved their products, they turned scrolls into clicks and clicks into purchases.

One beauty brand saw a 60% spike in Amazon sales after a specifically selected influencer highlighted their hero product in a reel. Authenticity and well-timed promotions made all the difference.

Creative Gift Card Bonuses

Instead of discounting over Black Friday weekend, some clients got creative by offering bonuses on gift card purchases. A $100 gift card purchase might come with an extra $20 card, for example, or, even better, a $10,000 gift card was worth $12,000 (yes, this happened – several times). This strategy not only avoided diluting brand value but also encouraged higher spending.

A luxury goods retailer used this approach, and the results were astounding. Gift card sales surged – surpassing last year by a significant percentage and blowing their November goals out of the water, even with half of BFCM falling in December (an unfortunate and anxiety inducing calendar situation for all marketers this year), and the added bonus brought customers back for post-holiday purchases.

Tiered Discounts for Big Spenders

Some clients opted to offer larger discounts for customers who spent more. Rather than a flat 10% off every purchase (which flopped last year), they offered 20% off purchases of $250 or more and a free gift with any purchase. This approach not only encouraged larger cart sizes but also created a sense of reward for customers willing to splurge.

For the automotive accessories brand (a different one than the cash back brand), this tactic proved to be a game-changer. Orders soared, prompting their CEO to send me the most delightful weekend request for a phone call ever received over BFCM in the history of marketing and a truly humbling email from the same company’s director of operations.

The Takeaway: Strategy Meets Execution Meets BFCM Success

Black Friday success doesn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of strategic planning, bold ideas, and thoughtful execution. Whether it’s launching email marketing, leveraging influencers, or delighting customers with creative promotions, these tactics show that innovation wins.

If you’re ready to elevate your brand and turn next year’s Black Friday into a record-breaking event, let’s talk. At Plum Good Marketing, we specialize in crafting strategies that don’t just work—they wow.