Black Friday & Cyber Monday

Email Marketing Guide

How to Maximize Retention and Revenue

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are the biggest shopping events of the year and also the most competitive. Traffic costs rise, inboxes overflow, and brands fight for attention. The ones that succeed are not only those offering deep discounts but those that plan early, use data wisely, and build strong relationships with their customers.

At Kunko Agency, we specialize in retention marketing through email, SMS, and WhatsApp. This is your playbook to prepare your e-commerce brand for a record-breaking BFCM

1. Start with Your Database:

Before sending a single BFCM campaign, review your list health:

Clean your list

Remove hard bounces, inactive contacts, and duplicates. This improves deliverability, reduces costs, and gives you accurate performance insights.

Analyze engagement

Find contacts who have not opened your emails in over 90 days. Keep them separate to protect your sender reputation and focus on those most likely to engage.

Run a pre-event winback campaign

Reconnect with lapsed customers using warm messages such as “We miss you” or “Here’s what’s new.” Add small incentives like free shipping or early access.

👉 Clean lists = better deliverability during the most crowded inbox days of the year.

2. Grow Your List Before Paid Media Gets Expensive

By November, traffic costs explode. Grow your email base now with:

Add on-site popups with countdown timers or BFCM-exclusive early access.

Create lead magnets (gift guides, early access coupons, VIP waiting list).

Use social media giveaways tied to BFCM to attract qualified leads.

Leverage referral programs (invite a friend, get early access).

3. Segment Smart: RFM Analysis

Generic blasts won’t cut it. To maximize ROI, segment based on customer behavior:

4. What to Communicate: Tailored Offers by Segment

New buyers:

“First Black Friday with us? Here’s your exclusive welcome deal.”

High spenders:

“Early access to our VIP BFCM sale.”

Cart abandoners:

Add urgency + social proof (“Don’t miss out, stock is limited”)

Cross-sell campaigns

Recommend complementary products to maximize AOV.

5. Adapt Your Automated Flows
for BFCM

Your standard automations need a seasonal update:

Welcome flow

Highlight early access to Black Friday deals.

Abandoned cart

Emphasize scarcity + countdown timers.

Browse abandonment

Retarget with “Your favorites will sell out fast.”

Post-purchase

Recommend add-ons or promote extended Cyber Week sales.

Winback flows

Re-activate lapsed users with “Your BFCM deal is waiting.”

💡 Tip: always shorten delays in flows during BFCM week. Attention spans are shorter,
and urgency wins.

6. Multichannel Retention: Email + SMS + WhatsApp

Email is powerful, but SMS and WhatsApp cut through the noise during crowded weekends.

Use them strategically:

7. After the Sale: Retention is the Real Win

BFCM isn’t just about Q4 revenue; it’s about acquiring customers you can retain long-term. Post-event strategy:

Thank new buyers + invite them into your loyalty program.

Trigger replenishment flows (especially for consumables).

Nurture with educational content
to build trust.

Encourage repeat purchase with bundles or subscriptions.

Key Takeaways for BFCM Email Marketing

The most successful brands during BFCM are those that build meaningful
relationships, not just short-term revenue spikes.

At Kunko Agency, we help e-commerce and SaaS brands increase LTV and reduce acquisition dependence through data-driven, AI-powered retention marketing.