Ever wondered what secrets lie behind the most successful BFCM campaigns? Four of our industry-leading tech partners are about to spill their best-kept strategies.

As the holidays approach, many e-commerce businesses are gearing up for the biggest shopping days of the year. And while these shopping days can be a goldmine for sales, they can also be a challenge to prepare for. 

Every year we are all met with this drive to be better than the year before. And that got me thinking about how now is the best time to use what we've learned from past years to tweak our strategies and get the most out of the holiday season. 

Recently, I had a chance to talk to some of our top technology partners to get their advice on the best ways to strategize for the holidays. The conversations spanned from user-generated content to referral programs, where these experts shared some interesting customer examples of successful BFCMs. 

My hope is that by using the expertise of our partners, we can provide even more value. We can help you maximize your BFCM performance and deliver the personalized experiences your consumers expect.

Let’s dive in. 

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Building brand loyalty through philanthropy

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are prime times for brands to roll out innovative strategies that not only drive sales but also build deeper customer loyalty.

By aligning your brand with social causes, you not only improve your brand image but also connect on a deeper level with customers who value corporate responsibility. This approach can create a sense of community and shared values, encouraging engagement and loyalty.

I touched base with Manish Goyal, CEO of Friendbuy, a leading referral marketing platform. He shared how one brand has seen firsthand how integrating philanthropy into marketing strategies can yield exceptional results. 

Last BFCM, NUULY incorporated a philanthropic twist by offering a $20 account credit for each referral and donating an additional $20 to charity, aligning with consumer preferences and achieving exceptional performance.

-  Manish Goyal, CEO at Friendbuy

Actionable Advice: They call it the season of giving for a reason. Is it possible for you to integrate philanthropic elements into your holiday campaigns to resonate with ethically-minded consumers? 

This could be as simple as making a donation for every purchase made within a predetermined timeframe. Perhaps you introduce a gift-matching campaign where your brand matches donations made by customers at checkout.

Goyal went on to explain that by using Friendbuy's referral marketing tools, you can seamlessly incorporate philanthropy into your campaigns. This makes it easy for customers to participate and feel good about their purchases. Not only boosting your brand's reputation but also driving customer loyalty and engagement.

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Enhancing efficiency with AI automation

Last year, Attentive brands relied heavily on a new kind of tech: Attentive AI™. With the help of AI, 50% of our customers expanded their SMS and email marketing efforts and also improved the effectiveness of their messages.

This increase in engagement made a significant impact when you consider the scale. More than 218 million of the text messages brands sent were influenced by AI.

Consumers were also comfortable engaging with AI, with 45% of Attentive Concierge™ interactions being AI-driven. These interactions resulted in a 2.4x higher conversion rate compared to those only conducted by humans.

One of our partners, Gorgias, a leading customer service platform, helps brands leverage AI to manage and automate their support interactions. As you can imagine, they make it easier to deliver exceptional customer experiences, especially around high-traffic seasons like the holidays. 

Chris de Jong, Director of Integrated Marketing at Gorgias, and champion of AI, gave me a great example of how one of their customers used AI automation last holiday season. 

Online fashion retailer Princess Polly found great BFCM success by using AI automation to handle routine customer inquiries, significantly reducing the pressure on their support team. With more free time, the team could improve operational issues and processes faster, resulting in an 80% decrease in resolution time, 95% faster response times, and better overall customer experiences.
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-  Chris de Jong, Director of Integrated Marketing at Gorgias 

Actionable Advice: Use AI to automate routine customer inquiries, freeing up your team to focus on complex issues. 

By implementing AI-driven support tools like those offered by Gorgias, you can improve response times, reduce resolution times, and improve the overall customer experience.

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Harnessing the viral power of UGC for brand success

There's no more debate about the importance of social media and social content, but UGC isn’t just for product discovery. 

Bazaarvoice, is a leading provider of product reviews and user-generated content solutions. They help brands harness the power of customer feedback to drive sales and build loyalty. 

According to Zarina Stanford, CMO of Bazaarvoice, UGC contributes to brand loyalty with 46% of shoppers often following their favorite brands. Where 50% of shoppers often research a product through social channels and 49% agree they’re more likely to find products and services on social than any other channel. 

It may not be the first thing you think of when you think of UGC, but reviews are a great place to gather product insights for sentiment analysis. In my experience, keeping your finger on the pulse of customer sentiment can help you better shape your customers’ buying experiences. 

Maesa decided to double down on the UGC. Their products not only went viral but completely sold out. That really shows the power authentic content can have on a brand. 
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-  Zarina Stanford, CMO at Bazaarvoice

Actionable Advice: Encourage and leverage user-generated content to boost product visibility and sales. 

By actively promoting UGC and analyzing customer reviews using tools like those offered by Bazaarvoice, you can gain valuable insights into customer sentiment and preferences. This enhances the shopping experience and can help drive more sales during BFCM.

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Leveraging customer data insights to drive LTV

BFCM is just the beginning of the customer journey. Acquiring customers during this high-volume period is important, but the real value comes from what happens next. 

When I spoke with Brian Murphy, VP of Partnerships and Marketing at Simon Data, his take was that after BFCM, the focus should shift towards driving LTV. His recommendation is to maintain engagement through cross-channel personalization.

After the initial purchase, it’s crucial to keep the conversation going. This can be done through personalized touchpoints—email, SMS, and social media—tailored to each customer’s preferences and purchase history. With a customer data platform like Simon Data, brands can unlock the power of their customer data to drive personalized and effective marketing campaigns. 

Brands that excel at this retain more customers, leading to repeat purchases and stronger long-term relationships.

This kind of cross-channel experience—combining email, SMS, and other touchpoints—unlocks the full potential of your marketing strategy, driving higher engagement and better results. Brands that optimize their technology see significant improvements in their campaign outcomes.
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-  Brian Murphy, VP Of Partnerships & Marketing at Simon Data

‍Actionable Advice: Attracting new customers during BFCM is one challenge, but keeping them engaged post-event is another. One tactic that's proven particularly effective is using smart segmentation. 

By using a customer data platform like Simon Data to analyze past purchases and customer interests, brands can create highly specific promo codes tailored to individual preferences. This personalized approach ensures that customers feel valued and are more likely to take advantage of the offer.

During make-or-break times like BFCM, our partnership with some of the leading marketing platforms truly shines. They help us go above and beyond, exceeding expectations and creating happy customers all around. 

By putting these strategies into action and tapping into the expertise of our partners, you can boost your BFCM performance and provide the tailored experiences that consumers desire. 

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To get even more out of your holiday marketing, take a look at the Complete BFCM Archive.