Building Buzz Around BFCM

Suze Dowling
Building Buzz Around BFCM

For most ecommerce brands, Black Friday / Cyber Monday (BFCM) isn’t just another promotion. It can be 20–25% of your annual revenue in a single week. But here’s the mistake too many founders make: treating BFCM like a last-minute sprint.

The brands that win don’t start planning in November. They start months earlier, building anticipation, visibility, and momentum long before the first discount email goes out.

The BFCM Arc: How Operators Think About It

Rather than a single 4-day sale, think of BFCM as a full campaign arc:

1. Early PR & Gift Guide Pitching (>90 days out)

  • Editors lock their holiday guides early. If you’re not pitching in late summer, you’re already too late.

  • The goal here isn’t discounts — it’s visibility.

2. Warm-Up (3–4 weeks out)

  • Prime your email and SMS lists.

  • Run light “engagement” campaigns (think value-add content, quizzes, early access signups).

  • The aim is to have your list warm, active, and segmented before you announce your offer.

3. Tease (final 10–14 days)

  • Build curiosity with “something’s coming” language.

  • Seed your audience with early access or VIP perks.

  • The key is to create urgency without revealing everything too soon.

4. Launch + Sustain

  • Your offer needs to be simple, bold, and clear.

  • Segment your messaging: repeat buyers vs. new customers need different nudges.

  • Social proof, reviews, and UGC matter more than ever in this crowded window.

5. Close + Extend

  • Treat Cyber Monday as its own event, not just the tail end of Black Friday.

  • Have a clear “last chance” moment, but don’t forget the onboarding plan: how are you turning these BFCM customers into loyalists in January?

The Hidden Wins of BFCM

The best operators don’t just see BFCM as a revenue spike. They use it to:

  • Acquire new customers at scale.

  • Build brand visibility through PR and cultural relevance.

  • Set up Q1 momentum by re-engaging holiday buyers.

Takeaway

If you’re treating BFCM like a 4-day sale, you’re missing the bigger picture. The wins come from starting early, planning intentionally, and thinking beyond discounts.

Your inbox in late November will be chaos. The only way to stand out is to treat BFCM as a campaign system, not a last-minute promotion.

For the detailed play-by-play — including sample timelines, campaign frameworks, and templates you can adapt for your brand — check out the Winning Black Friday-Cyber Monday inside The DTC Operator.