The annual BFCM bonanza offers an incredible opportunity. Mastering BFCM Email Marketing.To expose your store to a massive audience. In the most recent BFCM season, independent businesses around the world achieved record sales of $7.5 billion, a 19% increase over the previous year . This surge in online shopping shows no signs of stopping for the 2023 season.
Consumers are approaching the holiday shopping season with intention, actively seeking out the best deals on their favorite brands. A recent survey of over 24,000 consumers worldwide found that 76% were looking for higher quality, longer lasting products , while 84% planned to shop around for the best discounts before making a purchase during the BFCM weekend.
More than 52 million consumers worldwide purchased brands in 2022, a 12% increase over 2021. The BFCM weekend represents the largest shopping event of the year for retailers . While not an exact proxy for the entire holiday season, this event underscores the significant impact independent businesses have around the world.
So how do you attract the attention of these online shoppers in time for the BFCM sales? And more importantly, how do you turn these BFCM shoppers into loyal, repeat customers?
Email marketing is an effective strategy to prepare your existing customers for upcoming offers and attract new visitors to sign up, allowing you to stay in touch throughout the year. This article will provide information on how to collect emails, create engaging content, and decide on a schedule. Before you know it, you’ll be an email marketing pro!
Building your email list
The first step is to persuade people to sign up for your email marketing. The most effective way to do this is by offering something of value in return. This could be a discount code upon sign-up or exclusive content such as a downloadable PDF, style guide, or even a multi-day workshop or challenge.
If creating free guides or PDF downloads seems overwhelming, consider offering a regular blog or newsletter. This approach allows you to provide free information, build relationships, position your brand, and guide people to your business. For your blog, focus on topics related to your business and industry insights that you can share with your customers.
Email collection can be done in several ways, such as
Newsletter Subscription Popups
Implement a popup on your website that asks visitors to subscribe to your newsletter. This can appear when they first arrive on your site or when they show signs of leaving.
Account creation : Encourage customers to create an account before making a purchase. Not only does this speed up the checkout process for them, but it also provides you with their email address.
Lead Magnets – Offer something of value, such as a discount code, free shipping, or a free trial, in exchange for an email address.
Social Media Campaigns – Use your social media platforms to promote subscriptions to your newsletter.
Online contests or giveaways – These can be a great way to collect email addresses. Just make sure it’s clear that by entering the contest, entrants agree to subscribe to your newsletter.
Feedback or Surveys – Ask visitors for their email addresses when they fill out feedback forms or surveys on your website.
You can manage customer emails from the admin area. Go to Customers > Email Subscribers to see who has signed up for email marketing.
Crafting your newsletter content
There are several types of content you can create for your email marketing campaigns.
Welcome emails : These are sent to new subscribers or customers, introducing them to your brand and setting the tone for future communications.
Educational Emails – Share informative content related to your industry or products. This could include how-to guides, blog posts, or videos.
Product launch emails – Announce new products or services to your oman email list list. These emails should highlight the benefits and features of the new offering.
Promotional emails
These are used to promote special offers, discounts, or sales. They are designed to drie purchases and should include a clear call to action.
Re-engagement emails : Reach out to subscribers who haven’t interacted with your emails or website in a while. These could offer special discounts or ask for feedback to encourage engagement.
Cart abandonment emails – Remind customers who left items in their online shopping cart without completing the purchase. These emails often include a gentle nudge to complete the transaction and sometimes offer a discount or free shipping as an incentive.
Event Invitation Emails – If you’re hosting a webinar, workshop, or any other event, send an email invitation to your list.
Customer Thank You Emails – Show your gratitude to your loyal customers with a special thank you email. This could also include exclusive discounts or gifts.
Seasonal or Holiday Emails – Take advantage of various holidays or seasons to send themed emails with relevant offers or content.
Survey or feedback emails – Ask your subscribers for their opinions or feedback on your products, services, or previous emails.
Each type of email serves a different purpose and can be used at different stages of the customer journey. Maintaining a balance between email types will help keep your customers engaged and further increase the trust and credibility your brand has with your audience.
Writing effective subject lines
The subject line can significantly influence whether a customer opens your email. You can experiment with different styles, such as simple, humorous, or urgent subject lines. Here are some examples!
Simple subject lines
- “Your weekly update is here”
- “News just for you”
- “Here is your exclusive discount code”
Humorous subject lines
- “We like your style (and your bad jokes)”
- “Don’t open this email (Reverse Psychology)”
- “Is your wardrobe lonely?”
Urgent subject lines
- “Only 24 hours left to save!”
- “Hurry up, the items in your cart are running out”
- “Last chance to get your favorites”
Question-based subject lines
- “Ready for our biggest sale of the year?”
- “Need help finding the perfect gift?”
- “Looking for style inspiration?”
Custom Subject Lines
- “Juan, your personalized recommendations are here”
- “Sara, we miss you! Here’s a special offer for you”
- “Alex, check out what’s new in your favorite category”
The key is to keep subject lines relevant to how email and crm marketing developed the content of the email and engaging enough to entice the recipient to open the email. Experiment with different styles and monitor your open rates to see what works best for your audience.
Writing an engaging email copy
The main body of your email is where you communicate your key points. Strive for a conversational tone rather than sounding like an advertisement. Let your personality shine through while maintaining your brand voice to foster relationships with your customers over time.
Remember to include a call-to-action (CTA) button in your email. This can significantly influence whether your customers decide to engage further with your brand.
However, it’s important to exercise moderation when using GIFs, emojis, and exclamation points in your emails, as overuse can get your email flagged as spam. Also, strive for a balanced tone in your communication to avoid sounding too promotional. Below are some examples of words you should avoid in your subject line to maintain this balance:
- Urgent
- Click here
- Offer expires
- Limited time
- Cash or money
- Winner
- Free or free gift
- Instant Access
Always include a physical address for your business and an unsubscribe button on all emails, especially if you’re located somewhere that has anti-SPAM laws. Be sure to check out our Email Best Practices guide for a more detailed look at what you can do.
Now that you’ve covered the basics of building ar numbers your emails, it’s time to start creating! Shopify Email is a great resource that allows you to send up to 10,000 manual or automated emails per month. Any additional emails above the free limit cost $1 USD per 1,000 additional emails sent (or $0.001 USD per email).
There are also several email apps like Klaviyo: Email Marketing & SMS or Privy – Pop-Ups, Email, & SMS that you can use to collect customer information, plan your campaigns, or create pop-ups in newsletters.
For a complete tutorial on how to use Shopify Email to set up campaigns, check out this guide . If you’re unsure about any part of the process, check out our FAQ guide .
