16 BFCM Campaigns That Convert
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71% of shoppers plan to start buying before Black Friday, and many are already mapping out their BFCM lists.
Shoppers aren’t waiting for Black Friday—and your messaging calendar shouldn't either:
- 71% of shoppers plan to start buying before Black Friday this year—46% before November even begins.
- 62% will start planning their end-of-year purchases before November.
- Brands that started their deals before November last year were 25% more likely to report improved BFCM performance.
As BFCM stretches earlier, your pre-BFCM plan needs to do two jobs: build anticipation for Cyber Week and give ready-to-buy shoppers a reason to act now.
Here are 14 campaigns to send before Black Fridayto help you stay top of mind before promotions begin.
1. The brand story campaign
Before the discounts start, remind shoppers why they should choose you when more brands start competing on price.
42% of shoppers say the economy will have them comparing brands more before buying this BFCM—so send the things a competitor can't copy: what sets your products apart, the people behind them, and the reviews that back it all up.
2. The helpful content campaign
Not every send needs to sell. Content that helps subscribers get more from your products—recipes, styling tips, prep checklists—keeps your brand useful and builds affinity before your BFCM promotion starts.
3. The preference-collection campaign
Collect preferences early so you can build useful BFCM segments before promotions go live.
Send a conversational text or one-question email survey asking what subscribers are shopping for or who they’re buying for.
Reply with recommendations in the moment, then use the answers to segment your BFCM campaigns (e.g., gift-givers vs. self-buyers).
4. The gift guide preview
Help shoppers find the gifts they need for upcoming celebrations.
Last year, 74% said they wanted brands' help finding the right gifts, and 32% named gift guides specifically.
Send curated guides—by recipient, by price, by interest—while shoppers are still deciding what to buy, so your products make the shortlist before your sale even starts.
5. The second-channel invite
Your single-channel subscribers may be one invite away from joining your most valuable audience.
Subscribers on both email and SMS are more likely than email-only subscribers to plan to spend more this BFCM (22% vs. 14%)—and 60% plan to find their deals through brand messages.
Give single-channel subscribers a concrete reason to add the second channel, like first access to your Black Friday deals.
6. The personalized recommendations campaign
73% of shoppers say relevant product recommendations make them more likely to buy from a brand during BFCM.
Suggest products based on past purchases, browsing behavior, or the answers from your preference-collection campaign.
7. The wishlist builder
42% of shoppers will make lists of specific items they want to buy during BFCM. Invite shoppers to build that list with you: ask them to favorite products, join waitlists, or get recommendations through conversational text.
Every wishlisted item can become a trigger for price-drop and back-in-stock messages that convert during Cyber Week.
8. The new product launch
Novelty can give shoppers a reason to buy before your sale starts. A launch in the months leading up to BFCM gives shoppers a reason to buy now and gives your sale a fresh hero product later.
Plus, new product mentions in SMS campaigns without an offer increase conversion rates by 17%.
"We're dropping a fall LTO flavor, and leaning into our subscribe & save program for those who purchased early last year."
– Director at food & beverage brand
9. The pre-BFCM sale test
Use sale moments before BFCM as your dress rehearsal: Labor Day, Prime Big Deal Days, Veterans Day, or Singles' Day.
Test your Black Friday offer types, segments, and messaging. Marketers who tested across several major shopping events last year were 29% more likely to report year-over-year improvements.
10. The VIP early-access announcement
Early access is the top subscription draw shoppers name (52%).
Give loyal customers a reason to engage early with exclusive discounts, early access, or first look at your BFCM offers.
11. The low-inventory alert
Low-inventory alerts can prompt action from shoppers who are already considering an item and don’t want to risk it selling out before your sale.
Inventory messages in SMS campaigns without a discount boost conversion rates by 19%.
Keep it honest: a false alarm in October makes your real one easier to ignore on Black Friday.
12. The month-long deals campaign
Rather than saving your offers for Cyber Week, consider spreading select deals throughout November to help shoppers get ahead of their lists and shipping deadlines.
This “Slowvember” approach can also help spread demand, ease inventory pressure, and give you room to adjust offers if certain SKUs move faster than expected.
13. The deal tease
Previews draw shoppers in: 45% of shoppers say a preview of upcoming BFCM deals would encourage them to subscribe to a new brand.
Give shoppers a sneak peek of the deals, new products, and limited-edition items to build excitement. Tell shoppers when your promotions start and end, since every brand’s BFCM calendar looks different.
14. The extended-promo opt-in
If you're planning a higher-frequency run-up like a "30 days of deals" promo, let subscribers raise their hand for it.
An opt-in to higher volume can help reduce opt-outs from everyone else, and gives you a segment of subscribers who want more deal messaging.
Next read
These 14 campaigns put your brand on shoppers' lists before the first deal drops—and can help you capture more early Q4 demand. Next comes Cyber Week, when shopper intent hits its highest point of the year.
Your subscribers will be watching—unpublished data from the December 2025 Attentive Consumer Pulse shows that 70% of shoppers remember buying from a brand during BFCM after seeing an email, text message, or push notification.
Plan what to send when your sale goes live:
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