5 Segmentation Strategies For Black Friday & Cyber Monday (BFCM)

Email marketing is an effective way to reach out and build a relationship with your subscription base. However, if you aren’t segmenting your email lists properly, then you’re missing out on valuable leads and sales opportunities.

It’s easy to think that email lists are pretty simple to manage, but we’re truly cursed for choice when it comes to customer segmentation…

That’s why we’ve partnered with Email Allstars to deliver 5 Black Friday & Cyber Monday customer segmentation strategies that will maximize your email revenue and boost engagement.

Segment #1: BFCM 2020 Coupon Code Customers‍

This segment is important because it targets the exact customers you acquired last year round, so you know that they’ll be interested in your offer and you’ve already validated your discount amounts. ‍

Segments Analytics conveniently pulls in all discount codes used during the relevant time period. Plus, date ranges can be changed to accommodate different time zones and campaign start dates.‍

Segment #1 for email marketing:‍

(Sync your audiences with seamless 1-touch integration)

This is a hot segment that should see good conversion rates depending on your industry. Successful strategies include:

1. ‘Save the date’ emails
2. Granting early access
3. Offering discount ladders to incentivize uncertain past purchasers

A brilliant save-the-date email from Apple.

Segment #1 for performance marketing:

(Sync your audiences with seamless 1-touch integration)

Facebook Ads

👉 Create lead generation campaigns for non-subscribers to get them to join your email list and receive early access to sales.

👉 Create traffic / brand awareness campaigns for subscribers to advise them about upcoming products & sales.

Google Ads

👉 Create campaigns targeting keywords like “black friday deals x {your brand name}”.

👉 Encourage users to sign up for early access or for existing subscribers to browse your sales collections.

Segment #2: BFCM 2020 Customers (Churned)

This segment includes customers who purchased something in your last BFCM sale, but have not purchased anything since. 

It’s worth noting that these customers may have purchased multiple times prior to Black Friday, but after BFCM they churned and never purchased again.

These churned customers tend to be highly receptive to BFCM sales, so you can start testing small offers ahead of BFCM to prepare for your main sale!

Segment #2 for email marketing:

There will likely be some overlap with the first segment (BFCM customers who used a coupon code), but it’s worth getting more granular with your targeting and messaging.

Campaigns about missing your customers and updating them on your progress have proven to work. If your service or catalog allows it, you can also offer a special subscription rate to minimize churn.

A simple but effective reengagement (or ‘we miss you’) message Email Allstars designed for Beauty by Earth.

Segment #2 for performance marketing:

Facebook Ads

👉 Create conversion campaigns to target churned customers and entice them back with a coupon code or by highlighting your top USPs.

Google Ads

👉 Add audience to your retargeting pool for display ads. Include a discount or offer that will entice repurchase

Segment #3: BFCM 2020 Customers (One Timers)

This segment contains customers who purchased during BFCM but have only ever purchased once. Unlike segment #2, none of these customers could have bought anything before your BFCM sale, so you know that that was the defining event in their acquisition.

Segment #3 for email marketing:

Since customers who only bought once during BFCM and never again can be considered churned, a special offer similar to the one that converted previously might work well. But remember, you will need to target the next 90 days as well. 

Target your audience via an automated flow and use Klaviyo filters to set up different messages based on browsed collections and order values.

At the end of the flow, you can offer up a discount. Adding the coupon code at the last minute gives you a chance to maximize revenue.

You can also use your Segments data to identify conversion-friendly bundles that are likely to entice these customers. Simply analyze what repeat customers would purchase next and bundle that sequence. 

For more actionable information on predicting customer behavior and buying trends, read our previous collaboration on the future of email marketing.

Segment #3 for performance marketing:

Facebook Ads

👉 Create conversion campaigns to showcase new collections & brand USPs.

Google Ads

👉 Add audience to your retargeting pool for display ads. Include a discount or offer that incentivizes repurchase.

Segment #4: BFCM 2020 Top Customers by Revenue

Your highest revenue generating customers are your MVPs. They’re the people who say good things about you and you should reward them for it! 

Segment #4 for email marketing:

So... how should you treat your unicorns?

Everyone loves to feel appreciated, especially your customers. A simple but authentic thank you message goes a long way, and giving your MVPs early access to sales or better deals can take you even further. Just remember not to dish out coupons like you’re Oprah.

Focusing on your email’s creative assets is important for this segment. You KNOW your customers are banging their knives & forks on the table for what you have. You just need to present it correctly.‍

Segment #4 for performance marketing:

Facebook Ads

👉 Create brand awareness campaigns to target these customers — thank them for being a customer, put forward a personal message, offer super early access to BFCM this year.

👉 Create lookalike audiences (1-2%) to prospect for similar customers and build your database.

Google Ads

👉Add this audience as a negative audience so as not to bombard them with too much marketing.

Segment #5: BFCM 2020 Full Price Customers

These are your customers who never redeemed a BFCM coupon code during your last year’s sale. You know that they don’t need extra incentives to support your brand, so offering them discounts will likely lower your ROI.

Segment #5 for email marketing:

Minimizing coupon distribution is a vital aspect of going from good to great. It may feel like you’re unfairly targeting your customers, so it’s important to keep the right perspective: discount codes should only be used to get customers you wouldn’t have acquired otherwise. 

You can keep it simple with this segment. Send updates regarding your roadmap and catalog, along with fully priced items. 

Segment #5 for performance marketing:

Facebook Ads

👉 Create lookalike audiences (1-2%) to find similar customers and build your database.

👉 Create conversion campaigns to target these customers with New Collection messaging.

Ready to crush BFCM?

Use these 5 high-performance customer segments and that’s exactly what you’ll do. But remember, with great power comes great responsibility…

Don’t have your Segments Analytics data yet? Visit the Shopify store.

Looking for a smart email marketing partner that can take the headache off your plate & turn your email list into an automated sales machine? 

Book a free breakthrough strategy session with Email Allstars.