70% Open Rates: 5 Ways We Make Newsletters Deliver Outstanding Results For Businesses As An Email Marketing Agency

BFCM—The Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) period is often described as a battlefield for marketers. With inboxes flooded and attention spans at an all-time low, standing out requires not blind effort but actual strategy. 

Especially for an email marketing agency, BFCM is the most challenging and rewarding time of the year. Managing multiple clients with varied offers means meticulous planning and flawless execution. This case study delves into how we leveraged strategic email marketing to generate over $5,000 in revenue for a client with just 13 emails, focusing heavily on building relationships with customers through innovative approaches—especially with our Heads Up Email.

Understanding the BFCM landscape 

For most brands, the BFCM timeline runs from late November to early December, though some extend the period based on their strategy. With such a short window, the pressure to maximize impact is immense. 

The secret to success lies in preparation. Before diving into campaign execution, we built a robust pre-BFCM strategy to ensure everything was in place to meet—and exceed—customer expectations.

Pre-BFCM Prep – Laying the foundation

Here’s how we prepared for the BFCM frenzy to ensure our campaigns were both effective and seamless:

• Segment Your Audience: Use behavioral and purchase data to target specific groups with tailored messages.

• Optimize Email Flows: Fine-tune automated flows like abandoned cart and post-purchase sequences to reflect BFCM offers.

• Send Teaser Campaigns: Build anticipation by hinting at upcoming deals.

• Mobile Optimization: Ensure all campaigns render flawlessly on mobile devices.

• Test Thoroughly: Test subject lines, email designs, and links to guarantee everything works perfectly across platforms.

The “Heads Up” Email

Among all the strategies we employed, the Heads Up Email stood out as a pivotal move. Sent the day before BFCM officially began, this email wasn’t about selling—it was about building trust.

Concept

The Heads Up Email was designed to tell customers: “Hold off on purchases today. Instead, add items to your cart and come back tomorrow for exclusive deals.”

Why it worked?

Standing Out in the Inbox
During BFCM, inboxes are bombarded with promotional emails. Our subject line, “Hold off any purchases!”, was a breath of fresh air. It intrigued customers, prompting them to open the email.

Building Trust
By advising customers to wait for the sale, the brand positioned itself as caring about customer savings rather than solely focusing on profits. This genuine approach strengthened the relationship between the brand and its audience.

Driving Cart Activity
Encouraging customers to add items to their cart created a sense of readiness. On BFCM day, they only needed to check out, streamlining their shopping experience.

Execution

The email’s tone was conversational, friendly, and empathetic. Here’s an excerpt:

“Hey there! We know you’ve been eyeing some of your favorites. But here’s a little insider tip—don’t buy them just yet! Tomorrow, everything will be available at a special price. So, go ahead and add your favorites to the cart today. You’ll thank us later!”

We complemented this email with an SMS blast, ensuring the message reached customers across channels.

Results

It was a hit. It recorded one of the highest open rates during BFCM and significantly boosted cart additions, setting the stage for a successful sale day.

BFCM Phase

During the BFCM period, our strategy revolved around balance and precision. 

Integrated Email & SMS Campaigns

Instead of bombarding customers with multiple messages, we adopted an integrated approach. On days when we sent SMS campaigns, we refrained from sending emails to avoid overwhelming the audience.