Inside the Top-Performing BFCM Email Strategies

The Role of Email in Driving BFCM Sales

Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) create unique opportunities for brands to leverage email campaigns as direct, cost-effective communication tools. These personalized messages can drive between 20-30% of revenue, making email one of the most impactful channels during the high-intent BFCM period. Many brands also use these campaigns to offer exclusive membership perks, helping to acquire new customers and strengthen loyalty.

This report analyzes the performance of 1500 top email campaigns, examining how different email cadences and outreach strategies impact BFCM sales. We'll highlight key tactics for driving revenue and engagement, offering actionable insights to help brands maximize their results this holiday season.

Email Cadence Trends Leading to BFCM

Starting BFCM email campaigns as early as October allows brands to build momentum and awareness well ahead of the holiday season. During the peak season, many brands even adopt a daily email schedule or send multiple emails per day, positioning themselves to remain top-of-mind while driving urgency through regular, offer-centric messages.

Daily email volume peaked at 902 emails on October 24, likely reflecting a focused effort by brands to clear out inventory before the end of October and generate excitement for BFCM sales. As sales promotions begin and end, we anticipate email volume will generally increase through the end of BFCM.

The ROI of Email Marketing During BFCM

Email marketing continues to deliver significant results, with a $45 ROI for every dollar spent, making it an effective, budget-friendly option for brands.

Automated emails, especially during key periods like October and November, achieve remarkable results, with nearly 4000% higher conversion rates than standard promotional campaigns. Automated emails also drive 29% of all email orders, underscoring the effectiveness of well-timed, targeted communication.

Many brands like Abercrombie & Fitch also use emails to highlight their membership programs to attract new members and strengthen existing customer loyalty by giving them exclusive access to sales and promotions.

Optimizing Email Frequency to Boost Revenue

A significant number of brands increase their email frequency as the pre-BFCM period begins. This strategy taps into increased purchase intent, as customers are primed to shop with offers that cater directly to their needs.

With 10,275 emails sent during the 16-day period, most brands maintained a cadence of 2-5 emails per week. This cadence suggests a desire to keep brands top-of-mind without overwhelming subscribers, ensuring sustained engagement without causing email fatigue.

However, a smaller segment of brands opt for daily emails, likely aiming to intensify urgency and visibility in a highly competitive period. Daily messaging strengthens exclusive, time-sensitive offers and enables brands to pivot quickly in response to competitor promotions.

Brands sending 6+ emails per week consistently drove the highest revenue share, peaking at 73.7% on October 13 before stabilizing around 68% by the end of the month.

The Impact of Optimized Email Strategies

This analysis highlights the crucial role of email campaigns in driving BFCM sales, with top-performing campaigns generating significant revenue through strategic outreach. The data emphasizes that frequent, well-timed emails not only maintain brand visibility but also create urgency, effectively capturing high-intent shoppers. By fine-tuning email cadence, brands can maximize engagement and revenue during this critical shopping season.