Introduction (3 mins)

• Marina introduces the episode, participants, and the topic.
• Brief mention of Golden Digital’s specialization in Ecommerce strategy, email marketing, paid media, and website optimization.
• Quick overview of why Black Friday/Cyber Monday (BFCM) is crucial for Ecommerce.

Segment 1: BFCM Preparation Strategies (7 mins)

• Marina: Discuss how to prepare from a strategic viewpoint:
• Importance of setting realistic goals and tracking KPIs.
• Aligning product offerings with market trends and optimizing inventory.
• Importance of website readiness (speed, mobile optimization, etc.).

Segment 2: Email Marketing Best Practices for BFCM (10 mins)

• Nicole: Dive into email strategies to maximize conversions:
• Pre-BFCM campaigns: building anticipation with teaser messaging and growing your audience prior to Black Friday .
• Gain new subscribers by updating messaging to include early access to black friday promos 
• Strategically time and execute a win back campaign to lapsed subscribers, moving them back into the funnel prior to Black Friday 
• Make sure you’re compliant with any sending requirements way before Black Friday to ensure your emails are being sent to the inbox. 
• Best practices for crafting compelling BFCM email messages (urgency, offers, subject lines).
• Drive urgency through subject lines to maximize open rates “ends tonight”, “final hours” 
• Be brief - keep it short, consumers have a ton of emails in the inbox at this time, be direct and compelling in as few words as possible in your subject lines and preheaders. 
• Use your preheader text for secondary offers like free shipping or free gift , subject line should showcase discount amount 
• Keep the emails short as well, this is not the time for long form emails, focus on “above the fold” and how to entice that click on first glance. 
• Bold graphic hero images 
• Keep the discount amount at the top and in the subject line 
• Black Friday / Cyber Monday landing pages 
• Make them shopable 
• Showcase discount 
• Post-sale follow-up emails to nurture relationships and generate loyalty.
• Plan product and messaging accordingly post Black Friday to give yourself the best messaging opportunities: 
• Drop an exciting new product between cyber Monday and Christmas cut off 
• Focus on brand building opportunities like a give back campaign 
• Update welcome series prior to Black Friday to position yourself in the best way possible to prepare for new subscribers: 
• New product drops 
• Latest brand news
• Compelling offer post Black Friday 

Segment 3: Paid Media Strategies for BFCM (10 mins)

• Devin: Focus on paid media tactics:
• 5 important time periods:
• Post election (Nov. 8th) - start promos
• Black Friday - best offer
• Cyber Monday - second best offer
• Xmas shipping cutoff
• Post shipping cutoff - sale on sale to move off of old inventory
• Coordinated marketing plan
• CPMs are more expensive in election year run up to November, so create a cohesive strategy with organic channels
• Ads should be synchronized with email, organic social, and on-site experience
• Ad creative - Creative messaging for BFCM ads and what works best to drive conversions.
• Leave evergreen ads running in tandem with BFCM focused ads 
• Static ads typically work better than video ads for promos
• Take a look at your best static and video ads, last 90 days and the last 180 days.
• For videos make some animated or static banners that preferably move and are dynamic and place them on top of your winners. For statics, add stickers and banners highlighting the sale + offer.
• Use promotion extensions in Google Ads, make sure promos are added to FB and IG shop
• Budgeting
• CPMs are at an annual high on BFCM
• Spending in October and early November at a lower CPM + ROAS will prime the pump for a big BFCM

Segment 4: Website Optimization for Conversion (10 mins)

• Marina & Nicole : Cover best practices for optimizing the website:
• Ensuring your site is fast and mobile-friendly.
• How to optimize checkout processes to reduce cart abandonment.
• A/B testing landing pages, product pages, and CTAs for maximum conversion.
• Highlight tools like heatmaps and analytics to monitor site performance.

Segment 5: Integrating Email, Paid Media, and Website for a Cohesive Strategy (5 mins)

• Nicole, Devin, and Marina: Discuss how all components (email, paid media, and website optimization) should work together for a seamless BFCM strategy.
• Example of how email lists can be used for paid ad targeting.
• Ensuring consistency between ad creative, emails, and website landing pages.
• Cross-channel remarketing to capture abandoned carts or users who haven’t purchased yet.

Segment 6: Real-Life BFCM Success Stories (5 mins)

• All Participants: Share quick case studies or real-life examples of brands that successfully executed BFCM strategies.
• What worked well and key takeaways.

Closing Remarks and Takeaways (5 mins)

• Final thoughts on key strategies to remember for BFCM success.
• Reminder of the importance of tracking data and continuously optimizing.
• Call to action: encourage listeners to get in touch for help with BFCM strategy.