Summary
The urgency of Black Friday/Cyber Monday often drives brands to default to tactics that feel high-effort but yield diminishing returns — generic blasts, overreliance on paid media, and last-minute execution among them. This blog argues that winning during BFCM requires a shift from reactive to strategic: starting earlier, segmenting aggressively, leveraging owned channels, and treating onsite experiences as dynamic rather than static. The underlying insight is that digital noise is now the norm — and only those who personalize and optimize in real time can break through it. For leaders, the takeaway is clear: success during BFCM is no longer about brute force marketing but intelligent orchestration — of timing, channels, and data. The brands that will thrive aren’t necessarily the loudest, but those most attuned to behavior, context, and the opportunity in every click.
Ah, Black Friday/Cyber Monday. That magical time of year when consumers open their wallets… and marketers collectively lose their minds.
We get it. Stakes are high. Budgets are lower. But in the rush to maximize revenue, many brands fall into the same traps — mistakes that quietly kill performance, crush margins, and leave loyal customers ghosting like Devon Sawa in Casper.
So this year, let’s flip the script.
Here are 5 things to not do during BFCM if you’re serious about hitting your goals (and still having a job come January).
1. Don’t Wait Until Black Friday to Show Up
If your first promo email hits inboxes on Thanksgiving, you’re already late. BFCM has crept earlier every year, and shoppers know the game. They’re browsing, price comparing, and signing up for early access weeks in advance.
Instead: Start capturing emails and phone numbers now. Tease deals early. And don’t sleep on the fact that November is prime time — we’ve found that some brands saw up to 50% of their entire year’s list growth happen during this window.
2. Don’t Blast Everyone the Same Message
We know you love your 30% off sitewide email. But your high-intent browser, VIP buyer, and one-time window shopper do not need the same message at the same time on the same channel.
Instead: Segment like your margins depend on it (because they do). Use real-time behavior — like cart value, browse depth, or even scroll speed — to send personalized, relevant emails and texts that feel like 1:1 conversations.
3. Don’t Over-Rely on Paid Media
This isn’t the year to pour budget into Facebook and hope for the best. CPMs are spiking, competition is brutal, and your best customers are already on your site.
Instead: Maximize your owned channels. Identity-powered email and SMS campaigns convert better, cost less, and cut through the chaos. Especially when 95% of your traffic is anonymous — unless you work with a partner who can recognize and convert it.
4. Don’t Assume a Pop-Up = a Strategy
Basic forms asking for an email in exchange for 10% off? That’s cute. But with consumers acting like deal-sniffing detectives, you need more than a generic prompt to grow your list.
Instead: Use intelligent onsite capture with dynamic offers, smart suppression (so you’re not annoying people), and behavioral triggers like exit intent or scroll depth. It’s how brands are doubling and tripling their opt-ins — without giving away the farm.
5. Don’t Set It and Forget It
Launching a campaign and walking away is like putting your turkey in the oven and never checking the timer. BFCM is not the time for autopilot. And your turkey did not give its life to be burnt to a crisp.
Instead: Monitor hourly. Shift budgets. Swap creatives. Highlight trending or low-stock items. Brands that optimize in real time are the ones that outsell and outlast.
What You Should Do: Let Wunderkind Help
If any of the above sounded a little too familiar, don’t worry. You’re not alone. But you don’t have to white-knuckle BFCM again this year.
- Identify anonymous traffic (yes, even that 95%)
- Grow email & SMS lists faster than any other platform
- Trigger behavior-based messages that actually convert
- Turn browsers into buyers, and buyers into loyalists
- Plug our data into your stack
We’re not another tool. We’re a performance engine that plugs in and drives real revenue — during BFCM and long after. And now is the time to get started.
Want help turning this BFCM into your biggest win yet? Download our BFCM guide.
