Plan Ahead

2024 BFCM calendar

With our BFCM planning calendar, it’s easy to make every day count. Stay on track towards your BFCM goals with day-to-day guidance, tactics, and to-dos.

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July
July 23, 2024
Audit past performance

Begin an audit of your brand’s past performance—not only on BFCM, but also the first 2 quarters of this year.

July 24, 2024
Build your lists

Focus on growing your email and SMS lists.

July 25, 2024
Set up SMS

If you haven’t yet, set up SMS. Add SMS only or multi-step forms to your store.

July 26, 2024
Assess your competition

Check out your competitors’ BFCM campaigns from last year. Use sites like Milled or ReallyGoodEmails.

July 29, 2024
Enable unique coupon codes

Set up unique coupon codes in Klaviyo to help keep your welcome discount exclusive.

July 30, 2024
Test segmentation strategies

Begin testing new segmentation strategies to see which groups engage well. This will help you improve your sender reputation ahead of BFCM.

July 31, 2024
Shore up your resources

Get clear about your resources and goals for BFCM. Look into getting premium hands-on support if you want to maximize your efforts.

August
August 1, 2024
Set up integrations

Integrate Klaviyo with Google Ads, Facebook, and TikTok if you haven’t yet.

August 2, 2024
Upgrade to Klaviyo CDP

Give your data superpowers and uncover revenue-driving insights ahead of BFCM.

August 5, 2024
Set up core automations

If you haven’t yet, now is the time to set up core automations like welcome series and cart abandonment.

August 7, 2024
Use AI to create content faster than ever

Klaviyo AI can help you get ahead of content creation and build segments, subject lines, and emails.

August 9, 2024
Identify key segments

Identify the key demographics you want to send to during BFCM.

August 12, 2024
Inspire word-of-mouth from your biggest customers

Send a referral campaign to past purchasers in your VIP segment.

August 14, 2024
Ideate Labor Day promotional test

Use the Labor Day holiday to figure out which types of offers and content resonate with your audience.

August 16, 2024
Send to your most engaged

Send back to school email campaign to 30-day engaged segment, if applicable. Send back to school SMS campaign to 30-day engaged segment, if applicable.

August 19, 2024
A/B test subject lines

A/B test subject lines for your browse abandonment and abandoned cart flows to see what your audience responds to.

August 21, 2024
A/B test sign-up forms

Find out what resonates with your visitors ahead of BFCM.

August 22, 2024
Clean your list

Take steps toward strong BFCM deliverability. Start by cleaning your list and removing totally unengaged profiles.

August 26, 2024
Send to 90-day engaged

Send back to school email campaign to 90-day engaged segment, if applicable.

Send back to school SMS campaign to 90-day engaged segment, if applicable.

August 29, 2024
Nurture your VIPs

Send Labor Day sneak peek email campaign to VIP list.

Send Labor Day sneak peek SMS campaign to VIP list.

August 30, 2024
Set up reviews

Along with setting up reviews, run a Smart Send Time test to find the best campaign send time.

September
September 2, 2024
Start sending Labor Day campaigns

Send Labor Day email campaign to 60-day engaged and VIP list.

Send Labor Day SMS campaign to full SMS list.

September 4, 2024
Keep sending Labor Day campaigns

Send Labor Day email campaign to 30-day engaged list.

Send Labor Day SMS campaign to 90-day engaged list.

September 6, 2024
Finish Labor Day marketing

Send Labor Day last chance email campaign.

Send Labor Day last chance SMS campaign.

Make sure to exclude any recent purchasers.

September 9, 2024
Reach out to unengaged subscribers

Start testing your unengaged audiences to see if you can win anyone back before BFCM.

September 11, 2024
Evaluate Labor Day campaign results

Review performance of Labor Day campaign and make note of what you can improve for BFCM.

September 13, 2024
Collect UGC

Plan a social media contest where you can collect user-generated content (UGC) from your brand loyalists like photos and videos.

September 16, 2024
Promote your social contest on your site

Build a pop-up form on your site to advertise your social contest.

September 17, 2024
Nurture your VIPs

Send an early-access contest entry SMS campaign to your VIP segment or your most highly-engaged SMS subscribers.

September 20, 2024
Assess your customer journey

Take a look at a subscriber’s entire customer journey and make adjustments where necessary.

September 23, 2024
Send last chance to enter campaigns

Send a giveaway, contest, or sweepstakes email campaign “last chance to enter” to your 90-day engaged segment and to your SMS full list.

September 25, 2024
Identify integration opportunities

Look into the tools that will help you with collecting and using UGC, template building, list cleaning, and more.

September 27, 2024
Personalize more deeply

Determine opportunities to further personalize your flows with conditional splits, such as whether or not a subscriber has ordered or consented to SMS.

October
October 1, 2024
Grow your SMS list

Invite email subscribers in your 90-day engaged segment who aren’t consented to SMS to join your SMS list for extra perks.

October 2, 2024
Take stock (literally)

Check your inventory to make sure you have enough product in stock for BFCM demand.

October 3, 2024
Get clear on your BFCM goals

Are you focused primarily on revenue? Engagement? Overall improvement from last year?

October 7, 2024
Determine your BFCM promotional offer

Consider what the most compelling incentive you can offer is.

October 8, 2024
Connect with your entire SMS list

Send out an SMS engagement campaign to your full list.

October 10, 2024
Keep growing your SMS list

Invite VIP email subscribers to sign up for SMS to get exclusive VIP access and sneak previews.

October 11, 2024
Plan your timeline and cadence

Set dates for promotion duration, campaign sends, and reminders. Look into 3rd-party loyalty programs to drive additional purchases post-BFCM.

October 14, 2024
Invite email subscribers to SMS

Send out an email campaign to your 30-day engaged non-SMS subscribers, prompting them to sign up for SMS to get extra perks.

October 15, 2024
Invite past BFCM buyers to SMS

Invite email subscribers (past BFCM purchasers segment) to sign up for SMS to get first access to sales.

October 21, 2024
Reward your SMS subscribers

Send an early access to season kickoff discount campaign to your full SMS list.

October 22, 2024
Reward your most engaged email subscribers

Send a season kickoff email, and highlight discounted overstock or older inventory for your 30-day engaged segment.

October 25, 2024
Increase your paid ads

Consider increasing paid advertising bids that will drive customers back to the site temporarily.

October 28, 2024
Send out Halloween campaigns

Send a Halloween email campaign to your 90-day engaged segment, if applicable.

Send a Halloween SMS campaign to your 90-day engaged segment, if applicable.

October 30, 2024
Reward your SMS subscribers with a discount

Share a special “treat” by offering a percentage or dollar amount SMS campaign to full list.

October 31, 2024
Send Halloween campaigns

Send a Halloween email campaign to your 180-day engaged segment, if applicable.

Send a Halloween SMS campaign to your 90-day engaged segment, if applicable.

November
November 1, 2024
Send holiday opt-out messaging

Send holiday opt-out email campaign to 30-day engaged segment.

Send holiday opt-out SMS campaign to full list.

November 4, 2024
Reward SMS subscribers with a gift guide

Send an early access gift guide with a promo code to SMS full list.

November 5, 2024
Connect with past BFCM buyers

Send gift guide + BOGO50 email campaign to past BFCM purchasers segment.

November 7, 2024
Schedule pop-up forms

Build and schedule your BFCM pop-up forms. Send a VIP personal shopper SMS campaign.

November 8, 2024
It’s almost here

Build and schedule BFCM campaigns.

November 9, 2024
Send gift guides

Send a gift guide email to your full list. Send a gift guide SMS message to your full list.

November 12, 2024
Update your automated flows for BFCM

You can add BFCM-specific content to your standard flows. Make sure to align your welcome flows to any BFCM discount codes offered in a sign-up form.

November 19, 2024
Take a deep breath

Treat yourself to a facial, massage, or fancy dinner—you’ve worked hard and deserve it.

Build a segment of customers who purchased recently to exclude from promotional campaigns. Send final free shipping weekend reminder email to 30-day engaged segment. Send final free shipping weekend reminder SMS to 30-day engaged segment.

November 20, 2024
Send a countdown email series

This series can arrive in subscribers’ inbox each day until Black Friday, e.g. “Top 10 gifts this season.”

November 25, 2024
Turn off Smart Sending

For campaigns that need to be sent to all recipients, make sure to turn off Smart Sending.

Send pre-Cyber Weekend SMS campaign to 30-day engaged segment.

November 26, 2024
Send countdown email to most engaged

Turn on auto upgrade for email/SMS to prevent disruptions in sending.

Send countdown to Cyber Weekend email campaign to your 60-day engaged and VIP lists.

November 27, 2024
Incentivize signing up for SMS

Send VIP early access SMS teaser.

November 28, 2024
Eat some turkey (and send some campaigns)

Enjoy Thanksgiving with your family and get a good night’s sleep.

Send Thanksgiving email campaign to 30-day engaged, 60-day engaged, VIP list.

Send VIP early access to BFCM sale SMS campaign.

November 29, 2024
It’s the big day

Take a deep breath—you got this!

Send a.m. Black Friday email campaign to your full list. Make sure to exclude recent purchasers on relevant campaigns.

Send an afternoon reminder email to our 90-day engaged list, excluding recent purchasers.

Send a.m. Black Friday SMS campaign to VIPs.

Send p.m. Black Friday campaign to full list.

November 30, 2024
Do a quick audit and send to your most engaged

Check in to confirm open rates and revenue are trending where anticipated over the course of the weekend.

Send small business email campaign (Small Business Saturday) to 30-day engaged list.

Send a small business SMS campaign (Small Business Saturday)  and Additional SMS discount to 30-day engaged list.

December
December 1, 2024
Continue to monitor performance

Keep an eye on key metrics and send Cyber Monday sales preview email to 30-day engaged list.

Send Cyber Monday early access SMS to VIP list.

December 2, 2024
Send Cyber Monday campaigns

Continue to monitor performance.

Send a.m. Cyber Monday email campaign to your full list.

Send p.m. Cyber Monday follow-up to your 90-day engaged list, excluding recent purchasers.

Send a.m. Cyber Monday SMS campaign to VIPs.

Send p.m. Cyber Monday SMS campaign to full list.

December 4, 2024
Send Haunukkah + CW last chance campaigns

Send Hanukkah email campaign to 30-day engaged segment.

Send Hanukkah SMS campaign to 30-day engaged segment.

Send Cyber Weekend last chance email campaign to 30-day engaged segment.

Send Cyber Weekend last chance SMS campaign to resend segment (opened or click email and haven’t purchased). Suppress recent purchasers if applicable.

December 5, 2024
Get back to normal

Clean up any updates made to flows or forms that were specific to BFCM.

December 9, 2024
Send gift guides to your most engaged

Send a gift guide email to your 30-day engaged segment.

Send a gift guide SMS message to your 30-day engaged segment.

December 10, 2024
Audit your performance

Review your BFCM performance and share results with the broader team.

December 18, 2024
Reach out to your 90-day engaged via SMS

Send holiday greetings SMS campaign to 90-day engaged.

December 23, 2024
Send last chance reminder to buy gift cards

Send last chance gift card offer email to espresso shot segment (opened or click email and haven’t purchased).

December 25, 2024
Send Christmas email campaigns—and chill

Send Christmas greetings email campaign to 30-day engaged segment.Take some time off—OOO through New Years, anyone?

Block your calendar for some well-deserved R&R.