Our Black Friday planning panel delivered practical, timely, and realistic advice for maximising profit (not just revenue) during Black Friday and beyond. Host Jess McMahon, senior digital strategist at Klaviyo was joined by Iain Calvert, ecommerce consultant at Boom Ecommerce and Suhani Jain, Digital Marketing Manager at Boody to share actionable strategies for driving profit during the busiest shopping season of the year.

Whether you’re a seasoned brand or gearing up for your first big BFCM push, here are five insights that stood out:

1. Plan early 

If you’re thinking about Black Friday in October, you’re already behind. The highest-performing campaigns begin with long-range planning, and include data analysis, inventory management, early testing, smart budgeting, and strategic goal setting. 

• Some brands kick off planning as early as January — especially when sourcing physical items for bundles or gift-with-purchase offers.
• Suhani noted that her team begins strategic planning in May or June, using a full-year financial lens to ensure alignment across budgets, stock, and marketing.
• The detailed tactical work (like offer testing, segmentation, and creative planning) can begin as early as July.

Don’t leave planning to the last minute — your inventory, tech setup, and messaging all need runway to succeed.

2. Use lead capture to build a first-party data advantage

Rather than relying on expensive paid channels or deep discounts to win on BFCM, our panel emphasised the importance of owned data.

• Iain recommended using lead capture campaigns throughout Q3 to grow your list ahead of peak season. This helps brands build and activate first-party data — a must as privacy changes continue to impact ad platforms.
• Even simple list-building incentives (“get early access” or “shop the sale before anyone else”) can help drive conversions during the event.
• Both panelists agreed: a strong email and SMS list is a major profit lever. But it needs to be warmed and nurtured ahead of November.

Black Friday is not just a sales opportunity — it’s a data acquisition play. Treat it that way.

3. Test early, personalise often

The days of one-size-fits-all offers are over. Data-led personalisation and testing make the difference between average results and standout campaigns. Now is the time to make use of AI tools like predictive analytics and testing.

• Suhani shared how her team layers in predictive analytics, lifecycle segmentation, and product affinity data to tailor offers and messaging.
• Iain noted that September and October are perfect for testing — from subject lines and offers to creative angles and CTAs — so you’re not guessing when it counts.
• Personalisation doesn’t have to be complex: even segmenting by engaged vs unengaged audiences can lift results significantly.

Use Q3 to experiment. By BFCM, you should already know what resonates with each segment of your audience.

4. Automations are your secret weapon at scale

BFCM often brings a spike in traffic and transactions. Automations help brands handle that scale without sacrificing personalisation or speed.

• The panel highlighted key flows to activate ahead of the sale: welcome series, abandoned cart, browse abandonment, back-in-stock alerts, and post-purchase journeys.
• Iain emphasised that automations shouldn’t just be set-and-forget. Review your timing, language, and triggers to make sure they align with BFCM behaviour.
• Suhani noted that automations not only support sales in the moment — they also help improve retention and reorder rates after the event.

Smart flows do the heavy lifting when your team is busy. Make sure they’re optimised and ready to run.

5. Don’t ghost customers after the sale

Many brands drop the ball once the sale ends — but the post-BFCM period is rich with retention opportunities.

• With an influx of new customers, your post-purchase experience becomes critical. Welcome flows, product education, and loyalty nudges can help turn one-time buyers into repeat customers.
• Iain recommended planning a “reactivation and relationship” strategy now — rather than scrambling in December.
• Suhani emphasised building trust through transparency, education, and community — especially after a fast-paced sales event.

Winning BFCM is about more than revenue — it’s about setting the tone for your next 12 months of customer loyalty.