Black Friday and Cyber Monday aren’t just big shopping days. They’re the biggest shopping days of the year.
If you haven’t finalized your Q4 game plan yet, there’s still time. Use this Q4 Black Friday checklist to get organized and maximize sales during the busiest season of the year.
(For a week-by-week Black Friday checklist, scroll to the bottom of the article.)
Sections
1. Nail down your marketing budget
Competition spikes during Q4, and so do advertising costs. Paid search, social ads, and retargeting will all cost more during Black Friday.
Make sure you set aside a healthy budget for BFCM, and give yourself some wiggle room to scale. For example, if you normally spend $10,000 a month on ads, consider allocating two or three times that amount for November alone.
A flexible budget will let you bid more aggressively on high-intent keywords and reach shoppers when they’re most ready to buy.
2. Design your Black Friday promotion
Next, brainstorm with your team to dream up your main promotion for the Black Friday weekend. Will it be a sitewide discount, a buy-one-get-one offer, or tiered discounts based on cart size? Get specific and write out the details now, including:
- The exact percentage or dollar discount you’ll offer
- Which products or categories are included
- Whether the promotion will run for one day, the entire weekend, or into Cyber Monday
By drafting the specifics in advance, you’ll avoid scrambling at the last minute and give your creative and paid media teams time to prepare.
3. Line up your creative assets early
Once you’ve finalized your Black Friday promotion, it’s time to get your creative assets in order.
Email campaigns, social ads, product videos, and homepage banners should all be ready weeks in advance. Having a full creative toolkit ensures you can launch campaigns on schedule without last-minute stress.
Consider preparing alternate versions of ad copy and creative so you can test quickly and swap out underperformers.
4. Optimize and test your website and checkout experience
Your website needs to be fast, mobile-friendly, and ready for a surge in traffic. Run a site audit ASAP to check and improve your:
- Page load times
- Mobile layout
- Checkout flow
A clunky checkout can cost you thousands in abandoned carts, so don’t wait until the big day to test it.
5. Create a gift guide with special bundles
Shoppers are hunting for deals during Black Friday. They’re also looking for gift inspiration. Give your customers what they’re looking for — and boost your own average order value — by creating a gift guide with special bundles. Examples include:
- “For Him” or “For Her” gift sets
- Stocking stuffer bundles under $50
- Holiday starter kits with complementary products
Make these gift guides visually appealing and easy to navigate on your website. Promote them across Google Ads, email, and social so customers can see the value in buying multiple items at once.
6. Reward your existing customers
Acquiring new customers is important, but Q4 is also the perfect time to reward loyalty. Ahead of Black Friday, you can:
- Send exclusive early-access offers to your email list
- Create VIP-only discounts for repeat buyers
- Highlight referral programs that encourage word-of-mouth
During BFCM, your competition will be working hard to steal away your current customers with tempting offers. These tactics give them a reason to stay loyal instead.
7. Finalize your fulfillment plan
The best Black Friday strategy falls apart if you can’t deliver. Check your inventory levels now, confirm shipping partners, and ensure your customer service team is staffed to handle an influx of inquiries.
Clear communication about shipping timelines and cutoffs will help set expectations and reduce frustration. Make sure your shipping and return policies are easy to find on your website, and updated with shipping timelines for Christmas day.
Your week-by-week Black Friday timeline
Here’s how to structure your Black Friday prep across October and November:
Week 1 (early October)
- Develop your promotions and draft all specifics
- Audit website speed, mobile responsiveness, and checkout flow
- Order inventory and confirm fulfillment capacity
Week 2 (mid-October)
- Build holiday gift guide with bundles
- Draft creative for email, social ads, and landing pages
- Begin updating product pages with better images and videos
Week 3 (mid-October)
- Finalize marketing budget with room for last-minute changes
- Segment email lists (VIP, loyalty members, new subscribers)
- Confirm shipping deadlines and policies
Week 4 (late October)
- Finalize creative assets and ad copy
- Upload gift guides and bundles to your site
- Test coupon codes, checkout flow, and site load times
Week 5 (early November)
- Launch teaser campaigns and “coming soon” emails
- Set up retargeting ads for past visitors and abandoned carts
- Train customer support staff on promotions and FAQs
Week 6 (mid-November)
- Send early-access offers to loyal and VIP customers
- Launch countdown campaigns to build urgency
- Prepare alternate ad versions for quick swaps
Week 7 (mid-November)
- Double-check promotions in your e-commerce platform
- Review ad budgets and raise bids for key campaigns
- Publish gift guide content across social and email
Week 8 (Black Friday week)
- Launch promotions on time
- Monitor ad performance and scale up high-converting campaigns
- Share bundles and bestsellers on every channel
- Extend offers into Cyber Monday if inventory allows
Be ready for Black Friday with these Q4 planning tips
Black Friday success doesn’t happen by chance. It’s the result of careful planning and execution.
By deciding your promotions and budget early, creating gift guides, and preparing your website and fulfillment teams, you’ll be in a strong position to capture sales and delight customers this holiday season.
Too much to do, with too little time? We can help. Contact the advertising pros at Your Marketing People today.
