BFCM Prep 101: Your October Action Plan

It’s officially game time.
October isn’t just pumpkin spice season—it’s prep season for every entrepreneur and marketer ready to make serious noise during Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM).

While most brands wait until mid-November to scramble, the pros know the truth:
your results in November depend entirely on what you do in October.

If you want to avoid last-minute chaos, sell with strategy (not desperation), and finish the year strong, this is your step-by-step October action plan.

What You’ll Learn:

Step 1: Audit Before You Act

Before you plan new campaigns, take a good look at what worked (and flopped) last year.
Pull up your numbers:

  • Which campaigns had the highest click-through or conversion rates?

  • What subject lines got the most opens?

  • Where did your traffic actually come from—email, social, or ads?

Pro Tip: Don’t reinvent the wheel. If something worked, repurpose it—but make it stronger.
Update visuals, tweak your copy, and align it with your 2025 tone and visuals.

 

Step 2: Define Your Offers (Early)

The biggest BFCM mistake? Deciding your offers too late.

Ask yourself:

  • What products or services deserve the spotlight?

  • Can you bundle offers or create limited editions to boost perceived value?

  • What can you promote that won’t devalue your brand post-holiday?

Spicy Strategy: Don’t just discount—differentiate.
Try exclusive bonuses, early access for loyal customers, or gift-with-purchase campaigns instead of blanket discounts.

 

Step 3: Prep Your Ecosystem

You can’t run a successful sale if your digital ecosystem isn’t ready.
October is your time to check:

  • Website load speed and mobile experience

  • Checkout flow and abandoned cart recovery

  • Email automations and pop-ups

  • Meta pixel, Google tags, and Shopify tracking

Your customer experience needs to feel seamless—from first click to checkout.
Because no one wants to buy from a site that crashes under pressure.

 

Step 4: Map Out Your Content + Email Calendar

Every great campaign has rhythm and timing.
Use October to create your full BFCM content calendar, including:

  • Teaser week (early hype)

  • Pre-sale launch (VIP access)

  • Main sale weekend (Friday–Monday)

  • Last call (urgency and FOMO)

Spicy Tip:
Start warming up your email list now.
Send value-driven content, behind-the-scenes updates, or sneak peeks to re-engage cold subscribers before the big push.

 

Step 5: Create the Hype Before the Sale

Visibility = credibility.
Get your audience excited before you start selling.
Use social media to:

  • Build anticipation with countdowns and BTS reels

  • Share testimonials or UGC

  • Run polls and ask followers what they want to see go on sale

If you have influencers, partners, or affiliates—get them involved early.
BFCM isn’t just a campaign, it’s a community moment when everyone’s attention is up for grabs.

 

Step 6: Plan for the Aftermath

The best brands don’t stop after Cyber Monday.
They turn BFCM buyers into long-term customers.

  • Set up post-sale nurture sequences

  • Offer loyalty perks or early access to new drops

  • Ask for reviews or referrals while the excitement is still fresh

Because the real win isn’t the sale—it’s the relationship you build after.

Final Thoughts!

October is your foundation month.
It’s not about hustling harder—it’s about strategizing smarter.
When you walk into November with your offers, systems, and content ready, you give yourself the power to scale with calm confidence instead of chaos.

Remember:

“The brands that win BFCM don’t wing it—they prepare for it.”

So grab your coffee, open your marketing calendar, and let’s get your October action plan in motion.
Because when November hits, you’ll already be three steps ahead of the competition.