Black Friday Prep Checklist for Independent Brands

BFCM can represent 20-30% of annual revenue for some brands. Success requires preparation weeks in advance.

6 Weeks Out: Strategy

Define Your Offer

• What discount structure?
• Site-wide or specific products?
• Doorbuster items?
• Exclusive bundles?

Set Goals

• Revenue target
• New customer acquisition goal
• Email list growth target

Inventory Check

• Do you have enough stock?
• Order NOW if needed
• Plan for stockouts

4 Weeks Out: Technical Prep

Website

• Speed test and optimize
• Mobile experience check
• Checkout flow test
• Sale pricing configured

Email

• Segment lists
• Draft email sequence
• Schedule everything

2 Weeks Out: Content

• Email copy finalized
• Social media posts scheduled
• Banner images for website
• Ad creative approved

Week Of: Final Checks

• Final inventory count
• Customer service coverage scheduled
• Preview email to VIPs
• Monitor everything in real-time

Post-BFCM

• Send thank you emails
• Analyze what worked
• Fulfill orders FAST
• Plan retention campaigns for new customers