📦 - Maximize BFCM Conversions with This Checkout Flow Test

BFCM Checklist, Shiny New Creatives, BFCM Ad Tips, Watch The World Shop, ‘Twas The Night Before… Thursday, November 23, 2023 'Twas the night before Black Friday, at every DTC site, Owners and marketers prepared for the long night; Their Meta ads were tweaked with utmost care, Hoping that bountiful sales would soon flare… For the rest of our Night Before BF poem, read to the end, but here’s what we’re stuffing your stockings with today… - Here’s a foolproof way to make sure you don’t lose out on BFCM conversions. (Last Minute BFCM Checklist) More on this later (keep calm and scroll on) 👇 - Kim Kardashian’s private equity firm invests in TRUFF, the premium truffle-based hot sauce startup 🌶️ - Want to watch how the world is shopping on Black Friday? Thanks to Shopify, now you can! We’ve got more BFCM tips below and…we just wanted to say, without getting all choked up, we are truly thankful for all our 160,000 readers. Thanks for hitting that subscribe button and following along 🫶 Let’s dive in: 👇 👋 Creatives so killer they’ll be on your competitors 2024 vision board Hey DTC readers, It’s Rebecca! I’ve written to you hundreds of times, but very rarely get the chance to chat directly with you. So hi, I hope you’re having a good day! 😊 Like most of you, I spend a lot of time scrolling through brand websites, ad libraries, and socials… BUT, the coolest creatives I get to see come from the team at Pilothouse Studios. The Studios team is running a very limited-time offer, until December 1st or spots are filled, for [a package of their best, tried and true creatives to help you reach your Q4 goals]( (and beyond). How does this benefit you? - You get killer creatives with a 7-day turnaround time to get you through the holiday time crunch. ✅ - You get four proven top-performing static ad images and one creator generated content video (no substitutions). ✅ - You get a 40% discount compared to standard pricing. ✅ There’s only 5 spots left, don’t miss your chance to grab one! [Click To Get In Touch]( ARE YOU READY? 👀 How to test your BFCM checkout flow Is purchasing from your own ecommerce site part of your BFCM checklist? If it’s not, then it should be. [We were inspired by this tweet]( to send out a gentle reminder that testing is crucial. Brands that don’t thoroughly test for site and add-to-cart functionality run the risk of dealing with many headaches once BFCM promotions go live. Here’s how to make sure your checkout flow is working properly so you don’t miss out on those conversions: - Test different website browsers like Safari and Chrome on desktop and mobile - Go into incognito mode in your web browser - Get out your credit card From here it’s time to play the role of an anonymous buyer. 🧑 💻 Scenario #1: Shop like a returning customer - Enter your Meta ad URL to test your landing page - Visit landing page and make a purchase 🤔 Scenario #2: Shop like a new customer - Google your brand name and your products - Your site should be high up in organic search (but if it’s not invest in some Google Ads so your website is at the top of the fold.) - Enter your homepage and make a purchase During your buyer roleplay, inspect all elements on the page. We mean it. Every last one. Go click crazy. 🔍 ✅ BFCM inspection checklist: - Click on all of your banners and ads - Pop ups are triggering properly and not all at once - Lead generation forms are submitting properly and synced - Your BFCM discount code is applying correctly - After purchasing, you receive a timely order confirmation email - It’s easy to spot ways to contact customer support on your site and email - Buyers get entered into a post-purchase flow and can be retargeted for future promos. What your customers will be saying: whoa, your customer checkout flow looks flawless! (I mean, probably not, but you’ll notice less bounce backs and more conversions). 📈 If you used our BFCM prep guide, let us know on Twitter @DTCNewsletter SPONSOR DTC 📥 Promote your product to 160,000 digital marketing professionals DTC Newsletter + Podcast reaches a highly qualified audience of Shopify merchants, eCommerce founders, and digital marketers. [Talk to our team to learn more](. ⚡ BFCM AD TIPS Advice from our [Pilothouse ad experts](: 🕝 If you are running Meta ads… take a peek at the hourly breakdown to see spend by hour. This will give you a good idea of what time in the day is best to increase budgets or pull back. ⛔ Beware of scam emails. Hackers use BFCM as an opportunity to cash in on unsuspecting buyers so always look at the sender’s email to see if it’s legit and don’t click or download the contents. 🌐 IN THE SOCIAL SPHERE The countdown is on. Shopify [releases a new landing page with a Black Friday countdown timer]( to hype up the biggest shopping day of the year. ⚡ QUICK HITS 🎉 Get your website ready to sleigh BFCM sales! Klaviyo's research report shows that customers are 2.25x more likely to favor online shopping.[Download the report to learn more about 2023 consumer habits](. * 👻 Snapchat tests out an ad free monthly subscription for $16/month following X and TikTok’s move to a [premium ad-free tier for users](. 📕 Check out the [Retail Inspiration Guide]( — A collection of 30+ customizable marketing campaigns to help DTC retail and ecommerce brands better activate, monetize, and retain customers.* 7️⃣ Instagram explores leaving IG Stories up for 7 days instead of 24 hours called ‘[My Week](’. 🛁 Lush rebels against Big Tech with its new bath bomb [Black Friday campaign](. ‘TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE BLACK FRIDAY Twas the night before Black Friday, at every DTC site, Owners and marketers prepared for the long night; Their Meta ads were tweaked with utmost care, Hoping that bountiful sales soon would flare. First, they set their bid caps, not too high, not too low, To control the spend and let ROI grow; "Keep budgets in check," they said with a tap, "To prevent overspending on every ad wrap." Then onto their budgets, they took a keen look, Raising them cautiously, by hook or by crook; For cash flow was king in this ecommerce game, Ensuring enough funds, their success to claim. Next, they reviewed promotions, so carefully laid, Ensuring their strategies were perfectly played; Each discount, each offer, so meticulously planned, To entice and delight every shopper at hand. "Our creatives must sparkle, our copy must sing, To capture the hearts and the clicks they will bring; Our targeting's precise, our messaging clear, To draw in the crowds and spread holiday cheer." With everything set, they exhaled in the night, Their campaigns were ready, every detail just right; As midnight approached, they awaited the day, Ready for Black Friday's ecommerce ballet. And then, in a twinkling, the sales started to ring, Orders and profits made their hearts sing; For each ad they had crafted, each bid they had set, Was bringing in returns, the best season yet! As dawn broke the sky, they smiled with pride, Their efforts had paid off, wide and far-reaching and wide; Their Black Friday success, a tale to recount, Thanks to their strategies, in just the right amount. So here's to the marketers, with their skills so bright, Happy sales to all, and to all a good-night! 👀 BANTER This guy 🤝 marketers Have you heard our latest podcasts? - 🤝 [What Leading DTC Subscription Brands All Have in Common]( w/ Anatta + Recharge - 🤑 [CRO to Sell More Stuff](with Nik Sharma and Brett Turner. - 👀 [AKNF 352](: The Incredible Upside of Amazon Ads with Rob and Clifford from Pilothouse Amazon. - 🎈 [CPG and the Art of Starting Small]( with Juliana Casale from Balloon Don’t forget to [rate the DTC Podcast]( on Apple (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) Got an awesome DTC brand story to tell? Calling all brand-side founders and team leaders! Fancy joining us on the DTC Podcast as a guest? [Tap the link to toss in your application](. DTC Newsletter is written by [Rebecca Knight](, [Frances Du](, and [Michael Venditti](. Edited by [Eric Dyck](. Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up [here](. NEED MORE DTC? 🚀 [Advertise]( in DTC Newsletter. Please note that items in this newsletter marked with * contain sponsored content. [Direct To Consumer]( Pilothouse, 1011 Government St., Victoria, BC V8W 1X6, Canada [Advertise with DTC]( | [Work With Pilothouse]( [Preferences]( | [Unsubscribe](