The days are getting shorter, shopping lists are getting longer, and marketers’ hairs join autumn leaves in the deciduous tradition of falling out. That’s right, it’s November. Ecommerce gameday. And while Postscript has a cornucopia of BFCM strategy content for you to feast on, we’re zagging today with some other November holidays and strategies that can help your brand stand out in busy inboxes in a month that’s ultimately about togetherness, remembrance, and thankfulness. And sales. We can’t forget the sales.

It’s not as scary as it sounds. Allowing your subscribers to hit snooze on your SMS offers and promotions during the BFCM or holiday season is a thoughtful way to express that they mean more than just a conversion to you. Consider creating a pause-related keyword and let subscribers know they’re more than welcome to take a breather from the BFCM noise by replying with the word “snooze,” for example (see below).

You can then create a Paused Subscriber Segment that automatically includes subscribers who have triggered your keyword in their reply (see below).

For the customers who would like less marketing noise on their phones, you’ve offered a no-strings-attached way of doing so without losing them as subscribers. And for those customers who don’t mind the extra texts, you’ve made it clear that you don’t take their phone numbers for granted. Check out this resource for a more detailed tutorial on creating a ‘snooze’ campaign.

“Pets are the new children, and plants are the new pets.” We’re not sure who said that, but after spotting a border collie being pushed in a stroller last week, we can vouch. In fact, data suggests that dogs are the biggest influence driving first-home purchases among millennials in 2023, so it’s safe to say that pet texts are always going to perform. Take advantage of “National Cook for Your Pet Day” and lean into pet parenthood with some creative texts. You don’t have to sell raw dog food to take part. You could share a pet-friendly recipe, invite users to submit photos of their pets’ meals, or simply share a pic like Graza did here: 

Chances are you’ve already heard the buzz surrounding CashBack, and for good reason. CashBack is a revolutionary way to reward and retain your subscribers. On average, brands save 70% when they swap out coupons for CashBack, all while increasing their retention and acquisition rates (!).  CashBack promotions encourage customers to come back for more. Instead of a one-time deal, it creates a cycle of loyalty where shoppers return to your site to redeem their accumulated Cashback rewards. It also enables brands to offer higher incentives like NicheCanvas does here with a 30% cashback offer: 

Talk to a CashBack expert if you want to test your own promotion! 

Depending on the demographics of your list, there may not be an easier way to engage with subscribers than to stir up some team spirit. Get creative with polls, user-generated content, or sports-themed messages to tap the primal power of fandom on National Jersey Day. Frost Buddy entered the Topical Text Hall of Fame with their entry: 

Our friends at Feastables took Jersey Day to the next level by locking down some real estate on this season’s Charlotte Hornet jerseys! 

This is the one where we get to sleep in, right? Your subscribers may never be in a better mood than after waking from an extra hour of slumber. Shoot them a text in the morning and ask if their alarm went off at the right time, and follow up by saying they still have time to take advantage of a Daylight Savings offer. 

Using the time change as a reason to engage with your list reminds us of this brilliant text from Riffraff that went out moments after the Emergency Alert System obliterated everyone’s phone speakers on October 4: 

*Chef’s Kiss* 

SteelFit offered customers a ‘boost’ with a daylight savings deal on their pre-workout supplements because we all know how tough those morning gym runs are when it’s still pitch black outside. 

Today is a day to show reverence for the bravery and selflessness of all who have served in the United States Military. Whether your brand feels inclined to send a simple message of thanks for their service or run a Veteran’s Day sale, this is a great opportunity to test promotions and get a feel for your segments’ engagement levels in the weeks leading up to BFCM. 

One way to approach this holiday is to offer exclusive deals to servicemen and women. Lane Frost stacked an additional 20% discount on top of their existing promotions for those who served: 

Deep Sea Remedy appealed to gratitude with a proportionally large discount on their products: 

Cutely Covered opted to skip discount codes and offer a site-wide discount instead (Hold for applause for that image):

There are two kinds of folks: those who love hiking and those who love the idea of hiking. Encouraging your list to get outdoors, rack up some steps, and enjoy the fresh air is an excellent way to engage and build rapport. Whether you sell outdoor goods or want to share a campfire story, appealing to the hiker in everyone is an SMS no-brainer. So tell your customers to take a hike.

LuminAID didn’t mince words as they told their list to hit the trail: 

NightBuddy knew it was their moment to shine: 

Sure, it’s easy to plug products on National Take a Hike Day when you sell camping gear, but even Gozney curated a delicious list of camping recipes to stay top of mind with subscribers: 

Turkey Day and Giving Tuesday bookend the BFCM chaos with chances to slow down and focus on gratitude. This is an opportunity to simply extend a show of thanks to your subscriber list with a personal message.

 Lomi caught our eye with this pre-Thanksgiving content campaign that encouraged subscribers to reduce waste and think sustainably: 

Lotus and Luna sent this warm note to subscribers in the days leading up to Thanksgiving:  

Many subscribers may be suffering from a shopping hangover come Tuesday, so it’s important to remedy the binge-buying with more philanthropic campaigns like this one from Riffraff (the MVP of this blog!) 

November is an easy time to miss the forest for the trees when the shadow of BFCM looms large. But regularly engaging with your list is an SMS fundamental, so don’t go radio silent before the storm. Offer your subscribers a snooze button on promotional messages, and leverage campaign ideas like these to stay top of mind with your list in the days leading up to BFCM and beyond. Building relationships with your subscribers in the quieter weeks will help make you a clear and trusted voice amidst the louder ones. 

If you’re looking for BFCM-specific strategy, we have plenty of that, too! Dive into our Midnight Madness webinar series where we spoke with top ecommerce brands about SMS strategies they’re using this BFCM. And stay tuned for more content this month as we aim to equip you to have your strongest BFCM yet.