Turning Panic Into Profit

Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) are make-or-break for eCommerce brands. But what if you’re late to the party? Maybe you didn’t plan elaborate automations or design a month-long campaign calendar — and now the clock is ticking.

Here’s the good news: you don’t need weeks of prep to make an impact. With the right last-minute Klaviyo campaign tactics, you can still drive serious revenue, re-engage your list, and turn procrastination into profit.

Below are 10 proven, fast-to-deploy tactics that will help you squeeze maximum performance out of Klaviyo before and during BFCM weekend.

1. Reactivate Cold Subscribers with a “Warm-Up” Email

Before blasting your list with sale emails, re-engage dormant subscribers to improve deliverability.

• Navigate to: Klaviyo → Lists & Segments → Create Segment

• Segment filter: “Has not opened email in last 90 days”

Send a quick “We’ve missed you” or “Don’t miss our biggest sale of the year” email. Include a teaser or incentive to get them clicking again.

Pro tip: Run this 3–5 days before your main BFCM send to build engagement and improve inbox placement.

2. Use Countdown Timers in Every Campaign

Scarcity sells. Adding a dynamic countdown timer to your BFCM campaigns boosts urgency and click-through rates.

• Use Klaviyo’s native dynamic blocks or embed from tools like MotionMail or Sendtric.

• Add timers to both emails and pop-ups.

Tip: Create one master campaign block with the timer and clone it across all emails for speed.

3. Optimize Your BFCM Subject Lines for Speed

You won’t have time for A/B tests this week, so rely on proven frameworks:

• FOMO angle: “It’s here. Our biggest sale of the year 🔥”

• Urgency angle: “Final hours — 40% off ends at midnight”

• Curiosity angle: “You won’t believe what’s 50% off today”

Run a split test on open rate using Klaviyo’s built-in subject line test. Even a small lift in opens can mean thousands in additional revenue.

4. Launch a Last-Minute “VIP Early Access” Flow

If you already have a VIP or repeat-customer segment, reward them with early access.

• Go to: Klaviyo → Flows → Create Flow → From Scratch

• Trigger: “When someone joins list” or “Placed Order ≥ 3 times.”

• Send an email announcing “VIP Early Access to Our BFCM Sale.”

This drives early conversions, reduces customer support strain, and creates buzz before the main event.

5. Refresh Your Abandoned Cart Flow

This one’s non-negotiable.

• Navigate to: Klaviyo → Flows → Abandoned Cart

• Review timing: First email within 1 hour, follow-up within 6–12 hours.

• Update copy: Reflect the sale with lines like “Your BFCM deal is waiting!”

Add a dynamic coupon code and a countdown block for extra urgency.

Pro tip: Add an SMS reminder for cart abandoners — conversion rates on abandoned cart texts can exceed 25% during BFCM.

6. Add an SMS-Only BFCM Flash Deal

Email inboxes are chaos during BFCM. Stand out by dropping an exclusive SMS-only offer.

• In Klaviyo: Create Campaign → SMS → Target Engaged Subscribers.

• Keep it short and punchy:

  “🚨 40% off ends in 4 hours! Tap to shop: [short link]”

SMS engagement is highest between 10 AM–2 PM local time — schedule accordingly.

7. Create a “Last Chance” Flow

The Monday after BFCM, inbox fatigue sets in — but there’s still gold in your engaged audience.

• Go to: Flows → Create Flow → From Scratch

• Trigger: “Opened BFCM Campaign but Didn’t Purchase.”

Send a single, time-limited message:

“You opened but didn’t shop — here’s 10% off for the next 12 hours.”

It’s an easy win to capture fence-sitters.

8. Add Product Blocks to Every Email

Skip design-heavy templates — Klaviyo’s product feed blocks pull live data straight from Shopify.

• In Email Editor: Add → Product Feed → “Best Sellers” or “Recently Viewed.”

This keeps your campaigns fresh and personalized with zero manual work.

9. Schedule Smart Send Times

BFCM inboxes flood fast. Your timing matters.

Data from Klaviyo benchmarks shows:

• Thanksgiving Evening (6–9 PM local): high open and conversion rates.

• Black Friday Morning (6–9 AM): prime sales window.

• Cyber Monday (8–11 AM): final surge.

Avoid sending at exact hours (like 8:00 AM). Instead, schedule at odd times (e.g., 8:13 AM) to dodge queue delays.

10. Simplify Your Pop-Ups for Speed

Don’t overthink your pop-up strategy. Launch one sitewide BFCM pop-up offering a strong incentive:

“Unlock 20% Off Your Order — Sale Ends Monday!”

Use Klaviyo’s form builder or Shopify app integration. Collect emails and SMS simultaneously with a two-step form.

Pro tip: Add a “Save My Code” button linking directly to your store — frictionless conversion.

Implementation Checklist

• Warm-up email sent to inactive list
• Abandoned cart and browse flows updated
• SMS campaign scheduled
• Pop-up collecting emails/SMS
• Countdown timers live
• VIP segment activated

These six steps alone can produce double-digit revenue lifts — even for brands flying by the seat of their pants.

Key Takeaways

Even if you’re late, Klaviyo’s automation flexibility lets you execute high-impact campaigns fast.

• Focus on urgency, segmentation, and timing — not perfection.
• Use quick wins: updated flows, countdowns, SMS, and VIP offers.
• Test once, automate twice, and monitor performance hourly through BFCM weekend.

With the right last-minute moves, you can still capture thousands in extra revenue — without overhauling your strategy.

Need help optimizing Klaviyo before your next big sale? Zettler Digital specializes in building high-performing Klaviyo automations and revenue-focused campaign strategies for Shopify brands. Get in touch today to turn your email list into your top sales channel.