Commerce Chronicles 013

The Four Peaks Strategy and How to Leverage It For Q3/Q4

If there’s one e-commerce strategy team to look to for the best BFCM strategy, it’s the folks at CTC. They just dropped another great resource, this time an interview, where they spoke with their COO Orchid to discuss “How to Build a Q3/Q4 Revenue Peak.” I’ve summarized it for us below.

As always, I recommend the full watch, but here’s the CliffNotes:

1. Embrace Novelty

In a world where consumers are constantly seeking something new, bring a touch of novelty to your promotions. You don’t always have to offer the deepest discount. Sometimes you can structure your deals in a creative way like certain bundle discounts, offer tiering, etc.

2. Community Engagement is Key

Let your customers know what’s coming and structure your communication strategy accordingly. Bring them value.

3. Be Agile and Responsive

Some folks (looking at you Nate Poulin) like to track their BFCM performance on a per-minute or hourly basis. This lets teams stay agile and respond to how promos are performing.

4. Optimize Your Q4 Strategy

Break down the fourth quarter into mini peaks and strategize for each phase meticulously. Develop a cohesive plan that encompasses offer strategy, retention strategy, media strategy, and creative strategy to maximize opportunities.

5. Experiment with Different Offer Types

Don't shy away from experimenting with different types of offers, especially during the days surrounding Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Try out mystery bundles or gift bundlers to gauge customer response and adapt accordingly.

6. Utilize Coupons Wisely

Consider offering coupons for future purchases instead of gift cards. This strategy not only encourages repeat business but also avoids creating a financial liability for your company, fostering a continuous dialogue with your customers.

7. Do The Math

Before rolling out any offer, do the math. See our past post about Contribution Margin. Analyze whether the customer acquisition cost (CAC) aligns with the potential revenue. Be prepared to adapt based on the insights gained from your analysis.

With that, let’s get into the screengrabs! Got some fun ones for you.

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