Similar to a ‘coming soon’ page, a BFCM pre-launch page is a great way to create a hype around your discounts and deals. The page doesn’t just give you a headstart in the market but also gets you early feedback on the products you’re putting up on sale. So you know how your target customers are interacting with your BFCM sale and how many of them are really interested in making a purchase - even before the sale goes live.

But creating a BFCM pre-launch page that actually leads to turning your audience into customers, can be tricky. That’s why, as Shopify design and development experts, we put together a list of things you need to keep in mind to create a high-converting BFCM pre-launch page.

Creating a high-converting BFCM pre-launch page

1. Craft a compelling copy

The very first thing you need to ensure is there on your BFCM pre-launch page, is the copy. Use words and phrases that indicate your discounts will be available only for a limited period. Make sure you’re also letting them know that the offers you’re making are unmatched - BFCM sale shoppers tend to explore deals endlessly till they find something that suits their budget.

The goal here is to give them something to look forward to and at the same time, create a fear of missing out (FOMO) so that they subscribe or pre-book their orders.

2. Add a countdown timer

Believe it or not, online shoppers are already creating lists of products they want to purchase during the BFCM sale. They’re looking forward to making some of the biggest purchases of the year. You can further add to their excitement by adding a countdown timer to your BFCM pre-launch page.

The timer simply lets them know how much time is left for the sale to go live. It gives them time to wishlist products they want to purchase from your store and keep them ready - no one wants to miss a good deal!

3. Build your BFCM list

BFCM sale shoppers are usually price-sensitive consumers. But when it comes to making the purchase, there’s a high chance they choose to explore other deals before settling for yours. That’s why you need to ensure that every visitor converts at least into a subscriber on your pre-launch page.

You can do this in a few ways:

• Add an email popup that promises to let shoppers know of the BFCM discounts in time using apps like WooHoo

• Let them subscribe to updates on Facebook Messenger with apps like Flashchat

• Ask them to sign up to be notified on SMS with apps like Back In Stock

4. Enable creating wishlists

Remember how we told you BFCM shoppers want to stay prepared? Instead of having your consumers save links to the different products they like/ want to purchase or save them in their notes, why not let them create wishlists and make it easier for them to complete the purchase once the BFCM sale is live?

With apps like Growave, you can let shoppers collect, compare and buy more by creating their BFCM wishlists. This also gives you enough data on what the shopper is looking for to use retargeting ads to convert them during the sale.

5. Nudge social sharing

The idea of a pre-launch page is to spread the word and what better than asking your visitors and existing customers to promote it for you. So don’t forget to add social sharing buttons on your BFCM pre-launch page.

To make word-of-mouth marketing work, you could also incentivize the act of sharing your BFCM deals. Offering an additional discount or free shipping on every sign up brought in by a shopper, you could create a win-win situation.

6. Include shipping details

Shoppers are not just excited about the BFCM sale. They’re also excited about getting their hands on the orders they have placed and often look for stores that offer a shipping method/ mode that they prefer.

As per a study shared by Inc Magazine, 80% of shoppers are motivated by free shipping and 54% love stores that offer fast shipping. So if you’re offering multiple shipping modes, be sure to list them down.

7. List down your payment methods

Similar to shipping, the payment methods you offer also have a big impact on the number of sales you make during BFCM. There will be shoppers who would want to pay online, those that prefer cash on delivery and those who might seek to make payments in smaller installments.

So list down all your payment methods upfront. You could add this information below the fold of your BFCM pre-launch page.

Getting more sales from your BFCM pre-launch page

Every Shopify store is different. The only way to ensure that you convert the traffic on your BFCM pre-launch page during the sale is to leverage data. Understand what online shoppers are looking for and optimize your BFCM strategy with concrete data.

Right from the products you’re putting up on sale to the promotions, you will be making through web push notifications, email, Facebook ads and more, use data to get a competitive edge over other stores. Get your deals and discounts for BFCM discovered!

Have you created a BFCM pre-launch page yet?

About the author

Vanhishikha Bhargava is the Head of Content and Partnerships at XgenTech, a Shopify design, and development partner that helps brands take their products online and grow. You can connect with her on LinkedIn or follow her on Twitter.