Reactivating Revenue Before the Rush: The BFCM Win-Back Sequence That Turns Lapsed Customers Into Holiday Buyers

The Most Valuable Customers Are the Ones You Already Have

In the 4–6 weeks before Black Friday / Cyber Monday (BFCM), brands pour resources into acquisition—paid ads, partnerships, list-building giveaways. While new leads are important, there’s a faster, more cost-effective way to grow BFCM revenue: reactivate the customers you already paid to acquire.

At Sticky Digital, our win-back strategies consistently deliver some of the highest ROI in the pre-BFCM window. Lapsed customers know your brand, understand your products, and often just need the right nudge to return.

That’s why we created the BFCM Win-Back Email Sequence Template—a Klaviyo-ready, 3-part sequence built to re-engage inactive customers before the holiday rush.

📥 Download the Win-Back Sequence Template 📅 Get a pre-BFCM win-back audit

Why Pre-BFCM Win-Backs Work

BFCM inbox competition is brutal. If lapsed customers haven’t heard from you in months, your first reintroduction shouldn’t be buried in a generic Black Friday sale email they may never open.

  • Warms engagement early — Improves deliverability for your high-volume BFCM sends.
  • Rebuilds brand familiarity — Makes sale messaging feel relevant, not random.
  • Identifies high-intent customers — Clickers and converters can be fast-tracked into VIP early access campaigns.

Sticky Digital insight: Customers reactivated in October/early November have 2–3× higher BFCM conversion rates than those re-approached during the sale itself.

Inside the BFCM Win-Back Email Sequence Template

The template includes three fully structured emails optimized for engagement, conversion, and deliverability.

Email Purpose Core Elements
1 Reminder & Reconnection Reintroduce your brand and spark interest. Warm tone, product updates, soft CTA to browse or explore.
2 Incentive & Urgency Encourage action with value and timing. Targeted offer (discount, free ship, loyalty bonus), personalized recs, light urgency.
3 Last Chance Before BFCM Close the loop and prime for the sale. Friendly urgency, reminder of expiring offer, tease of BFCM exclusives.

Download more win-back templates here

How to Deploy for Maximum ROI

  1. Define lapsed customer criteria — For consumables, this could be 45–60 days since last purchase; for seasonal goods, 6–12 months. Use segmentation strategies to pull accurate lists.
  2. Launch 2–4 weeks before BFCM — Give time for re-engagement before sale week, ensuring they’re warm for your main sends.
  3. Tag & track engagers — Funnel clickers and buyers into priority BFCM send lists; suppress the unengaged to protect deliverability.
  4. Align with SMS — Follow up with SMS to email engagers who haven’t purchased; multi-channel reinforcement can double reactivation rates.

Case Study: 19% Reactivation Rate Pre-BFCM

A fashion client using this sequence saw:

  • 19% of lapsed customers reactivated before BFCM.
  • 42% higher BFCM campaign CTR among reactivated customers vs. general list.
  • $87K in incremental BFCM revenue from this segment alone.

Common Win-Back Mistakes (and How the Template Fixes Them)

  • Waiting until BFCM — Sequence warms engagement weeks in advance.
  • Generic offers — Template supports personalization by segment.
  • Ignoring deliverability — Gradual engagement rebuild improves inbox placement for sale sends.

Integrating Win-Backs Into Your Retention Stack

While this sequence is built for the BFCM window, it’s effective after any high-acquisition period. Pair it with:

Conclusion: Warm Your List Before the Storm

Your best BFCM revenue won’t come from cold prospects—it will come from customers you’ve already earned. The BFCM Win-Back Email Sequence Template provides the exact messaging, timing, and structure to re-engage them so your sale hits with maximum relevance and conversion power.

📥 Download Your Win-Back Sequence 🔎 Get a pre-BFCM deliverability check

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