10 Ways to Market Your BFCM Loyalty Program in 2025

Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) are among the busiest shopping days of the year, with U.S. consumers spending over $10.8 billion in 2024. Many DTC brands in the U.S. struggle to retain customers, as customer acquisition costs have been steadily rising. This makes repeat purchases more valuable than ever.

Implementing a loyalty program can turn one-time buyers into lifelong customers, especially when promoted strategically during BFCM. By using the right marketing tactics, brands can increase the average order value, strengthen customer relationships, and reduce their dependence on deep discounts.

10 Ways to Market Your BFCM Loyalty Program

Here are ten proven tactics inspired by successful campaigns from leading loyalty platforms and DTC brands.

1. Offer Double or Bonus Points

Rewarding your members with double or bonus points during BFCM turns ordinary purchases into exciting opportunities. Shoppers feel like they’re earning more for the same effort, which can encourage higher spending and repeat engagement.

Here’s how to make it effective:

• Highlight time-sensitive rewards: Communicate that points are doubled only during BFCM.
• Bundle promotions with products: Focus on bestsellers or high-margin items to maximize impact.
• Show progress: Display earned points in real-time on your website or app to reinforce value.

Pro tip: Emphasize urgency. Use messaging like: “This weekend only: Earn double points on every purchase, your rewards add up faster than ever!“

2. Provide Early Access for Members

Giving loyalty members early access to BFCM deals creates exclusivity and makes them feel valued. It also reduces stress on your systems by staggering traffic and rewards your most engaged customers.

Tips for execution:

• Send VIP invitations: Use email or SMS to announce early access.
• Offer sneak peeks: Showcase select products that will be available during BFCM.
• Leverage countdowns: Display a timer to increase urgency.

Pro tip: Frame early access as a privilege: “Your VIP pass: Shop Black Friday deals 48 hours before everyone else!“

3. Create VIP Tier Perks

Top-tier members expect perks that make their loyalty feel meaningful. During BFCM, offering extra benefits like free shipping, bonus points, or exclusive gifts can encourage higher spending and deeper engagement.

Actionable strategies:

• Highlight tier benefits prominently: Make it easy for members to see what they earn.
• Offer temporary upgrades: Give mid-tier members a one-time boost to platinum level during BFCM.
• Reward milestones: Unlock extra perks when members hit spending targets.

Pro tip: VIP perks work best when they feel exclusive and aspirational, not generic.

4. Run Referral Reward Boosts

Referral programs thrive during BFCM when friends and family are shopping together. Temporarily increasing referral rewards encourages loyal members to bring in new buyers, amplifying both reach and revenue.

Implementation ideas:

• Boost points or cash rewards: Make BFCM referrals more enticing than usual.
• Create shareable content: Provide pre-made social posts or email templates for members to share.
• Celebrate referrers: Highlight top referrers in your community to motivate participation.

Pro tip: Referral boosts work best when paired with early access or bonus points to make the reward feel more valuable.

5. Introduce Gamified Earning Challenges

Gamification adds excitement to earning rewards. Customers are more likely to engage when they can track progress, unlock badges, and compete with themselves or others.

Ways to gamify loyalty during BFCM:

• Purchase milestones: Reward members for completing a set number of purchases
• *Challenges with tiers: Offer bonus points for completing multiple BFCM tasks, like buying specific categories.
• Visual progress trackers: Show how close members are to unlocking rewards.

Pro tip: Keep challenges simple and achievable to ensure maximum participation.

6. Offer Gift-With-Purchase Incentives

Adding a gift with purchase during BFCM can drive both conversions and AOV. Members perceive more value, which reinforces the benefits of being in your loyalty program.

How to maximize impact:

• Choose relevant gifts: Tie items to purchase behavior or seasonal trends.
• Set minimum spend thresholds: Encourage larger orders to qualify for the gift.
• Highlight exclusivity: Offer the gift only to loyalty members.

Pro tip: Display the gift visually on product pages to reinforce desirability.

7. Launch Email and SMS Loyalty Flows

Targeted messaging keeps your loyalty program top-of-mind and guides members toward BFCM offers. Personalized emails and SMS campaigns can communicate points, rewards, and exclusive deals efficiently.

Execution tips:

• Segment by engagement level: Send different messages to VIPs, active members, and dormant members.
• Include clear CTAs: Encourage redemption or participation.
• Use urgency triggers: Highlight limited-time points boosts or exclusive offers.

Pro tip: Keep messages concise and visually clear, BFCM inboxes are crowded.

8. Promote Through On-Site Banners and Widgets

Website banners and loyalty widgets can nudge shoppers toward engagement during BFCM. They act as constant reminders of the value your program offers.

Ways to implement:

• Highlight points multipliers: Show shoppers exactly how much they can earn.
• Use exit-intent popups: Capture attention before visitors leave.
• Integrate on product pages: Display points or rewards alongside key items.

Pro tip: Keep banners visually consistent with your brand and avoid overwhelming the page.

9. Leverage Social Proof and UGC

Customer-generated content and testimonials build trust and show real-life value. During BFCM, shoppers are skeptical of ads, but peer recommendations carry weight.

How to showcase loyalty in action:

• Share reward redemption stories: Post images of customers using their points.
• Encourage reviews: Highlight reviews from top-tier members or frequent shoppers.
• Feature community content: Repost photos from social media with hashtags tied to your program.

Pro tip: Authenticity beats reach. Highlight real members using real rewards for maximum impact.

10. Re-engage Post-Purchase Customers

BFCM purchases are just the beginning. Post-purchase engagement encourages members to redeem points, review products, or make repeat purchases, strengthening long-term loyalty.

Effective tactics:

• Send points reminders: Notify members of points earned and redemption options.
• Upsell complementary products: Suggest items based on BFCM purchase behavior.
• Offer early-bird previews: Encourage continued engagement for upcoming holiday promotions.

Pro tip: Timing is key, reach out while the purchase experience is still fresh to maximize impact.

Conclusion

Marketing your loyalty program during BFCM isn’t just about offering rewards, it’s about creating a memorable experience that drives engagement, repeat purchases, and long-term loyalty. By combining early access, gamification, VIP perks, referral boosts, and post-purchase engagement, DTC brands can maximize the value of their loyalty programs.

Loyalty programs like those offered by 99minds help brands implement these strategies efficiently, making it easier to reward customers and encourage repeat business without over-discounting. Planning ahead and promoting thoughtfully is key to standing out in a crowded BFCM marketplace.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)