Prepping Your Business for BFCM Campaigns in Under 30 Days

The 30-Day BFCM Playbook: Dominate Black Friday in 2025

Black Friday used to be easy money.

People wanted to buy. All you needed to do was slap a discount on your product, and they bought.

But now?

A discount alone doesn’t cut it.

Because everyone's doing it. It's turned into the most competitive, chaotic marketing moment of the year.

Open your inbox right now and you’ll see brands launching "early Black Friday access" in October. 

They think they’re being strategic. But you know the truth, they're panicking. Trying to grab wallet share before everyone else floods the zone.

Here’s why…

Customers have a finite amount of money to spend. Every brand is fighting for the same slice of pie. 

The ones screaming "SALE! SALE! SALE!" the loudest? 

They don't look confident. They look desperate. And desperate brands lose Black Friday.

You’re not one of them, so you have a choice…

Join the race to the bottom, discounting earlier, deeper, louder, and hope you don't get drowned out by the noise.

Or...

Show up differently…

Build anticipation strategically, create content that actually stops the scroll, and make people want to buy from you. Not because you're 40% off, but because you've spent 30 days earning their attention and trust.

One approach makes you look desperate. The other makes you look like a brand that is giving them a once-a-year opportunity.

Here's how to do the latter in exactly 30 days…

Week #1: Build the Black Friday hype (days 1-7)

In week #1, your Goal is to create anticipation and make people feel like insiders

This isn't the week you talk about discounts.

This is the week you make people curious about what's coming. You want them leaning forward, not scrolling past.

Your strategy should be more along the lines of "you're going to want to be here for this."
You can tease your audience about an upcoming discount, but you shouldn’t dive into the specifics. 

Why week 1 actually matters

Most businesses think Black Friday starts on Black Friday.

Wrong!!

By the time BFCM weekend hits, your potential customers have already made their mental shopping lists. They've already decided which brands they're watching.

If you're not on that list by Week 3, you're invisible.

Week 1 is where you earn your spot. The brands that dominate BFCM aren't the ones screaming loudest during the sale, they're the ones people were already excited to hear from.

Build the anticipation now, or fight for scraps later.

What to create

VIP early access invitations: Create wait lists and announce everywhere that the first people to know about your ‘secret sale’ will be those on your list. 

Deal preview announcements: Tease what's going to be on sale without revealing the discount yet. Use a hook like "Our best-selling product will be included...".

Brand story reminders: Why does your BFCM sale matter? What makes your products worth waiting for? Remind them before you start selling.

Want to be certain that people won’t ignore your week #1 hype? Here’s a list of BFCM presets for you.

Just click one and upload your product photos & logo to conjure a branded, attention-grabbing.

Where to post

• Instagram Stories/Reels: Daily posts with countdown stickers.

• TikTok: 3–4 teaser videos throughout the week.

• Email: VIP list building with embedded video.

• SMS: Short video links that work on mobile.

Content frequency

Publish 3 to 4 times across all channels. Be as aggressive as possible. 

Example

Here’s an Instagram Reel from Coco Moon Hawai

They ask you to comment on the video to sign up for the early access list. They’re using the early access strategy I mentioned above. 

Here’s another one from Larq asking you to sign up through the link to get exclusive Black Friday deals. 

Creating videos like the above are a piece of cake with our Black Friday UGC ad presets. 

You can create an AI Twin of the Founder and place them in the ad talking about the sale. 

Week #2: Warm up your audience (days 8-14)

In week 2, your Goal is to showcase value before you ever mention price or discount rate.
Sometimes brands get impatient and just start the sale.

Don't do that.

Right now, your job is to make people want your product at full price. The discount should feel like a bonus, not the only reason to buy.

Why this week matters more than you think

Most people scrolling during BFCM weekend are seeing your brand for the first time.

They have no idea who you are. They don't trust you yet. And you're asking them to pull out their credit card based on a discount?

That's not enough.

But the people who've been watching your content for two weeks? They already know what you sell, why it's good, and how it solves their problem.

So, when your sale drops, they're finally pulling the trigger on something they already want. And not losing time thinking whether you are a legit brand. 

Get this right, and this one-time buyer will become a repeat customer.

What to create

Product demo videos (30-60 seconds): Create videos that show your product in action. These could be demos from your company or influencers. 

Customer testimonial compilations: String together 3-4 quick testimonials that hit different pain points. Videos that go like "I was struggling with X, then I found this..." do really well!! You can also get influencers to announce your sale. Don’t have the time to get video testimonials from actual customers? Use AI UGC to create authentic testimonials.

Problem/solution explainers: Take the most common objection or question you get and answer it in video format by creating explainer videos. Make it so clear that when BFCM hits, there's nothing left to think about except "add to cart."

Where to post

• YouTube: Longer 60–90 second explainers that give real depth.

• Instagram/TikTok: Quick 30-second product showcases (publish multiple per day).

• Facebook: Retarget people who engaged with Week 1 content.

Content frequency

2-3 hero videos (your main messages) + 5-7 product-specific variations (different angles, different hooks). These need to be daily feed posts + stories.

Example

A great example is this Instagram post where an influencer announces on week #2 that the Gymshark Black Friday sale will go live a week later.

You can create videos significantly more creative than this with invideo. 

Like with this video of a man holding a board in a public setting. 

Week #3: Go viral (days 15-21)

Your week 3 goal is to reach and engage more people than your immediate audience. 

Your marketing activity in Weeks 1 and 2 will prepare your existing audience. You get this right first because it’s a safe bet. An audience that trusts you is more likely to buy from you again. 

Now it's time to flood the zone, go viral, and reach people who've never heard of you.

Why week 3 actually matters

If you executed Weeks 1 and 2 properly, you already have a warm audience ready to buy.

Your VIP list is built, your followers know what's coming, and your email subscribers are waiting for the sale to drop.

That audience alone will generate solid sales.

But Week 3? Week 3 is where you double it.

Going viral is all about volume and velocity. The more hooks you test, the more trends you jump on, the more content you flood the zone with, the higher your chances of one video breaking through.

And when that one video hits? It introduces your brand to thousands of people who've never heard of you.

Suddenly, you're not just selling to your existing audience. You're selling to their audiences, their friends, and the algorithm's "people like you" recommendations.

That's the difference between a good BFCM and a record-breaking one.

What to create

Hook-driven videos: Get creative and make videos that break the pattern and experiment with bold hooks.

Trend-aligned content: What's blowing up on TikTok right now? What audio is everyone using? Jump on it. Make it about your product and ride the wave while it's still building.

Entertaining + educational hybrids: People don't want another boring product demo. They want to learn something while being entertained. 

Shareable, meme-style content: If your audience laughs, they'll tag their friends. If they tag their friends, you've just accessed an entirely new network..

Where to post

• TikTok: This is your primary channel for Week 3. It loves high-volume testing.

• Instagram Reels: Secondary. Same content, slightly different optimization.

• YouTube Shorts: Shorts are more likely to go viral than long videos.

• Twitter/X with video: Especially if your audience skews professional or tech-savvy.

Content frequency

Start with 3-5 new videos daily, then create multiple variations of whatever starts working

If something gets early traction by noon, create 3 more versions with different hooks by the end of the day.

Week 4: The blitz (days 22-30 + BFCM weekend)

Your Goal in week 4 is to announce and push the sale with strategic urgency.

Everything you built in Weeks 1-3 comes down to this.

Week 4 isn't about being clever or creative anymore. It's about being everywhere, all at once, with one clear message: "Buy now or miss out."

Why week 4 actually matters

Most brands treat Black Friday like a light switch. They flip it on Friday morning and hope for the best.
But here's what actually happens…

People don't just wake up on Black Friday ready to buy. They've been watching deals all week, comparing, adding things to carts, removing them, and waiting for the right moment to pull the trigger.

Your job in Week 4 is to create that moment.

Every flash sale with a countdown timer gives them a reason to buy right now instead of "later."

The brands that post once on Friday and disappear? They lose to brands that show up every single hour with a new reason to take action.

Week 4 separates the brands that planned ahead from the brands that panic-posted a story at 9 AM on Friday.

You've spent 3 weeks building trust and desire, don’t let it all fall apart in week 4.

What to create

Countdown timers: Place countdown timers like "24 hours left," "12 hours until it's gone," "Final 60 minutes," in emails and in videos.

Time-based urgency works because it's real. This sale actually ends. 

Flash sale announcements: Drop surprise deals throughout the weekend with hooks like "For the next 3 hours only, this product is an extra 20% off."

It rewards people for paying attention and creates FOMO for everyone else.

Scarcity updates Share updates like "Only 12 units left" and "We just restocked and they're already half gone."

These need to be real inventory updates, not fake scarcity. 

Last chance reminders: Share as many last chance reminders as possible, especially in the last hour. 

Don’t be afraid to be annoying. This is the one week where being annoying is forgiven because people actually want the reminders.

Where to post

• ALL platforms simultaneously: Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter — every single one.

• Paid ads: Retarget everyone who engaged with Weeks 1–3 content.

• Email: Send 2–3 times daily during peak days (Friday–Monday).

• SMS: Hourly updates during the final 24-hour push.

• Website popups: Video popups announcing flash sales and countdown timers.

Content frequency

• Hourly story updates across Instagram and Facebook.

• 5–10 feed posts daily during peak days (Thursday–Monday).

• Real-time responses based on inventory and performance.

If a product sells out, announce it immediately, and if you restock, announce that too. Treat your social channels like a live news feed.

Example

Here’s a sale announcement video from Gymshark’s founder. He walks around his office showing how his team is preparing for the sale…

 

Here’s another one from RS Sunglasses announcing that there’s only one hour left to buy…

Our New York Times Square style announcement preset might be the best option for this…

It adds social proof to your announcement and can make it more dramatic.

Are you going all in on BFCM or sitting it out?

BFCM 2025 isn't a casual marketing opportunity anymore.

It's a full-contact sport where half the brands on the field have been training for months, and the other half showed up hoping their 20% off announcement would be enough.

Guess which ones go home with revenue?

If you're going to compete, you need to commit to all 30 days. Week 1 through Week 5. 

Because showing up inconsistently is worse than not showing up at all.

Post a teaser in Week 1, then go silent for 10 days? You look disorganized. 

Drop one product video in Week 2, then disappear? You look like you gave up. 

Start strong, then fade during the actual sale weekend? You look unprepared.

That's a brand customers forget.

So here's your choice…

Execute this 30-day strategy properly, or sit this year out and plan better for next time.

There's no shame in skipping BFCM if you're not ready. There's plenty of shame in fumbling it publicly.

The good news? 

You don't need a production team or an agency budget to go all in anymore. AI video tools like invideo let you create a month of professional content in a weekend. 

The speed, the consistency, the premium look that used to require $50k? 

Now it requires a prompt and 30 minutes.

The brands that dominate BFCM 2025 won't be the ones with the biggest teams. They'll be the ones who adopted AI, moved fastest, and showed up most consistently.

Are you one of them?

Still not sure which Ads will work best for your business?

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• Similarly, if you are running a Health & Wellness brand - these Black Friday Ad strategies are designed just for you.
• Want to combat Black Friday ad fatigue? - check this playbook for a refreshed approach with AI
• Get the best out from Invideo by using these prompting techniques and kick-start your BFCM marketing campaign