I've just put the finishing touches on a Black Friday email campaign.
The end of this week is my deadline, and it's been a tough old slog to get there—not the writing, or the strategy, or the ideas—they have been the fun part.
The slog is just actually getting it done. Writing the copy. Putting it into Klaviyo. Setting up the list of who to send it to—and who to exclude.
Creating the coupon codes. Writing the product URLs to automatically apply the coupon code.
The testing.
The never-ending testing.
But it's almost done with time to spare.
But Stuart, Black Friday is a few weeks away! Does your client have a crazy-long approval process? Multiple layers of sign-off and compliance checks by well-heeled legal teams?
No.
Not this one—in fact, this client is one of the easiest clients to work with. They take my advice, love what I write, and pretty much give me free rein on strategy.
They even give me what I need from them when I ask for it.
A dream client, you might say!
No, my deadline is of my own making.
Well—it's actually my other half's making.
You see, he works for a US company, and as such, the work slows down for Thanksgiving, so it's easier for him to take time off.
(Perversely, as an eCom Email Strategist, just as mine takes off!)
But—the holiday is sorely needed.
It's been a bit of a tough time of late due to illness in the family, growing my business while getting into the groove of self-employment and managing competing client and personnel deadlines.
Don't get me wrong—stepping away from full-time employment remains the best (and scariest) thing I ever did. I loved my old job, and it taught me so many valuable lessons I put into practice in my business, but working for yourself is just so much fun!
Take the #BFCM campaign—over the course of eight emails, the strategy I've developed promotes five different products and some multiple times.
In the midst of that, we're also launching a new product and clearing the decks of an old line that's taking up warehouse space that's sorely needed.
Now that might sound like an absolute hard sell on the face of it, but it's actually not.
It focuses on how to use the product we're selling. Positioning it as a great idea for a gift for Christmas, but also as a gift to yourself (because you deserve it, right?!).
And ultimately, it's a product that people enjoy using.
And who doesn't want to be reminded of having fun eight separate times?
So while I'm travelling around the Florida Keys with the laptop turned off, the emails will send out, and the results of my work will become clear.
And I'll find out when I'm back.
All jet-lagged and sunburnt.
(Maybe).