Black Friday and Cyber Monday may still feel months away, but for retailers, the holiday sales race begins long before customers see the first “Black Friday” post.
The weeks leading into Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) are your opportunity to build awareness, strengthen customer relationships, showcase products, and create anticipation before inboxes and social feeds become crowded with competing offers.
That is why a 90-day social media plan can make such a difference.
Instead of scrambling for content at the last minute, retailers can divide the journey into three strategic stages.
Days 90–61: Build Attention
Start by reminding customers why they follow and shop with you.
Share useful content, product education, behind-the-scenes moments, customer stories, new arrivals, and seasonal inspiration. This is also the time to grow your email and SMS audiences so you are not relying entirely on social media algorithms when BFCM arrives.
The goal is simple: build the relationship before asking for the sale.
Days 60–31: Create Desire
Now begin shifting attention toward the products and categories you want to feature during the holiday season.
Use short-form videos, gift inspiration, product demonstrations, testimonials, polls, and sneak peeks to learn what catches your audience’s attention.
Your social content can also help you understand which products customers are responding to before you commit your strongest promotional efforts.
Days 30–1: Build Urgency
As BFCM approaches, your messaging should become clearer and more focused.
Introduce countdowns, gift guides, early-access opportunities, promotional previews, product bundles, and reminders. Make sure customers know what is coming, when it begins, and why they should shop with you.
And don’t stop at Black Friday.
Your plan should carry through Cyber Monday and into the rest of the holiday season so the momentum you worked hard to build continues into December.
Plan With Data — But Speak Like a Human
At Retail Smart Guys, we believe the best social strategies combine smart technology with something technology cannot replace: genuine human understanding.
That is why our approach is:
Actual Intelligence + Artificial Intelligence = Retail Smart Guys
AI and performance data can help identify patterns, improve efficiency, and guide content decisions. Actual Intelligence brings retail experience, creativity, context, and an understanding of what makes customers connect with independent businesses.
Together, they create smarter marketing without losing the personality behind your brand.
And because we work with our clients as partners, we care about more than getting another post onto the calendar. We want your marketing to support your inventory, sales goals, and overall business strategy.
That is Planning With Heart.
Better Plans, Better People, Better Pricing
Actual Intelligence + Artificial Intelligence = Retail Smart Guys
Planning With Heart
Don’t wait until Black Friday week to start competing for attention. Use the next 90 days to build the audience, connection, and momentum that can turn holiday shoppers into long-term customers.
Get a FREE first hour of setup.
Best,
Dan Jablons
Retail Smart Guys
Cell: 818-720-2585
