How to Beat Your Competitors this Black Friday: Early Access Offers

Hey there, it’s Patrick.

It’s a joke every single year:

”Black Friday is starting before Halloween!”

It seems like brands are trying to beat competitors to the punch when it comes to BFCM deals.

Today, I want to share a strategy we are implementing with some of our Shopify clients this year.

To understand this strategy, let’s start with the customer first.

Your customers have a limited budget that they can spend on your products.

This means that they will probably buy from you or someone else.

So how do we ensure they buy from YOU?

👉 Offer Early Access to Your VIP Customers 👈

Giving your VIPs early access to your BFCM deals builds excitement and rewards your most loyal customers, all while driving serious revenue before the official sale even starts.

And the best part? It’s easy to set up!

Here’s how to create a successful Early Access campaign for your VIPs:

Step 1: Segment Your VIPs

Start by identifying your VIP customer segment.

These are your most loyal, engaged, and valuable customers—the ones who have either purchased frequently or spent the most.

💡 In Klaviyo, you can easily create a VIP segment based on:

• Total spend over time

• Number of purchases

• Engagement with past campaigns (opens/clicks)

Make sure your segment is up to date, so you’re targeting the right customers!

Step 2: Create a Personalized Offer

Now, it’s time to create an exclusive offer for your VIPs.

Early Access gives them first dibs on your best deals, but you can also sweeten the pot with an extra discount or freebie that’s only available to them.

💡 Examples of Early Access Offers:

• 24–48-hour head start on Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals

• An extra 10-15% off on top of existing BFCM discounts

• Free gift with purchase for VIPs only

This makes your VIPs feel special and motivates them to shop early.

Step 3: Capture More VIPs with an Early Access Pop-Up

Don’t have enough VIPs? No problem! You can grow your VIP segment by adding a pop-up to your website that invites visitors to join your exclusive Early Access list.

💡 Pop-Up Example:

• Headline: “Get Early Access to Our Black Friday Deals!”

• Body: “Join our VIP list today and be the first to shop our biggest sale of the year with exclusive discounts and early access—only available to our VIPs!”

• CTA: “Join the VIP List Now”

This pop-up not only builds excitement but also helps you capture emails from visitors who are eager to get a head start on BFCM deals.

You’ll have an even larger list to target when the early access window opens.

Step 4: Send a VIP-Only Early Access Email

Once your VIPs are segmented (including those who joined via the pop-up), send a plain text or lightly designed email that speaks directly to your VIP customers.

Make sure the email feels personal and exclusive—it should be clear that this deal is for VIPs only.

💡 Key elements of your email:

• Subject line: “Exclusive VIP Early Access: Shop BFCM Deals Now!”

• Personalized intro: Address them by name and acknowledge their loyalty.

• Clear call to action: Include a prominent “Shop Now” button or link, with the offer front and center.

• Urgency: Add a countdown or emphasize that they only have 24-48 hours to shop before the general public.

Step 5: Send Reminder Emails

Don’t forget to send out a reminder email to your VIPs before the Early Access period ends. This gives them another nudge to take advantage of their special offer.

💡 Reminder email subject line ideas:

• “Don’t Miss Out: Your VIP Early Access Ends Soon!”

• “Last Chance to Shop Our BFCM Deals Before Anyone Else!”

Step 6: Leverage SMS for Extra Engagement

If your VIP segment is also subscribed to SMS updates, send a VIP-only SMS to drive even more conversions.

Texts have super high open rates and are great for urgent messaging.

💡 Example SMS:

• “Hey [Name]! You’ve got early access to our Black Friday sale! Shop now: [Link] - Ends in 24 hours!”

Bonus Tip: Highlight VIP Benefits

Make sure you’re reminding your VIPs how much they mean to your brand. Let them know this exclusive early access is your way of thanking them for their loyalty.

By following these simple steps, you can boost sales before Black Friday even starts and ensure that your VIPs feel valued, all while keeping your overall BFCM campaign running smoothly.

💡 Need help setting this up?

And if you’d like a free consultation on crafting your Early Access campaign, feel free to hit reply and let’s chat!

Talk soon,

Patrick O’Driscoll

The Visionary Group

P.S. Don’t wait—VIP early access can make a huge difference in your BFCM success. Let’s get you set up before the rush begins.