Dose #175: Quick BFCM Tips for Subscription Brands

Matt here with your weekly Subscription Prescription 💊

There are a million BFCM guides and tips coming out now, so I’m keeping things simple. Every year, I get asked about how to structure offers to win new subscribers without losing old ones, how to prevent big churn after big sales, and what’s important to prep for Q1 next year. That’s what we cover in this dose!

This week’s dose is also a full podcast episode. Listen in on your favorite platform:

🎯 The BFCM Playbook for Subscription Brands

Black-Friday-Cyber-Monday (BFCM) is loud. Every inbox is packed with offers, guides, and playbooks. The tricky part for subscription brands is balancing how to keep existing subscribers happy while acquiring new ones. It can feel impossible, but it’s definitely doable.

Here’s what you should be thinking about with BFCM right around the corner.

1. Your biggest churn risk is your best offer

It’s tempting to put your boldest offer front and center. 50% off sitewide. First two orders free. And for one-time buyers, that might work.

But in subscriptions, those same offers often create friction with your existing subscribers. If you’re giving new customers a deeper discount than what your subscribers already receive, don’t be surprised when they cancel to grab the better deal.

Instead, you should plan offers that reward subscribers directly—like exclusive bundles, add-on deals, or early access. For example, you might give new subscribers 50% off their first order, while offering existing subscribers a three-month bundle that saves them 60% on their current subscription rate.

The key is to make subscribers feel like they’re winning too. I like to create an offer designed to drive more revenue from existing subscribers, while anyone new should see something truly compelling to try out your product.

2. Discounted subscribers churn faster - unless you onboard well

BFCM brings in a different kind of customer. Many are buying impulsively, as gifts, or just to try something new. That means they’re not always the most committed group.

If you’re going to acquire with discounts, you need to retain with education. Your onboarding flow should help subscribers use the product quickly, integrate it into their routine, and see results early. This might mean more emails up front, or even something like a postcard to prompt usage.

Remember to keep that momentum going into their second month. Add engagement emails before renewal. Show how others are using the product. Remind them why they signed up.

3. Update your cancellation flows and billing reminders now

You don’t want to wait until churn spikes to adjust your cancellation flows. Build in options to redirect people who are leaving for a better offer - like giving them a one-time code to match what’s on your site. For example, if you’re offering 50% off for BFCM, make sure your cancellation flow reflects that same incentive.

The billing reminder is your last shot to reinforce value. Don’t just notify them that an order is coming. Remind them what makes your product worth it. That could be social proof, benefits they may have forgotten, or subscriber-only access to something special.

It doesn’t take much to shore up your retention, and it can mean a ton of saved revenue in the future.

This time of year can be a roller coaster. You're trying to drive growth, but also worried about the wave of churn that might follow. Smart offers, better onboarding, and proactive messaging are what will separate short-term cash grabs from long-term growth.

Let me know if you’re testing anything unique this year - I’d love to hear about it.

Until next Tuesday, that’s your Subscription Prescription. 💊

 - Matt Holman 🩺

The Subscription Doc