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Black Friday & Cyber Monday Playbook

Guide on how to run a successful Black Friday/Cyber Monday Sale

Written by Breakthrough Team
Updated over 6 months ago

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are the biggest opportunities of the year to drive subscriptions and re-engage users. This playbook covers setup, promotion, and best practices to help you run a successful sale.

IMPORTANT: APP STORE COMPLIANCE 🚨

Apple and Google do not allow external purchase links inside mobile apps.
To stay compliant:

  • Do not post your web app or paywall link inside the app.

  • Do not link it in the community section or through push notifications.

  • You can promote your web paywall freely on your website, social media, and by email.

Your app will remain safe and compliant as long as these links stay external.

STRATEGY OVERVIEW

Focus on two main audiences:

Goal

Channel

Purpose

New user acquisition

Web paywall

Main campaign channel (email, ads, social)

Existing user reactivation

In-app

Banners or messaging (no external links)

This approach helps maximize results while driving as many users as possible to your web paywall (= less revenue to Apple/Google Play Store, more to you!)
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STEP 1: PLAN YOUR OFFER

Recommended Discounts

  • Typical range: 20%–70% off

  • Average: around 35%

  • The “stop scrolling” point: 50% off

Hero Offer: Annual Plan

  • Target 40–50% off for long-term subscribers

  • If that feels high, raise your base price by 10–15% in early November, then discount from there

    • Example: $120 → $135 → 50% off = $67.50

Optional Offers

  • Lifetime Plan: 40–50% off

  • Monthly: smaller discount or free trial extension for reactivation

Submit Early
Submit your in-app sale through the Partner Sale Request Form so the team can activate your offer on-time.

STEP 2: SET UP YOUR SALE

  1. Partners are responsible for setting up their own web paywall and ensuring the discount is correctly displayed.

    1. Log in to your Partner Portal

    2. Go to Sales & Promotions > Web Paywall Pricing

    3. Update the product price with your discounted rate

    4. Add or update your banner (for example, “50% Off Black Friday Sale”)

    5. Update your top headline with the promotion message/your landing page if configured
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    In-App Paywall Wording Updates
    When your sale goes live, update your in-app paywall copy to reflect the promotion (for example, “Black Friday Sale – Save 50%”).

    • If you have a RevenueCat paywall: Update your sale messaging directly in your RevenueCat account.

    • If you have a standard Breakthrough paywall: Update this in your Partner Portal under Setup & Customization > App Paywall.

    If you need assistance, contact partner@breakthroughapps.io

STEP 3: PROMOTE YOUR SALE

Use your Web Paywall link (found in Web Paywall > Overview) everywhere outside the app.
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Where to share:

  • Website banner or landing page

  • Social media bio link

  • Email campaigns

  • Blog or podcast mentions

  • Paid ads and social posts

STEP 4: CAMPAIGN TIMELINE

Nov 17 – Early announcement

  • Email: “Our biggest sale of the year is almost here.”

Nov 24 – Black Friday launch

  • Email: “50% Off Annual Access starts now.”

  • Update website and social links

Nov 25–27 – Sale extension

  • Follow-up email or post: “Black Friday Extended.”

Nov 28 – Cyber Monday finale

  • Final email: “Ends tonight – don’t miss 50% off Annual Access.”

After the sale

  • Thank new subscribers

  • Send a win-back email to those who didn’t purchase

STEP 5: EMAIL, SOCIAL, & PUSH COPY


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PUSH NOTIFICATIONS

Push notifications are a great way to drive awareness during your sale.
You can create and schedule these directly in your Partner Portal under Community > Push Notification.
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Important:

  • Do not link your web paywall or any external URLs in the push message.

  • Use an emoji in your message to grab attention.

  • Always click Schedule so the push sends at your chosen time rather than immediately.

Push Notification Copy Ideas

Teaser Phase (week before launch)

  • Our biggest sale of the year starts soon. Check your email for early access details. 🤩

  • Something exciting is coming. Keep an eye out for our Black Friday offer. 👀

Launch Phase (Black Friday)

  • It’s live! Our Black Friday Sale is here. Check your inbox for your exclusive discount. 🎉

  • The wait is over. Your biggest savings of the year are now available.

Final Call (Cyber Monday)

  • 🔔 Last chance to save 50%. Offer ends tonight at midnight.

  • Black Friday ends soon. Don’t miss your final hours to join at half price. ⏰

STEP 6: FINAL CHECKLIST

  • Correct pricing on web paywall

  • Works on desktop and mobile

  • Discount percentage verified

  • Coupon codes tested

  • No in-app external links

STEP 7: USE THE BFCM GPT

Access the Breakthrough BFCM GPT:
​https://chatgpt.com/g/g-6901f1d88a848191baf61ca463c68cc0-black-friday-cyber-monday-breakthrough-apps
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Use it to:

  • Generate campaign ideas

  • Write subject lines and captions

  • Create landing page copy

  • Test headlines and CTA variations

QUICK REFERENCE CHECKLIST

✓ Decide your offer (Annual Plan 40–50% off)
✓ Raise base price if needed by Nov 10
✓ Submit your sale early
✓ Update pricing and banner in Portal
✓ Verify your web paywall
✓ Prepare and schedule campaigns
✓ Launch Nov 17–28

FINAL NOTES

  • Keep your message simple and focused on value.

  • Drive all external traffic to your web paywall.

  • Use the in-app channel only for reminders and engagement (no external links).

  • Submit your sale early so our team can ensure your setup is ready on time.

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