A few weeks ago, my colleague Whitney and I ran a survey to learn how influencer marketers plan and run Black Friday campaigns – arguably the biggest event on a marketer’s calendar.

Before we run any survey, we usually have a sense of what we’ll hear. So I wasn’t surprised to see how many messy feelings Q4 brings up: anxiety, fear, exhaustion, and pure overwhelm.

It makes sense. In ecommerce, targets are sky-high during BFCM (Black Friday Cyber Monday) and the holiday period.

What did surprise me was that a handful of marketers were genuinely upbeat. “It’s exciting!” “It’s awesome!”

I’m sorry - what?

What did those marketers have in common? They were early planners.

Now, this isn’t some peer-reviewed, statistically significant finding. But it tracks. The earlier you start planning for BFCM, the better off you’ll be. The later you start, the harder everything gets.

We started calling it the Black Friday Chaos Tax. And like any tax, the longer you wait, the more you’ll pay.

So what’s actually in the Chaos Tax? What does late planning cost you?

Cost #1: Fewer options

92% of marketers said they failed to book at least one creator they wanted. 

Why? The creator was either too expensive, locked into an exclusivity deal, or already booked. 

It’s especially frustrating when you’ve already built a relationship. You know the creator’s a great fit, their content performs, and you’re too late.

Here’s what the early birds look like: 26% of marketers start planning BFCM in July or earlier. Another 35% get going in August. That means if you’re starting in September or later, 61% of brands have probably reached out and contracted creators you may want.

Long story short, lock in your favorite creators now. Start reaching out this week. The earlier you move, the less Chaos Tax you’ll pay in November.

Cost #2: Actual money

The other obvious pain point is budget. When demand goes up, so do prices.

Even in a normal month, finding creators who fit your budget, brand, and campaign goals takes work. But once BFCM season kicks off, the pool gets even smaller, and it gets harder.

71% of marketers told us the main reason they couldn’t work with a creator was that their fee was too high.

So how do you avoid that hit?

Option one: Start recruiting earlier.

Option two: Choose creators based on storyfit, not category.

Storyfit means finding creators who can tell your brand’s story in a way that feels personal to them and resonant to their audience, even if they’re not the “obvious” choice.

More often than not, when you’re finding creators using storyfit, you’re more likely to find more affordable creators.

If you want more on how it works, I broke it down in a previous issue, Whitney shared how to vet storyfit creators here, and Jessica Mann shared examples in our recent webinar.

Cost #3: Exhaustion

Late planning doesn’t just cost money. It costs hours. On average, influencer marketers worked 7.5 extra hours per week during BFCM campaigns.

That’s nearly an extra workday every week spent chasing posts, sending emails, and tracking deliverables. What you think is going to be a sprint for one week in November turns into weeks of overtime.

And when you’re running on fumes, mistakes start showing up. You send the wrong product. You misplace a contract. You’re refreshing Instagram at midnight, wondering why a post isn’t live.

Now, I don’t think this part of the Chaos Tax is entirely avoidable. But you can make your life easier if you:

1. Start earlier (yes, again — it really is the “hack”).
   

2. Use tools that help you manage the workload. That might mean spreadsheets and trackers, or it might mean something like Modash. (Hint: Modash will automatically collect all your Black Friday content so you don’t have to.)

Cost #4: Streeeessss

Finally, there’s the emotional cost. 

Over 70% of marketers said the intense pressure to succeed was their top stressor. Another 30% rated their overwhelm at a 4 or 5 out of 5 — aka “chaos” and “waking up in a cold sweat.”

There was one standout group, though: around 13% of marketers told us they slept fine and felt fully in control.

And surprise surprise… they were the early planners.

I feel like a broken record saying this again, but here we are: start planning your Black Friday campaign today.

You don’t need a 10-tab spreadsheet. Just a few clear decisions this week can change how your November feels.

How did you feel during your Black Friday campaigns last year?

Did you pay the Chaos Tax?

Hit reply and tell me your stories. I read everyone.

Eleni Zoe xx
Brand @ Modash. Say hi on LinkedIn or visit Modash.

P.S. Want to pay less Chaos Tax?

Get a behind-the-scenes look at how top-performing holiday campaigns are built — straight from someone who’s run them for brands like Gymshark, Boots, and Elemis.

Join Chloe Perkins (ex-Gymshark) on September 18, 2025, as she shares:

• How to find creators who bring in 6 figures (not just likes)

• Her reactivation strategy that actually lifts results

• How to simplify code tracking when things get chaotic

RSVP here.

Can’t make it live? Register anyway and get the replay.

Handpicked job openings

• Therabody is looking for a Senior Manager of Influencer Marketing & Partnerships. The role is remote in the U.S. with headquarters in Los Angeles.
  

• Tatcha is looking for an Assistant Manager to support the Influencer Marketing team. The role is in Los Angeles.
  

• Brooklinen is looking for a Senior Manager of Influencer Marketing in New York, New York.

• Nord Security is looking for an Influencer Marketing Manager for Podcasts in London, England.

• Abercrombie & Fitch is looking for an Influencer Executive for EMEA in London, England.

📌 A NOTE ABOUT WHAT YOU JUST READ

The tips in this newsletter might not be right for your specific case. Use good judgment when deciding whether to take advice from the internet—even mine. My team and I survey & interview influencer marketers whose advice and observations come from their direct experience. ROI is meant for you to connect the dots and be inspired or challenged to think about your influencer marketing in a way you haven’t before.