Master Your Black Friday Emails: Strategies, Examples, and Must-Know Dos & Don’ts

Are you ready for Black Friday? With companies sending 16% more Black Friday emails each year, standing out in the inbox has never been more challenging. If you’re relying on a standard, generic email to cut through the noise, it’s time to rethink that approach.

Creating a successful Black Friday email strategy means more than just pushing out a discount—it’s about crafting messages that capture attention, build anticipation, and drive action. From understanding the latest trends to creating urgency, this guide will equip you with everything you need to elevate your Black Friday campaigns.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

• Key Black Friday trends and how they impact your e-commerce strategy
• Proven strategies and examples to inspire high-performing Black Friday emails
• Tips for creating a Black Friday email series that maximizes engagement

With Black Friday just around the corner, let’s dive into how you can turn this massive sales event into a standout success for your business.

The future of Black Friday sales is here, and it’s online.

Thanksgiving and Black Friday remain the busiest shopping days for brick-and-mortar stores, but the days of mile-long lines may be dwindling. With Black Friday deals now prominent on countless retail websites, paired with Cyber Monday, the weekend has become a massive event for online spending.

In 2023, 19% more Black Friday shoppers opted to shop online rather than in person. While this shift began during the pandemic, many believe it’s here to stay. This shift signals a future where Black Friday shopping will increasingly move online, mirroring the overall trend toward digital retail.

Here’s how you can stay ahead of the competition:

• Start marketing now: Plan your Black Friday marketing campaign early to cut through the noise and stand out from businesses that didn’t plan ahead.
• Boost your email list: Update your email signup CTAs at the start of November to capture interest. Let visitors know they won’t want to miss your exclusive Black Friday deals. If you’re out of ideas, we have a list of creative and unique ways to build your list.
• Prep your website: Create special banners to tease upcoming promotions. Consider a dedicated landing page to give visitors a sneak peek of your Black Friday offers and capture even more emails.
• Set up abandoned cart automations: Many shoppers add items to their carts to compare deals. With limited-time offers, cart abandonment emails with urgency can help convert those waiting to purchase.

Black Friday is essentially an extended flash sale—with more bells and whistles. For more tips, check out our guide on creating effective flash sales for Black Friday.

Creating an effective Black Friday email campaign isn’t just about sending emails on the big day. Successful campaigns require careful consideration of who receives your emails, when you send them, and what strategies you use to engage your audience effectively.

The who: targeting the right audience for your Black Friday emails

Targeting the right audience is crucial. No matter your email marketing platform, you can create segmented lists and automations based on multiple criteria. For Black Friday, focus on recent and regular email openers and customers who have purchased within the last year—these groups are more likely to engage with your offers.

• DO personalize emails: Avoid generic messaging by tailoring content to your audience segments. Personalization fosters a connection and makes customers more likely to engage with your offers.
• DON’T get too personal: There’s a fine line between being personalized and being intrusive. Use customer data responsibly to keep the focus on relevant offers rather than overly personal information.
• DO target high-interest segments: Reach out to recent purchasers, frequent email openers, and people who have engaged with your holiday promotions in previous years. These segments are more likely to convert.
• DON’T ignore inactive subscribers: While high-interest groups are key, re-engaging inactive subscribers before the holidays can also help expand your reach. Try sending a “welcome back” offer to entice them to open your Black Friday emails.
• DO create exclusive offers for loyal customers: Show appreciation to your most loyal customers by offering them early access or special discounts. This not only drives engagement but also strengthens customer loyalty.
• DON’T send the same message to everyone: Segment your audience based on shopping behavior, past interactions, or purchase history to make your Black Friday emails more targeted. Avoid the “one size fits all” approach.

The when: timing your Black Friday email sends effectively

Timing matters. Black Friday email campaigns should start early in November, but the ideal frequency varies depending on your business, audience, and past campaign performance. This is also a good time to A/B test different emails in the weeks leading up to Black Friday.

• DO start emailing early: To maximize impact, begin building anticipation a couple of months in advance. Early emails can help keep your brand top-of-mind and allow customers to plan their purchases.
• DON’T be a pest: Sending too many emails can lead to fatigue and unsubscribes. A higher frequency around Black Friday is normal, but try to keep it to one or two emails per day at most.
• DO create a countdown series: As Black Friday approaches, a countdown series can build excitement and create urgency. Start a week before and remind customers how soon deals will go live.
• DON’T send emails at random times: Stick to the times when your audience is most likely to open emails, such as mornings or evenings. Check your past email data for optimal send times, and avoid sending at odd hours. If you’re using ActiveCampaign, you can rely on predictive sending to take the guesswork out.
• DO test sending on different days: A/B test to find the best days for engagement, and consider experimenting with weekends, as some audiences may open more during their downtime.
• DON’T wait until the last minute: Last-minute emails may get lost in the crowd. Start early, test your timing, and be strategic about sending follow-up emails to reach customers who didn’t engage initially.

The what: Black Friday email strategies to use

The content and strategies in your Black Friday emails ultimately drive engagement and conversions. Here are some of the best strategies to capture customer interest and create a sense of urgency:

• DO craft an attention-grabbing subject line: Use strong language or personalization to make your email stand out in a crowded inbox. Your subject line is the first thing your audience sees, so make it count!
• DON’T be vague or generic: Avoid generic phrases like “Great deals inside.” Instead, get specific and creative to spark curiosity and excitement.
• DO showcase your best deals prominently: Place your most attractive offers front and center, and use clear call-to-action (CTA) buttons that guide readers directly to these deals.
• DON’T clutter your email with too many offers: While it may be tempting to feature everything, too many options can overwhelm customers. Keep it focused on the best deals to streamline the customer’s decision process.
• DO use high-quality visuals: Visual appeal matters, especially during the holiday shopping season. Invest in high-quality images or graphics that capture attention and make your products look their best.
• DON’T overlook mobile optimization: Many people will view your email on a mobile device. Ensure it’s mobile-friendly, with easy-to-click buttons and a clean, responsive design.
• DO personalize your emails: Incorporate customer names, past purchases, or tailored recommendations to make the email feel relevant. Personalization adds a human touch and can increase engagement.
• DON’T over-personalize with excessive details: Too much personal information can feel invasive. Stick to simple personalization that enhances the shopping experience without crossing boundaries.

By following these dos and don’ts, you can create a Black Friday email campaign that grabs attention, builds excitement, and drives conversions—all while maintaining a positive customer experience.

Building anticipation is key to Black Friday success. An automated series of emails can help you generate that excitement, keeping customers engaged and ready to buy when your sale goes live.

An automated email series is a set of pre-scheduled emails that automatically go out to your email list, delivering timely messages without any extra effort on your part. ActiveCampaign makes it easy to create and customize email sequences for impactful results.

To create a high-converting Black Friday email sequence, plan to send at least three emails:

1. The teaser email
2. The live sale email
3. The last-chance email

Each email plays a distinct role in building urgency and moving your audience toward purchase.

1. The teaser email: build anticipation

The teaser email introduces your upcoming Black Friday sale, giving your audience a taste of what to expect. Shoppers are planning and budgeting their holiday spending well in advance, so getting on their radar early is essential.

Your teaser email should accomplish two main goals:

• Create curiosity and anticipation: Use intriguing language to capture attention and make readers want to learn more.
• Provide key information: Answer the basics so customers know what to expect from your sale. If the details aren’t clear, you risk losing their interest.

To make sure your teaser email is informative, answer the following “3 W’s”:

• What: Describe the Black Friday deals or promotions they can look forward to.
• When: Specify the dates and times your sale will be live.
• Where: Direct readers to your website or store where the deals will be available.

ExampleQuip’s teaser email skillfully uses a sleek design and the tagline “Brush black, give back” to promote a new product while highlighting a charitable cause. The all-black design ties into Black Friday and their promise to donate $5 for each purchase adds an extra incentive for shoppers.

Best timing: Send your first teaser email at least one week before Black Friday or two weeks if you plan to send multiple previews.

2. The live sale email: Announce the start of your sale

When your Black Friday sale goes live, it’s time for a reminder. Inboxes are flooded on Black Friday, so if you don’t remind people, they may forget your sale entirely.

Your live sale email should reinforce the core message from your teaser email with these key adjustments:

• Update your call to action: Make it clear that your sale is now live and ready for shopping.
• Emphasize scarcity and urgency: Encourage action with phrases that tap into loss aversion—think “Limited stock available!” or “Only hours left!”

Keep the tone celebratory: Use festive language and visuals to match the excitement of Black Friday rather than coming across as overly pushy.

ExampleQuip’s live sale email provides flexible options for using their discount, making it easy for customers to take advantage of the offer in different ways. Predictive sending can also be useful for live sale emails, scheduling messages when each recipient is most likely to engage.

Best timing: Schedule your live sale email to arrive on Black Friday morning or the exact moment your sale begins.

3. The last-chance email: Create urgency to act now

The final email in your sequence is all about urgency. This is your “going, going, gone” message to capture last-minute sales and make sure customers don’t miss out.

For maximum impact:

• Use a single, clear CTA: Make it easy for customers to take action with a single, compelling button, such as “Get 20% off now.”

Reiterate key points: Treat this as the only email in the sequence since many recipients may have missed earlier messages. Include your main offer and any remaining details about the sale’s end time.

ExampleSome brands add a bit of playful language to their last-chance emails to stand out, like a clever phrase or countdown timer to drive urgency without feeling overly aggressive.

Best timing: Send your last-chance email a few hours before your sale ends to capture late shoppers.

Standing out during Black Friday can be challenging, especially with countless businesses vying for your customers' attention and dollars. However, you can cut through the noise and capture your customers' interest by implementing the strategies covered in this guide—targeting the right audience, timing your emails effectively, and crafting compelling content.

Remember, a single email won’t drive the impact you want. A well-planned Black Friday email sequence builds anticipation, drives action, and encourages last-minute conversions. With ActiveCampaign's suite of automation tools, you can streamline this process and create personalized, effective campaigns that engage customers at every stage of the journey.

Ready to make the most of this holiday season? Start building your Black Friday campaign today with ActiveCampaign's 14-day free trial, and see how automation can help you boost engagement and sales with ease.

When should Black Friday emails be sent?

The timing of your Black Friday emails can make all the difference in capturing your audience’s attention. Here are some general guidelines:

• If your sale runs throughout the weekend: Send a reminder on Black Friday itself and a “last chance” email on the final day.
• If your sale is a one-day event: Send your main email in the morning and a follow-up in the final hours to capture those last-minute shoppers.

Remember, your goal is to stay top-of-mind without overwhelming your audience.

How do you write a compelling Black Friday offer?

Creating an irresistible Black Friday offer means focusing on what matters most to your customers.

Here are three key strategies to consider:

• Make it a no-brainer: Craft an offer that feels too good to pass up, whether that’s a significant discount, a limited-time bundle, or a special gift with purchase.
• Reward your best customers: Use this opportunity to thank loyal customers with exclusive early access or an additional perk, making them feel valued.
• Create delight for new customers: Capture first-time shoppers by offering an enticing deal and adding a surprise element, like a bonus item or discount on their next purchase.

How many emails should I send for Black Friday?

To maximize engagement without overwhelming your subscribers, consider sending 2-3 emails on Black Friday itself, along with a few teaser emails leading up to the event:

• Teaser emails (1-2 weeks before Black Friday) to build anticipation.
• Live sale announcement on Black Friday to kick off the event.

Last-chance reminders throughout the day or in the final hours to drive urgency.