Black Friday Email Strategy 2024: New Consumer Insights

October 29, 2024

Identical to Santa’s sleigh, there’s loads driving in your vacation advertising and marketing campaigns. All of it begins with Black Friday and Cyber Monday, extending by what’s now referred to as Cyber Week all the best way till the tip of the vacation season.

Loads of retailers, and lots of others who spend money on advertising and marketing this time of 12 months, have both already launched essential electronic mail campaigns or they are going to be hitting ship very quickly. Whereas you could have been planning your Black Friday advertising and marketing technique since January, there’s nonetheless time to make some last-minute changes and nice tune your method.

Whether or not it’s your general communication technique or your sending frequency, new BFCM survey results from Sinch will assist you to make some good strikes and ship what customers need this season.

Insights on Black Friday/Cyber Monday advertising and marketing

Sinch surveyed 1,200 folks from the U.S., UK, France, Germany, Spain, Brazil, and Australia to get some particulars on client preferences and expectations round Black Friday promotions and buyer communications. These are among the key findings:

• Most customers (virtually 57%) anticipate to listen to from manufacturers about Black Friday not less than one month earlier than a promotion launches.
• Greater than 61% of customers selected electronic mail as a most well-liked channel for listening to about Cyber Week promotions. That makes it essentially the most most well-liked channel.
• Having a multi-channel method is an efficient technique to optimize vacation campaigns:
  • 48% of customers say they’ll go straight to a model’s web site to seek out promotions.
  • 44% choose seeing vacation promotions on social media.
  • 45% of customers select not less than one cell messaging possibility (SMS/MMS, WhatsApp, Fb Messenger, and Instagram) as a most well-liked channel.
• Almost 80% of customers get worth from personalised suggestions in vacation promotions. Which means going past fundamental first identify personalization in your vacation electronic mail campaigns.
• Order confirmations, delivery updates, and supply notifications are important to the client expertise this time of 12 months. Greater than 94% of customers say transactional messages are essential throughout vacation buying.
• Interactive vacation campaigns might assist enhance electronic mail engagement. Greater than half of survey respondents stated they’d be more likely to interact with campaigns that includes interactivity and multimedia.

See extra of Sinch’s survey findings and different eye-opening Black Friday statistics within the infographic under:

When Sinch performed related analysis on Black Friday and Cyber Monday in 2023, practically 70% of customers selected electronic mail as a most well-liked channel. Regardless of an 8% decline from final 12 months, electronic mail remains to be Numero Uno. But it surely’s clear that buyers have a wide range of methods they wish to hear from manufacturers over the vacations. As we defined earlier this 12 months…. email is still relevant… nevertheless it’s bought some firm.

Certainly one of electronic mail’s latest neighbors is Rich Communication Services (RCS), which turned way more broadly obtainable after Apple announced support of the messaging protocol in iOS 18. RCS Business Messaging (RBM) is poised to remodel the methods manufacturers talk with their prospects on cell units. It has the potential for interactive, app-like experiences that not less than 51% of the folks Sinch surveyed are more likely to interact with.

However reasonably than attempt to clarify an RCS marketing campaign to you, it’s in all probability simpler so that you can see how can impression your advertising and marketing technique. Try this buyer story from Sinch a few meals model from France that already took benefit of RCS for holiday marketing.

Your Black Friday electronic mail advertising and marketing guidelines

When it’s peak advertising and marketing season and also you’re competing in opposition to hundreds of different firms vying for client {dollars}, sending expertly-crafted emails with irresistible choices will assist you to stand out amongst your opponents and seize your readers’ consideration. 

However there’s extra to an ideal Black Friday electronic mail technique than sending out stellar emails. On this guidelines, we’ll cowl 11 essential inquiries to ask earlier than you launch electronic mail campaigns for Black Friday and Cyber Monday:

1. Are you constructing your record for Black Friday? 
2. Do you’ve got the precise sending cadence? 
3. Are you optimizing ship occasions? 
4. Do you want a vacation IP warmup? 
5. Have you ever checked electronic mail record hygiene? 
6. What’s your Black Friday topic line technique? 
7. What’s your Black Friday CTA technique? 
8.  Are you taking any massive swings this Black Friday? 
9.   What’s the plan for personalization and segmentation? 
10.  Are you split-testing content material and design?
11.  How will your Black Friday emails look when delivered? 

1. Are you constructing your record for Black Friday?

It’s not too late to begin including new subscribers to your electronic mail record. The thrill round Black Friday and Cyber Monday can immediate potential prospects to signup to allow them to make the most of what you’re providing for the vacations. Listed here are some concepts for rising your record of Black Friday buyers:

• Use social media to drive signups. When posting in your social media channels, as a substitute of linking to your web site homepage, hyperlink on to your electronic mail signup type or a touchdown web page particularly geared for capturing subscribers.
• Refresh your web site opt-in types. In your web site, change up the language and affords utilized in your opt-in types. You would possibly reference Black Friday particularly, supply a free obtain, or entice signups with the promise of particular VIP reductions. Use contemporary imagery and A/B take a look at affords all through the weeks main as much as Black Friday.
• Be certain web site guests have the choice to subscribe from a number of locations. Electronic mail signup alternatives don’t need to be restricted to pop-ups and touchdown pages. A number of different locations you’ll be able to supply guests the possibility to enroll are:
  • Contact types
  • Checkout pages
  • Account registration types
  • Feedback sections
  • Weblog posts
  • Product pages
  • The footer of your web site

Need to be taught extra about how you can construct your electronic mail record the precise manner? Try our article, How to Grow Your Email List Organically for Better Deliverability.

2. Do you’ve got the precise sending cadence?

When do you have to begin sending Black Friday emails and the way ceaselessly do you have to ship them? Our survey of customers discovered there’s fairly a selection amongst folks’s opinions about the precise time to begin speaking to them about vacation buying.

Two weeks earlier than Black Friday is likely to be a very good candy spot. However, if you happen to’ve strategically segmented your record based mostly on electronic mail engagement, you would strive sending to your most-engaged subscribers even earlier. They’re probably those hoping to listen to from you sooner reasonably than later.

Let’s get tactical… Divide your electronic mail campaigns into three phases: pre-holiday, during-holiday, and post-holiday. Use a marketing calendar to map out your sending schedules.

How typically do you have to ship? When Sinch Mailjet surveyed entrepreneurs in 2021, they discovered {that a} mixed 60% of them deliberate to ship Black Friday emails a number of occasions every week and even a number of occasions a day.

For those who’re growing sending frequency over the vacations, take note of your electronic mail advertising and marketing metrics because the season progresses. When unsubscribes begin climbing and open charges begin declining, it could possibly be an indication you’ve pushed issues a bit too far.

3. Do you want a vacation IP warmup?

In case your regular electronic mail frequency is extra like as soon as every week or as soon as a month, now is an efficient time to warm up your sending IP earlier than ramping up your electronic mail quantity for the vacation season. Failing to take action might send the wrong signal, make you look spammy, and trigger deliverability points.

Dramatically growing your ship cadence could make your IP reputation look suspicious whenever you haven’t warmed it up. There’s no level in spending hours of effort on intensive Black Friday electronic mail advertising and marketing campaigns if these emails go straight to the junk folder, or – worse but – are blocked totally by mailbox suppliers. 

4. Have you ever checked electronic mail record hygiene?

Warming up your IP isn’t the one pre-holiday checkup it is best to do. BFCM campaigns are among the largest efforts of the 12 months – be certain they make it to the inbox with a strong deliverability strategy. 

Whereas email list hygiene is essential all 12 months lengthy, it is best to pay additional consideration to it earlier than beginning any massive electronic mail marketing campaign pushes. In Sinch Mailgun’s State of email deliverability 2025 survey, greater than 39% of electronic mail senders stated they not often or by no means apply electronic mail record hygiene. For those who’re in that 39%, you could wish to carve out a couple of days to dedicate to this activity earlier than your pre-holiday campaigns begin.  

5. Are you optimizing ship occasions?

In an ideal world, your Black Friday electronic mail marketing campaign would hit customers’ inboxes proper earlier than they determine to examine their electronic mail. That may imply your message is sitting proper on high, able to be opened and clicked.

For those who can phase your record by location, you’ll be able to optimize sends for various time zones. Nonetheless, completely different folks have completely different email-checking habits. That’s why machine-learning expertise like Ship Time Optimization (STO) provides you an actual benefit throughout a time when inboxes are filling up like stuffed stockings over the hearth.

STO is an automatic technique of delivering emails based mostly on when subscribers are probably to have interaction. Mailgun’s customers skilled a mean of a 5-10% increase in clicks by using STO. 

STO providers are additionally a lot much less time-intensive than guide scheduling, providing you with extra time for designing, testing, and optimizing different elements of your campaigns.

6. What’s your Black Friday topic line technique?

With all of the competitors within the inbox, you’ll want to take a position extra time in copywriting a catchy, attention-grabbing topic line.

You is likely to be inclined to suppose Black Friday is the time to go excessive in your electronic mail campaigns. However if you happen to don’t normally use all caps, emojis, or exclamation marks, now isn’t the time to begin. Not solely can they set off spam filters, it simply looks as if you’re yelling. 

So how do you get folks to open your BFCM emails? 

• Keep on-brand, however get artistic inside your model identification. 
• Create a way of urgency (FOMO). 
• Place your topic line as a query.
• Put the hook or a cliff-hanger in your pre-header.
• Hold your topic quick and to the purpose.
• Lead with an attractive, personalised supply.

You don’t need to stoop to the lows of “one bizarre trick,” however take into consideration the worth you’re providing. Is it a reduction? One thing unique for subscribers? A limited-time supply? 

Put a very powerful data upfront, and depart just a little room for the creativeness. Ask questions, begin a dialog, and deal with the emotional connection first, reasonably than a “Me, me, me!” message.

Want some high-quality concepts for topic traces to check? Try our Best of Black Friday electronic mail examples.

7. What’s your Black Friday CTA technique?

Excessive open charges are nice, however you additionally need your Black Friday weekend electronic mail recipients to click on by to the product web page the place they’ll, hopefully, make a purchase order. Most of us are used to seeing affords with a “purchase now,” “store now,” “get X now,” “be taught extra,” or “obtain your free e-book” call-to-action button – boring.

Strive pondering of artistic methods to emotionally hook your viewers along with your name to motion whereas staying true to your model. Use catchy phrases which may resonate with the tradition of your buyer base. Don’t be afraid of puns, popular culture references, memes, or business jargon if you happen to suppose your subscribers would “get it.” 

The precise phrases could not even be as essential as eye-catching visuals. Utilizing roll-over or hover results on buttons, animated GIFs, and daring shade schemes can even improve engagement.

The effectiveness of your CTAs will largely rely upon how relatable and attention-grabbing they’re to your viewers. Keep watch over what others in your business are doing with their electronic mail CTAs, push your artistic boundaries, and if you happen to’re stumped for concepts, we’ve bought an article on how to write creative CTAs for Better Email Engagement that may positively encourage you.  

8. Are you taking any massive swings this Black Friday? 

Do you’ve got new merchandise, larger gross sales, expanded providers, or thrilling options you’re launching as a part of your Black Friday electronic mail technique? Now is likely to be the time to make use of some new methods so as to add enjoyable and pleasure to your electronic mail campaigns. 

Experiment with artistic components like countdown clocks, stock counters, animations, interactive content, or different components like email gamification. Utilizing these artistic therapies may help them stand out out of your different electronic mail campaigns and seize recipients’ consideration. 

9. What’s your plan for segmentation and personalization?

As you set collectively your affords, suppose deeply about which subscribers they’ll resonate with, and why they’re receiving every electronic mail. Bear in mind, within the days main as much as Black Friday, your subscribers are going to get lots of of emails from a wide range of manufacturers – not simply yours.

Earlier than the vacation buying season begins, take into consideration what defines an energetic vs. unengaged subscriber. Beginning as early as attainable – ideally September – attain out to your disengaged subscribers by working a re-engagement marketing campaign. Ask them their preferences for BFCM emails, and develop new segments round their responses and engagement.

Different methods you’ll be able to phase subscribers embody:

• Demographics: Gender, geographic location, household/family
• Conduct: Buying preferences, common order worth, buy frequency, searching vs. buying, present cart profile
• Early birds and procrastinators: Goal based mostly buy patterns from earlier years
• Deal seekers: If a reduction is what’s going to get them to buy, take a look at what affords labored previously, and phase that group accordingly

Don’t overlook your latest subscribers. They might not know your model and choices in addition to a few of your longtime prospects, so contemplate including a particular BFCM welcome email series, particularly if you happen to’re additionally working top-of-funnel advertising and marketing campaigns.

When you’ve created your segments, don’t overlook to personalize your emails. We’re not simply speaking about “Hello, .” There are a number of how to personalize your messaging. Listed here are only a few:  

• Personalized product recommendations. For BFCM, personalised product suggestions are the secret. Mailjet’s survey discovered this was one of many most-used superior techniques for Black Friday electronic mail campaigns.
• Use survey responses to personalize electronic mail content material and affords. Throughout the holidays, your typical prospects might not be buying for themselves – it’s a gift-giving season, in any case. Ship a survey forward of time to your subscribers to determine who they’re seeking to buy items for, and phase and message accordingly.
• Use dynamic content. Dynamic content material in electronic mail is an especially highly effective device to enhance engagement and conversions. Dynamic content material is any data that shows conditionally based mostly on a algorithm akin to subscriber habits, product availability, and even the climate. Absolutely anything in your electronic mail will be dynamic – topic traces, affords, beneficial merchandise, and extra.

10. Are you break up testing content material and designs?

With out testing you received’t actually know what affords, designs, and messaging work finest to get your subscribers excited to open, click on, and make a purchase order. You may comply with all of the “finest practices” you need, however each viewers is completely different.

Sinch Mailjet’s Black Friday survey revealed that solely 22% of senders split-tested their emails. Essentially the most profitable electronic mail entrepreneurs usually tend to be implementing these techniques (32%), however that’s nonetheless vastly underusing one of the useful methods for making certain the success of your Black Friday electronic mail technique.

To enhance opens and click-through charges of your vacation electronic mail campaigns, strive break up testing your:

• Topic traces
• Electronic mail copy
• Imagery
• Gives
• CTAs
• General format and design

Even if you happen to’re not split-testing each single electronic mail for BFCM, be sure to have your A/B testing prepared forward of time. Know what works, and what doesn’t, so you’ll be able to execute shortly and effectively come recreation time.

11. How will your Black Friday emails look when delivered?

Regardless of how good your affords are or how compellingly you craft your topic traces and CTAs, in case your electronic mail seems like a large number when recipients open it, they may not click on by. 

Inconsistent rendering throughout electronic mail purchasers, browsers, and system sorts is a ache level that each one electronic mail entrepreneurs face. It might derail your Black Friday electronic mail technique if you happen to don’t take a look at your emails to make sure they show effectively it doesn’t matter what platform they’re opened on.

Check your electronic mail templates and campaigns forward of time and be sure that CTAs work, photos are optimized, and that your emails are accessible to everybody in your record – even your Outlook subscribers. 

Sinch Email on Acid offers unlimited testing on main purchasers and units. That signifies that electronic mail groups can preview campaigns as many occasions as wanted earlier than launching. Discover out extra about why it is best to test every email campaign.