Black Friday Email + SMS Playbook

A simple plan you can actually ship (and feel good about)

In the Black Friday season, email and SMS quietly do the heavy lifting. They are fast to launch, cheap to test, and talk to people who already like you. This guide keeps things practical: warm up your list in October, send focused messages to segments that convert, and let a few great automations do the quiet compounding in the background.

1) Deliverability and warm-up (October is your foundation)

Inbox providers reward consistent, human engagement. Start by cleaning your list: remove hard bounces and people who have not opened in months, and run a small re‑engagement tag before you sunset anyone uncertain. Check authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) and keep a consistent “from” name your customers recognise. Through October, send at least weekly so reputation looks healthy before the spike. Keep subject lines clear and honest, avoid attachment bloat, and make the email easy to skim on a phone.

For SMS, only message contacts who opted in. Respect quiet hours by region, and stick to short, helpful messages that identify your brand. If you have not sent SMS in a while, warm up gently (one message every week or two) before you go weekly closer to Black Friday.

2) Segments that actually move the needle

Not every subscriber needs every message. Aim for a handful of high‑impact segments and talk to each like a person.

• VIPs are your frequent buyers or highest lifetime value customers. Give them early access and the first look at bundles.

• Recent engagers (opened or clicked in the last 30–60 days) are primed; warm them with value and simple countdowns. H

• igh‑intent folks who browsed or added to cart recently should see best sellers, back‑in‑stock alerts, and low‑friction paths back to checkout.

• Use winback for lapsed buyers with a compelling bundle instead of a blanket discount,

• keep new leads (who joined for BF early access) on a straight line—deliver exactly what you promised, without detours.

• Finally, split by region for send‑time and shipping cutoff accuracy. If you ran a preference quiz, tag interests and gift budgets and use that zero‑party data for relevancy.

3) Calendar you can stick to (no heroic sends)

Think in phases. In October, keep a steady weekly rhythm: one value email (gift guide, “how to choose,” behind the scenes), one light promo or early‑access invite, and, if you use SMS, an occasional check‑in for subscribers (no hard sell). In the week before Black Friday, send a clear “save the date” and confirm shipping cutoffs.

During Black Friday week (or whenever your campaign drops): open with VIP early access (email + SMS with a private link/code), launch the main offer the morning of Black Friday with a clear subject line and a short, mobile‑first email, then follow with a quick proof/update later in the day (what’s trending, items selling out). Over the weekend, send a helpful reminder featuring bundles or gifts‑with‑purchase. On Cyber Monday, switch the angle (limited extras, free shipping threshold, best bundle) and wrap with a firm last‑call that states the real deadline.

After purchase, keep energy positive: a thank‑you with tips to get the most from the product, a simple accessory/refill suggestion, and a referral nudge in early December. After shipping cutoffs, pivot to gift cards so last‑minute shoppers still have a great option.

4) Message frameworks and copy you can reuse

Email subject lines (steal these):

• VIP early access is live - shop it here

• Your Black Friday shortlist - best sellers and bundles

• It is on - Black Friday starts now

• 8 hours left - ends tonight

• Cyber Monday - one last upgrade

SMS ideas (keep it short):

• VIP access is live. Use code VIP for first pick: [short link]

• It is on. Black Friday starts now: [short link]

• Selling fast: [product] just restocked: [short link]

• Last call - ends tonight: [short link]

Email body wireframe:

1. Hero: Clear offer and deadline.

2. Why now: One or two lines of value and urgency (no fluff).

3. Proof: Best sellers or short review quotes.

4. CTA: One primary link to your landing page hub (no maze).

5. Footer: Shipping cutoff and a support link.

5) Flows that do the quiet work (turn them on now)

A few well‑tuned automations carry a surprising load.

• Keep Welcome on and make the first touch helpful before any promo, ideally with a quick self‑segment.

• Browse and Cart should be concise and mobile‑first, with sensible frequency caps so you do not nag.

• Back‑in‑stock paired with best sellers can be gold at this time of year; set tight windows so you do not flood inboxes.

• Price‑drop alerts help nudge high‑intent shoppers, and

• Shipping cutoff messages (by region) prevent disappointment. Post‑purchase, send a thank‑you, a “get the most out of it” tip, and a simple, relevant add‑on, then stop. Respect the moment.

6) Compliance and respect (the relationship is the real asset)

Only send to people who opted in, make it easy to opt out, and identify your brand in every message. Honour quiet hours and keep your promises: if someone signed up for early access, do not bait‑and‑switch them into unrelated promos. SMS should feel like a helpful nudge, not a fire hose. If replies spike or opt‑outs creep up, ease the cadence and tighten the targeting.

7) QA checklist (2 minutes before you hit send)

• Links and tracking: Click every primary and secondary link. Confirm UTMs are clean and consistent, and that the landing page is live and matches the offer.

• Codes and rules: Test discount codes, stacking rules, and free‑shipping thresholds. Make sure exclusions are clear.

• Rendering: Send to a seed list (Gmail, Outlook, iOS Mail, Android). Check mobile first. Images should load fast and have alt text.

• From/subject/preheader: Confirm the friendly from name, a clear subject, and a helpful preheader. No bait‑and‑switch.

• Segments and suppressions: Verify includes and excludes (e.g., recent purchasers, unengaged, regions you are not shipping to yet).

• Send time and time zone: Double‑check local time zones and quiet hours for SMS.

• Frequency caps and flow clashes: Ensure campaigns are not colliding with browse/cart flows or hitting people twice in an hour.

• Inventory sanity: If you feature a hero SKU, confirm stock is healthy or swap to a bundle.

• Compliance: Unsubscribe link present and functional; brand identified in SMS; reply STOP works.

8) Read the numbers and adjust fast

Watch revenue per recipient and click‑to‑order rate for emails, and keep a close eye on unsubscribe/complaint rate during peak days. For SMS, monitor reply and opt‑out rates. If deliverability wobbles (opens slump, clicks steady), tighten segments and lean on VIPs and recent engagers. Duplicate a top performer with a small angle change rather than reinventing the wheel. And remember: sometimes the best move is to stop sending and let your flows do the work.

Wrap up

Black Friday rewards teams that prepare early and keep it simple. Warm up your audience, send focused, respectful messages, and let a few smart automations carry the load. Keep the calendar realistic, the links clean, and the tone human. Do that and you will make a lot of revenue without burning a good list.