Black Friday email campaigns 2025: Examples, templates & best practices to boost BFCM sales
Inbox competition peaks during Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM). The best Black Friday emails don’t just announce discounts — they’re timely, personalized, and part of a smart omnichannel strategy. That’s how they cut through the noise and capture holiday shoppers’ attention. Want your emails to do the same?
Discover a complete Black Friday email marketing strategy packed with Black Friday email ideas, real examples & templates — plus automation tips to power your BFCM email marketing campaigns with Pushwoosh.
Black Friday email marketing strategy: 7 best practices
BFCM season rewards brands that plan early, test smart, and deliver personalized experiences across channels. Here’s how to make your Black Friday email campaigns stand out and convert like your best-performing Black Friday messaging of the year.
Start early & warm up your audience
Inbox competition peaks in November, but your prep should start much earlier. Begin in October (or even late September) by cleaning your list, encouraging new opt-ins, and re-engaging cold subscribers.
Send warm-up campaigns that rebuild engagement before your main Black Friday blast to protect deliverability and sender reputation.
For example, “VIP early access” or “Waitlist now open” messages can make subscribers feel special and set expectations for your sale.
The events app Fever effectively uses this Black Friday email strategy by offering a waitlist, promising users first access to exclusive deals.
Segment by intent, not just demographics
Effective Black Friday email marketing starts with knowing why each person might buy, not just who they are. Move beyond demographics and use behavioral and intent-based segmentation to send more relevant messages.
For example:
- Engaged segment: Users who have opened or clicked on an email within the last 30-90 days → This is your core audience of active, interested subscribers.
- VIP segment: Your most loyal customers, defined by criteria such as purchase value, order frequency, or loyalty program status → These customers deserve exclusive offers like early access or special discounts.
- Previous BFCM purchasers: This segment contains proven seasonal shoppers who have converted during past holiday sales → They are highly likely to be interested in this year’s deals.
Personalize offers based on real activity
Personalization goes far beyond “Hi, FirstName.” The most engaging Black Friday email campaigns reference real customer behavior — what users have browsed, bought, or interacted with recently.
Personalized elements can go far beyond content:
Subject lines: Reference a product or category the user has shown interest in (“Your saved items are now 30% off”).
Images and copy: Localize visuals or pricing based on region.
CTA: Adjust tone and message (“Complete your set” vs. “Shop your favorites”) to match the user’s previous actions.
Pair your Black Friday emails with other communication channels
Email is powerful, but an omnichannel Black Friday marketing strategy wins.
Shoppers don’t stay in one place during BFCM: they open a Black Friday email, browse your site, receive a push notification, or interact in your app. When your messaging connects these touchpoints, your Black Friday email blast never works in isolation.
Multichannel strategy isn’t about repetition — it’s about creating a consistent, personalized experience across all platforms:
Email: the campaign core.
The foundation of your Black Friday marketing campaigns is email. It’s where you showcase your offer, drive clicks, and track conversions. Use it for detailed announcements, product highlights, and loyalty rewards.
Push notifications: real-time urgency.
Push messages are perfect for time-sensitive updates, especially on Black Friday. Flash sales, limited drops, or countdown reminders should cut through noise instantly and reach users even when they’re not checking their inbox.
SMS: direct & high-converting.
For crucial alerts — like “Your early access starts now” or “Your code expires in 2 hours” — SMS achieves unmatched open rates. Use it selectively for your most urgent or high-value BFCM offers.
In-app messages: contextual engagement.
When users open your app, in-app messages can close the loop. Reinforce the same offer they saw in your email, show personalized add-ons, or confirm rewards to boost conversions.
Test & optimize your campaigns before BFCM
The golden rule of email marketing is simple — always be testing. Don’t wait until Black Friday to find out what works; experiment weeks in advance to maximize your results.
Run small pre-BFCM campaigns to test your:
- Subject lines: Which grab attention fastest?
- CTAs: Which drive more clicks?
- Visuals & layouts: What converts better?
- Timing: When are users most likely to engage?
- Offer type: Does a % discount or a fixed amount perform better?
This data-driven approach helps you eliminate guesswork and enter BFCM week with proven insights, ensuring your Black Friday email marketing strategy delivers maximum engagement and revenue.
Build your post-BFCM retention & re-engagement strategy
Your job doesn’t end when the Black Friday and Cyber Monday rush is over — that’s when customer retention begins. The post-BFCM period is the perfect time to turn one-time shoppers into long-term customers.
Use a mix of transactional, thank-you, and re-engagement emails to nurture relationships and keep your brand top of mind:
- Transactional emails: Confirm purchases, share shipping updates, and ask for reviews to boost trust and credibility.
- Thank-you emails: Thank customers and invite them to join loyalty or subscription programs.
- Re-engagement flows: Follow up with abandoned cart emails, cross-sell, and seasonal gift recommendations in December.
Track metrics that drive Black Friday sales
When analyzing your BFCM email marketing performance, look beyond open rates — they show attention, not impact. Focus on business metrics such as:
- Conversion rate & CTR – Measure engagement depth.
- Revenue per recipient (RPR) – Track campaign profitability.
- Average order value (AOV) – Assess upsell effectiveness.
- ROI & unsubscribes – Optimize investment and retention.
Analyzing these metrics provides a true picture of what worked and actionable insights to refine next year’s Black Friday marketing strategy.
The best time to send Black Friday emails
When Black Friday hits, inboxes explode. Hundreds of brands compete for attention — and even the best offer can get buried if your timing is off.
That’s why scheduling your Black Friday email marketing campaign is just as important as the message itself. The right timing helps your emails land at the moment your customers are most receptive — not when their inbox is overflowing.
Black Friday email calendar
| Timing | Goal | BF message type |
|---|---|---|
| 2–3 Weeks before (early Nov) | Build hype | Teasers, VIP early access invites |
| Pre-sale week | Warm up | Product previews, wishlist reminders |
| Launch day (Fri) | Maximize sales | Main offers, countdowns, urgency emails |
| Weekend (Sat–Sun) | Extend reach | Extended sale, curated picks |
| Cyber Monday (Mon) | Final push | Last-chance deals, loyalty rewards |
| Post-BFCM (following week) | Retain | Thank-you, reviews, cross-sell offers |
Best time of day to send Black Friday emails
Classic “best time” benchmarks (like mid-week, late morning) work for business emails and desktop users. In contrast, your audience is primarily mobile and checks email during leisure hours — evenings and weekends. As a result, engagement patterns shift significantly.
According to the latest data, peak engagement windows are:
- Weekdays: Evenings outperform the traditional 9–12 a.m. slot. Use mornings for launches and afternoons or evenings for reminders and last-chance offers.
- Weekends: Early mornings (7–9 a.m.) perform best, when inbox competition is low — a big win for e-commerce, gaming, and entertainment apps.
- By day: Monday and Sunday often lead for open rates, followed closely by Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
How to apply this during your Black Friday email campaign:
| Time of the day | BF email strategy |
|---|---|
| Morning (8:00–11:00) | Launch your biggest Black Friday offers — announce main discounts or early-access deals. |
| Afternoon (12:00–16:00) | Keep engagement high with reminders, product highlights, or limited-time incentives. |
| Evening (18:00–21:00) | Create urgency — send last-chance or “ending soon” emails to boost conversions. |
| Weekend mornings (7:00–9:00) | Reach mobile users when inbox competition is low. |
Black Friday email examples
Need inspiration? Here are Black Friday email ideas and real-world examples.
Countdown emails: Create urgency that converts
Countdown timers are a simple but powerful way to drive action during BFCM. They visually remind customers that time (and stock) is running out, motivating faster decisions.
Promo code emails: Reward engagement
Promo code emails are a BFCM staple — but personalization makes them perform even better. Instead of one universal code, deliver unique offers based on customer behavior, such as a higher discount for VIPs or free shipping for returning buyers.
GIF emails: Add motion, keep attention
A well-placed GIF instantly draws the eye in crowded inboxes. Use subtle animation to highlight key elements like your offer, countdown, or product visuals. Keep GIFs under 1 MB for better mobile performance.
Personalized emails: Make every offer feel one-to-one
Personalization turns a generic Black Friday message into a conversation. Show products that users have browsed, suggest complementary items, or tailor your message by region, loyalty status, or device.
Black Friday email templates & design
In the visual chaos of a BFCM inbox, a clean, compelling design can make all the difference. Your email should be easy to scan, visually appealing, and optimized to drive clicks.
Design checklist
- Keep it simple: One main offer, one CTA. Clutter confuses, clarity converts.
- Prioritize mobile: Most Black Friday emails are opened on mobile — make sure text, images, and CTAs scale perfectly.
- Use contrast wisely: Bold colors, dark backgrounds, and bright CTAs improve visibility and accessibility.
- Make the offer visible immediately: Place your main discount or benefit in the hero section — no scrolling required.
- Add urgency visually: Integrate countdown timers or progress bars to trigger FOMO.
- Optimize media: Keep images under 1 MB, use alt text, and test across devices.
- Design for accessibility: Use readable fonts (min 14px), sufficient color contrast, and clear spacing.
- Stick to your brand identity: Seasonal doesn’t mean off-brand. Keep your logo, palette, and voice recognizable.
Black Friday email template library
No need to start from scratch — Pushwoosh offers a ready-to-use library of Black Friday email templates that follow design and deliverability best practices.
Each template is:
- Fully responsive for mobile and desktop
- Built for quick customization — just swap in your product visuals and copy.
- Pre-equipped with dynamic elements like countdowns, personalized blocks, and promo code fields.
- Compatible with GIFs and lightweight animations.
Supercharge your Black Friday email campaign with Pushwoosh
Standing out in overcrowded inboxes takes more than clever copy — it takes the right tools.
Pushwoosh provides everything you need for a successful Black Friday email marketing campaign: a drag-and-drop email editor, a ready-to-use Black Friday email template library, and automated omnichannel messaging that syncs your email, push, SMS, and in-app communication into one seamless customer experience.
