Does your business have its Black Friday email marketing campaign ready to go? This is prime time to drive more email engagement. Mailgun reports that the Black Friday email open rate is up to 12%, while the click-through rate is up to 13%.
In the great sales battle of Black Friday vs Cyber Monday, the latter has a slightly higher open rate of 14%, but the click-through rate is lower at 11%.
The end of Halloween is a great time to begin planning your Black Friday email marketing campaign before it launches in late November. Writing subject lines is one of the trickiest elements of a successful campaign.
In this blog post, we have 103 flawless Black Friday email subject lines and tips to help you outsmart your competition.
Let’s get started!
Table of Contents
Understanding the Elements of a High-Performing Subject Line
Writing Black Friday email subject lines will become much easier once you understand the components of a high-converting opener. Here is a breakdown.
Urgency
Black Friday is only 24 hours, benchmarked by holidays on both sides. The day before is Thanksgiving, and the day after is Small Business Saturday. Then there’s Cyber Monday right after.
It used to be that you could start the Black Friday promotional festivities early, such as on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the holiday itself. However, after a few years of stores opening at 10 p.m. Thanksgiving night, the consumer tide has changed. This day is now more about family than sales.
Since you only have 24 hours, you must make the most of them. You don’t want to make a sale tomorrow or even two hours from now; you want it right now, and you must promote a sense of urgency (without being too pushy) to convey that to your audience.
Power words
Power words aren’t called so for no reason. These words motivate people to take action, such as visiting your website and buying your products or services. Here is a list of power words to implement into your Black Friday email subject lines:
- Now
- Brilliant
- Exciting
- Important
- Low-cost
- Effective
- Announcing
- Breathtaking
- Unique
- Exclusive
- Limited-time
- Amazing
- Easy
- Authentic
Emotional connection
You must also create a strong emotional connection when writing subject lines. Curiosity is a great emotion to capitalize on this time of year.
You can foster it simply by asking a question in your subject line, such as “Are you ready for the biggest Black Friday savings?”
Asking questions is a great strategy for writing successful email subject lines, especially questions that make your audience eager to learn the answer.
Another way you can connect is by playing up a sense of FOMO, or fear of missing out. That’s a biggie on Black Friday, as your limited-time deals will indeed be gone by the time the clock strikes midnight and Small Business Saturday begins.
Writing your subject lines to capture that sense of “buy now, or you’ll miss deals like these forever” will drive more sales on this all-important business weekend.
Personalization
You might lobby off many more messages than usual on Black Friday, but you can’t let personalization fall by the wayside.
Your subject lines can incorporate personalization by using the customer’s name and mentioning specific products and services they might be interested in based on their browsing and buying behavior.
Exclusive offers to sweeten the pot
You’re among hundreds of Black Friday emails the average consumer will receive after Thanksgiving, maybe even thousands. Why should customers give you their hard-earned money and not to your competitors?
Well, because you have the better deals, of course. Black Friday is all about discounts, so make yours good.
You can also incentivize a purchase by offering extra. For example, you could have a giveaway all weekend long or slash the price of your membership so more people can join.
Brevity
Your email subject line is capped at 60 characters max, giving you up to nine words to grab attention. I know that sounds like a high-pressure order, but don’t worry. It will get easier the more you do it.
In the meantime, use a free online character counter to determine if you need to shorten your message.
Smart use of caps and emojis
Capitalization and emojis are excellent ways to grab readers’ attention, especially when they’re bombarded with emails in their inbox all day, as is customary on Black Friday.
However, you have to be smart about both. You shouldn’t ever send an email in all caps. It comes across as rude. Instead, capitalize words strategically, focusing on power words to emphasize their importance.
The same goes for emojis. One or two is okay, but don’t exceed that. Each emoji takes up a precious character anyway, so you don’t want to use too many.
Read also: 75 Captivating Labor Day Email Subject Lines for Small Businesses
103 High-Impact Black Friday Email Subject Lines
Here are plenty of Black Friday email subject lines to inspire you to write your own. These subject lines run the gamut of Black Friday phases, from your sale announcements before Thanksgiving to the big day itself to post-Black Friday deals.
Pre-Black Friday teaser subject lines
- Shhh … Unlock the Vault – Early Black Friday Secrets Revealed! 💰
- Tick-Tock: Pre-Black Friday Teasers Just Around the Corner
- Hold Your Breath for Our Black Friday Sneak Peek
- Get Ready for Thrills – Black Friday Deals Announced Now
- Hush-Hush Deals: Our Black Friday Previews Drop Today 🤫
- The Countdown Is On! Get Excited for Black Friday
- Buckle Up! Black Friday Preview to Amp Up the Anticipation
- Guess What’s Coming? Black Friday Teasers Inside!
- Pre-Black Friday Surprises Await You!
- Exclusive Preview: Your Black Friday Bliss Is Here
- Start Getting Excited for Black Friday
- Get Ready to Shop! Black Friday Teasers Incoming
- Our Sneak Peak for Black Friday
- The Calm Before the Storm – Black Friday Is Coming
- Save the Date for Our Black Friday Deals
- Unlock the Excitement! Can’t-Miss Black Friday Preview
- Brace Yourself: Our Black Friday Deals Are Coming Your Way
- Sneak Peak Alert! Black Friday Madness Unveiled
- We’re Doing It Early – Black Friday Preview Inside
- Get Ready to Save This Black Friday 🫰
Black Friday VIP exclusive subject lines
- VIP Treats: Black Friday Offers Tailored Just for You!
- Elite Savings Inside! 🤑 VIP Access to Our Black Friday Deals
- Go on, VIP. You Deserve This on Black Friday!
- First Dibs for VIP Exclusive Black Friday Savings
- VIPs, Rejoice! Black Friday Delights Just for You
- Elevate Your Experience – VIP Black Friday Savings
- Unlock the VIP Vault and Our Black Friday Deals 💰
- Insider’s Advantage: VIP Black Friday Access Unleashed
- Get Early Access to Our Black Friday Deals
- Your VIP Pass! Black Friday Deals Before Anyone Else
- VIP Alert! Black Friday Extravaganza Just for You
- Beat the Crowd with Early Black Friday Access
- Your Secret Codes Inside, VIP! Enjoy Black Friday Savings
- For Your Eyes Only! 😎 Exclusive Black Friday Deals
- We ❤️ Our VIPs! Shop Black Friday Deals Now
- Your Special Treatment for Black Friday
- VIPs, Dive into Black Friday Deals Now
- Priority Alert! VIP Access to Black Friday Bliss
- VIPs Only!! Here’s Your Exclusive Black Friday Offer
- Reserved for Our VIPs! Our Early Black Friday Deals
Black Friday deal subject lines
- Epic Discounts Await! Black Friday Madness Begins
- Don’t Miss Out on Our Black Friday Deals!
- Our Savings Spree for Black Friday Is LIVE!
- Black Friday Unleashed – Your Exclusive Offer Inside!
- 🚨 Race to the Checkout! Black Friday Deals You Can’t Miss 🚨
- Shop ‘til You Drop with Our Hottest Black Friday Savings
- Black Friday Is ON! 🚨
- We’ve Got all the Black Friday Deals You Need
- Get Ready to Go! Black Friday Deals in Store
- Black Friday Frenzy – Your Ticket to Mega Savings
- Our Black Friday Deals Are Unleashed
- Black Friday Extravaganza Happening Now
- Go, Go, Go! ⏰ Black Friday Deals Are Here!
- It’s a Black Friday Frenzy! Don’t Miss the Deals
- Epic Black Friday Deals for Great Savings
- Christmas Shopping Done Early This Black Friday
- It’s Black Friday Fever! Grab Your Exclusive Offers
- Here’s What We Have for You This Black Friday
- Epic Savings Await on Black Friday
- Your Black Friday Savings Are Just a Click Away
- Our Best Doorbusters Are Here! Shop Black Friday
- The Lowest Deals of the Season for Black Friday!
- Are You Ready for Black Friday? ⏰
- Black Friday Blitz – Your Guide to Great Discounts
- Save Big on Our Black Friday Sale
- The Doorbusters Are Here! Get Yours on Black Friday
- Race to the Savings – Items Low in Stock!
- Black Friday Madness Is Upon Us!
- We Got Your Best Bargains for Black Friday
- The Black Friday Rush Begins – Here’s What’s in Store
- Your Black Friday Bliss Is Here with Awesome Savings
- We Have the Deals You Need for Everyone on Your List
- Black Friday Deals Have Landed 👽
- Our Ultimate Black Friday Deals
- Early Bird Specials for Our Black Friday Shoppers
- Brace Yourself! The Black Friday Madness Begins
- The Big Day Is Here! Shop Black Friday Now
- Unwrap the Savings with Unforgettable Black Friday Deals
- Your Ultimate Black Friday Shopping Guide
- Shop Like Santa This Black Friday 🎅
Last-minute Black Friday reminder subject lines
- Our Final Flash: Last-Minute Black Friday Offers!
- Last Call for Our Best Black Friday Deals!
- Seize These Black Friday Savings … They Won’t Be Here Much Longer 🕣
- Don’t Miss the Black Friday Savings!
- 24 Hours Only! Our Black Friday Sale Ends Soon ⏱️
- Two Hours Left Until Black Friday Deals Disappear ‼️
- Hurry! Our Last-Minute Black Friday Flash Sale Is On 💥
- These Black Friday Bargains Can’t Last Forever
- URGENT: Shop Now or Forever Hold Your Peace!
- The Final Push! Black Friday Sale Ends Soon
- Don’t Wait! We Can’t Make These Deals Last
- Save Now – Our Black Friday Sale Is in Its Last Hours
- Final Call for Black Friday Savings
Post-Black Friday promotion subject lines
- Beyond Black Friday – Our Next Deal Is …
- Gearing Up for Cyber Monday
- Support Your Local Businesses This Small Business Saturday
- The Savings Are Done, But Not Forever
- Missed Black Friday Deals? We’re Extending Them One More Day
- Black Friday Savings All Weekend
- Bye Black Friday, Hello Cyber Monday!
- There’s Still Time to Save on Your Holiday Shopping!
- Black Friday May Be Behind Us, But the Deals Aren’t
- Beyond Black Friday – More Savings Coming Your Way
Read also: Smiles, Winks, and Hearts: Unlocking Snapchat Emoji Meanings
5 Tips for Writing Stellar Black Friday Email Subject Lines
As you gear up to begin writing, keep these best practices in mind so your Black Friday email subject lines shine.
Read also: 106 Winning Christmas Email Subject Lines For Higher Open Rates
Use a subject line tester tool (and test early)
You must split-test (also called A/B testing) all parts of your email before it goes live. I’ll focus on the subject line for this article but don’t skip the email body, CTA, graphics, and all other parts of your message.
There are so many split testing tools, and EngageBay is one of them.
My biggest takeaway for you is this: test early! Black Friday emails have to go out the day after Thanksgiving, so you should test early in November (or maybe even late in October) to ensure your messages are optimized and ready to go in time for the big shopping day.
Prioritize clarity for an immediate impact
Your email subject lines need to be brief, but besides that (and even more importantly), they must be clear.
Black Friday is a frenzy of emails. Your customers will constantly refresh their inboxes, hoping to find the hottest deal with the greatest savings so they can buy that gift on their shopping list for less.
If your subject line is confusing or vague, your customers will keep scrolling past your email to the next one. There’s not an emoji in the library that can fix this error. Writing with clarity at the top of your priority list is the only way to ensure recipients understand your message.
Read also: 103 Cyber Monday Email Subject Lines for High Impact Campaigns
Incorporate unique elements, including humor
I say this with the caveat that if your brand isn’t naturally humorous, it’s okay to omit this element. You shouldn’t stray from your brand to boost your email open and click-through rates. It can cause more harm than good.
Instead, if your brand allows for humor, please use it. If not, you can have a contest or add interactive elements to your email to make it more engaging.
Skip the filler words
Recalling that you only get so many characters to express your message, your Black Friday email subject lines cannot afford to use filler words.
For example, saying “hi,” “nice to meet you,” “hello,” or “greetings” are all examples of filler words that suck up character space unnecessarily.
Review metrics to gauge your success
Did your Black Friday email marketing campaign do well? There’s only one way to find out, and that’s to check the data. Review more than open and click-through rates, but your subscriber rate, bounce rate, web traffic, conversions, lead gen flow, and sales.
You’ll get a better overall picture of how your campaign did.
Read also: Shopping on Your Mind? 35 Black Friday Memes Sure to Get You ROFL!
SEO and Research Strategies for Effective Black Friday Email Marketing
The following research and SEO strategies will poise your email marketing campaign for success this Black Friday.
Use keyword research
What keywords do people search for related to your business on Black Friday? You need the answer to that question, so pack a lot of research into your early campaign planning.
Ensure you incorporate the researched keywords into your Black Friday email subject lines and the body content.
Review past campaigns to find future success
If your business has been around long enough, you should have several years of Black Friday email campaign data to fall back on. Review this information carefully to glean insights.
Compare major metrics like open and click-through rates, email engagement, conversions, and sales from last year to this year. If the numbers were higher in the past, that doesn’t necessarily mean your campaign this year was a dud.
Rather, you did something more successfully last year. What was it? Did you write more targeted, personalized email marketing campaigns? Did you have a better stock that drove more consumer interest?
Whatever it is, reflect on why those elements performed well. The key isn’t to copy what you’ve done before and try to replicate its success; rarely does that work, as your audience has seen it before.
Instead, understand how and why you connected with your audience meaningfully, then begin crafting ideas to do it again. After all, even though Black Friday may now be behind you, there’s still Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, and the entire Christmas season.
You want to have your email marketing skills airtight to drive more goals for your campaign.
Optimize your subject lines
Have you optimized your subject lines? Your Black Friday campaign can fall short of expectations if you don’t.
I’ve already discussed many elements of optimization you need to know, such as maintaining brevity and using personalization. You should also incorporate numbers, add a sense of urgency, and incorporate a call to action in the subject line.
Segmentation is also important here. You can’t personalize content well if you don’t divide your audience into specific categories based on their needs, interests, and pain points. Don’t skip this step in the interest of saving time.
Read also: The Best Email Subject Lines For Any Occasion
Conclusion
Black Friday email subject lines must be brief (within character limits), benefits-focused, urgent, catchy, and readable. Use numbers, emojis, and humor sparingly, but hold nothing back regarding email personalization.
Mastering the art of writing subject lines starts well before Black Friday. You should have already segmented your audience and split-tested some sample email subject lines long before people start thinking about Turkey Day.
Your hard work all month will pay back dividends when your email marketing campaign is a rousing success.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. When should I announce my Black Friday sale?
Ideally, the sooner, the better. Your deal doesn’t have to go live this early, but you should email your audience about your upcoming deals at least two Fridays before the big day. The least amount of leeway is seven days before Black Friday.
You don’t need to have nailed down your offer yet; a brief teaser of what’s to come doesn’t have to delve into specifics.
2. How can I save time with my Black Friday email marketing campaign?
In a word, automation. You only have 24 hours, as do the rest of your staff. Setting up an email automation workflow before your Black Friday campaign goes live ensures your emails reach your audience optimally while you enjoy some turkey leftovers.
3. How many emails should I send during Black Friday?
You can’t rely on a single email to make an impact. You should start teasing your Black Friday campaign in advance, then send an email the night before. Email your audience on Black Friday (likely more than once), and then remind them your deals are ending as the day ends. You should also send a post-Black Friday message.
