Black Friday is the retail event of the year. For many businesses, it’s the Super Bowl of sales, a chance to rake in serious revenue.
Everyone is fighting for a piece of that pie. Your customers’ inboxes will be flooded, their social media feeds will be bursting, and their attention will be stretched thin.
So, how do you make your brand stand out?
It’s all about the buildup. You can’t just drop a sale on Black Friday morning and expect a rush. No way! You need to get your customers excited, primed, and ready to click “Buy” the moment the clock strikes midnight.
This is where a strategic, well-timed, and super-engaging pre-Black Friday campaign using Email & SMS comes into play.
I’ve seen countless brands make the mistake of starting too late or being too generic. They wait until the last minute and get lost in the noise.
This article will show you how to create irresistible anticipation and drive record-breaking sales in this year’s black friday.
Why you should build hype before black friday
Before we dive into the “how,” let’s talk about the “why.” Why should you spend weeks building hype?
In a nutshell, hype drives exclusivity and urgency.
- It cuts through the noise: Starting early means you reach your audience before every other brand bombards them with “50% OFF!” emails.
- It builds a qualified list: By offering early access incentives, you grow your email and SMS lists with people who are already interested in a deal.
- It protects your infrastructure: Staggered, pre-sale access helps you manage website traffic, preventing the dreaded Black Friday site crash. Nobody wants to lose a sale because their site went down.
Now, let’s proceed to how to build hype before black friday
Phase 1: The Pre-Hype: Preparing Your Audience (3-6 Weeks Out)
Before you hype, make sure you have people to hype to. It might feel early, but this is the time to lay the groundwork. The main goal here is list growth and audience warming.
When should you start your Black Friday email marketing campaign?
The best time to start thinking about and planning your email campaign is 3 to 6 weeks before black friday. Customer-focused content is expected to start rolling out around this time.
Here is a breakdown:
- Late October (4-6 weeks out): Focus on list-building campaigns.
- Early November (2-3 weeks out): Introduce the “teaser” phase.
- The week of Black Friday: Unleash the full-blown urgency and early access.
These are checklists of things to tick off:
- Optimize for Sign-ups and Segmentation
You need a dedicated VIP list for your most eager shoppers. Make it irresistible for people to sign up for your Black Friday VIP list. Utilize pop-ups on your website, banners, and social media links that clearly state the value proposition.
The next phase is Black Friday VIP list segmenting strategy. Once they sign up, segment them instantly. Are they a new subscriber? A loyal customer?
Segmenting allows you to tailor the offers and messaging, making the communication feel personal.
2. The Teaser Campaign
Your first emails and SMS messages shouldn’t be about the deals themselves. They should be about building curiosity. Think of yourself as a movie trailer editor; you want to give a taste without giving away the whole plot.
Email Examples (Teaser):
- Subject Line: Shhh… I have a secret about November 29th.
- Content Idea: A short, visually engaging email with a countdown timer. No discount details yet, just a simple line: “The biggest sale of the year is coming. Are you on the list?”
SMS Examples (Teaser):
- Hey! Just a heads up: The biggest event of the year starts soon. Want early access? Reply YES to confirm your VIP spot. (This is also a great compliance check)
After preparing your audience, the next phase is building momentum
Phase 2: The Momentum; Building Desire and Exclusivity (2-3 Weeks Out)
Now, it’s time to start giving away hints. You want your VIP list to feel truly special. This phase is all about the Black Friday teaser campaigns.
Let’s look at some of the campaigns you can start sending:
1. The sneak peek email
You can start teasing the products or categories that will be on sale, but not the exact discount percentage
Email Content idea: “You’ve asked for it! Our best-selling [Product Category] will be part of the Black Friday sale. Get ready. [Link to Product Category Page]”
Remind your VIPs why they joined: “As a VIP, you’ll be the first to shop before the items sell out.” This taps into the powerful fear of missing out (FOMO).
2. Leveraging SMS for urgency
SMS is brilliant for its immediacy. It’s fast, direct, and has an incredibly high open rate (often over 90%). Use it for bite-sized bursts of excitement.
An example is:
VIP Alert! Only 48 hours until we reveal a HUGE discount. Will it be 30%? 40%? Only our SMS subscribers will know first. Stay tuned!
This is a fantastic time to use a Black Friday countdown and talk about Black Friday early access offers. Display the countdown prominently in your emails and mention the exclusive early access in your SMS messages.
How often should I send Black Friday emails and texts before the sale?
The frequency should gradually ramp up as the date approaches.
You can’t bore people by talking about the sale too much right before it happens; you just need to make sure you’re providing different, useful information in each message.
Phase 3: The Early Access Launch (The Week Of)
This is the big moment. Your goal is to reward the hype you’ve built by driving immediate traffic and sales from your segmented lists.
1. The VIP early access email & SMS
On the day of your VIP early access (typically 24-48 hours before the public sale), you need to make a fuss.
- Email Subject Line: VIP ACCESS IS LIVE! Shop the Black Friday Sale NOW.
- Email Content: A clear, clean email with the discount code (if applicable) and a massive Call-to-Action (CTA) button that links directly to the sale page. Crucially, remind them that the window is closing before the public launch.
SMS:
- VIPs! You’re in! Black Friday Sale is OPEN just for you. Get 40% OFF EVERYTHING before it sells out! Shop here: [Link] (Ends in 24 hrs)
How can I use segmentation to maximize sales during Black Friday hype?
Segmentation is your most powerful tool. It allows you to send personalized Black Friday offers that convert at a higher rate.
These are categories you can segment your lists into:
- Past purchasers (Loyal customers): Send them an extra-special discount or an exclusive bundle as a thank you for their loyalty. E.g.: “Because you’re an amazing customer, get an extra 5% off the sale price with code LOYAL5.”
- High-value cart abandoners: Target customers who’ve left expensive items in their cart in the past 30 days. Send them a unique SMS reminder that their desired item will be on sale, creating a direct path to purchase. E.g.: “Psst… the [Item Name] you were looking at is part of the VIP Black Friday sale! Shop now to secure it.”
- New subscribers (VIP list only): Focus on educating them. Highlight your best-selling items to remove friction from their first-time purchase.
Wrapping Up…
Mastering how to build hype for Black Friday with Email & SMS is less about shouting and more about strategic whispering. It’s a dance of slowly revealing the incredible value you’re offering.
- Start early: Give yourself 4-6 weeks to grow your VIP lists.
- Use both channels: Use Email for detailed previews and beautiful visuals, and SMS for punchy, urgent, and exclusive alerts.
- Segment, Segment, Segment: Treat your most loyal customers like true VIPs with special early access.
By creating this sense of anticipation and exclusivity, you’re not just running a sale; you’re launching an event.
And when Black Friday finally hits, your audience will be lined up (digitally, of course), ready to buy, making your sales day less about frantic competition and more about celebrating the revenue you’ve already secured.
Now, go start planning that countdown.
