Everyone knows that Black Friday is one of the busiest shopping days of the year. But how do you break through the news and stand out in a customer’s inbox?
To inspire your Black Friday email marketing campaigns, we’re going to share some of our favorite examples. And to sweeten the pot, we’re even going to add in some amazing Black Friday SMS examples.
While reading through these examples, try to imagine how you can use email and SMS in conjunction to create a seamless and effective multi-channel marketing campaign.
reMarkable: Black Friday is Ending
We talked a lot about building a sense of urgency in our Guide to Holiday Email Marketing. This email from reMarkable is a perfect example. They get straight to the point and let customers know that their sale is ending soon. And to make it a little more dramatic, they added a countdown timer.
Here’s HTML code that you can use for the same effect. This version, borrowed from W3 schools, ends at midnight on Black Friday, but you can easily change the date to match your own needs.
<!DOCTYPE HTML>
<html>
<head>
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
<style>
p {
text-align: center;
font-size: 60px;
margin-top: 0px;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<p id="demo"></p>
<script>
// Set the date we're counting down to
var countDownDate = new Date("Nov 26, 2021 23:59:59").getTime();
// Update the count down every 1 second
var x = setInterval(function() {
// Get today's date and time
var now = new Date().getTime();
// Find the distance between now and the count down date
var distance = countDownDate - now;
// Time calculations for days, hours, minutes and seconds
var days = Math.floor(distance / (1000 * 60 * 60 * 24));
var hours = Math.floor((distance % (1000 * 60 * 60 * 24)) / (1000 * 60 * 60));
var minutes = Math.floor((distance % (1000 * 60 * 60)) / (1000 * 60));
var seconds = Math.floor((distance % (1000 * 60)) / 1000);
// Output the result in an element with id="demo"
document.getElementById("demo").innerHTML = days + "d " + hours + "h "
+ minutes + "m " + seconds + "s ";
// If the count down is over, write some text
if (distance < 0) {
clearInterval(x);
document.getElementById("demo").innerHTML = "EXPIRED";
}
}, 1000);
</script>
</body>
</html>Aesop: Amid the Festive Hustle and Bustle
This beautiful email from Aesop takes a much different approach. Instead of creating urgency with a countdown timer, they acknowledged shoppers’ holiday anxiety and offered a solution to calm their nerves.
Everything from the calming colors to the intriguing illustration is a welcome departure from the usual chaotic advertising of BFCM.
Article: Black Friday is Here
We like using GIFs in emails. Motion is a great way to capture a reader’s attention and urge them to click. This example from Article highlights their product (the chair) and keeps the text short and sweet. The result is clean and minimal, which matches the Article aesthetic perfectly.
Patagonia: You Donate, We’ll Match
In typical Patagonia fashion, they decided NOT to advertise their sales on Black Friday. We love this approach because it is entirely on-brand for the outdoor retailer. Patagonia is well known for its activist approach to marketing. It has resulted in a cult following that stretches from the mountains of Colorado to the boardrooms of Palo Alto to the trading floors of the New York Stock Exchange and beyond.
Rifle Paper Co: All We Want For Christmas Is…
We chose this example from Rifle Paper Co. because it is one of the few emails that we came across that remember the reason for Black Friday shopping: Christmas! This email does an excellent job of reminding everyone to get into the Christmas spirit.
Run Gum
We like this SMS from Run Gum for so many reasons. First, it is personalized and greets the recipient by name. Next, it says the sender’s name, which tells the recipient that there is someone else on the other line that they can respond to. Next, it mentions that an email accompanies this text (and you already know how much we like to use email and SMS together).
Ballsy
This SMS from Ballsy also has a lot to offer. We like the holiday image and how they used an emoji to come across as a little more playful. They also added a deadline, which is perfect for SMS because people tend to read text messages right away.
Brooklinen
Brooklinen treats the recipient like a VIP with this SMS. By telling the subscriber that they get “first access … before anyone else” makes them feel special and helps turn them into loyal customers.
Nation LTD
Sometimes a message, especially a text message, doesn’t need to be long. For example, this message from Nation LTD gets straight to the point: 30% off.
CROSSNET
The copy on this SMS from CROSSNET checks all the boxes. It outlines a problem, offers a solution (backed by Target), shows how the product provides value, and presents a straightforward call to action.
What more could you want?
As you can see, there several different approaches to email and SMS marketing. We hope these Black Friday examples help you develop some creative ideas that match your unique brand.
Now, let’s get to creating!
Email examples are from Really Good Emails and SMS examples are from Fantastic Texts.
