8+ Black Friday Marketing Strategies You Can Steal This Year

10 Best Black Friday Marketing Strategies That Actually Work

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Black Friday success isn’t about last-minute discounts, it’s about building momentum early with smart preparation, segmented offers, and campaigns that convert.

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1. Start Early and Build Anticipation

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Look, if you're waiting until November 28th to launch your marketing strategy for black friday, you've already lost.

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The brands that win Black Friday start building momentum in September end to October—yes, that's 4-6 weeks before the actual day. 

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Why? Because your audience needs time to get excited, plan their budgets, and prioritize your offer over the dozens of others flooding their inbox.

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Here's how to build anticipation:

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• Teaser emails that hint at what's coming without revealing everything. Think: "Something big is dropping November 10th. You'll want to see this."
  
  
• Countdown popups on your website that create urgency. A simple "Early access in 12 days" banner works wonders.
  
  
• Social media hints that get people talking. Drop breadcrumbs about your offer, behind-the-scenes prep, or sneak peeks of what's included.
  
  
• VIP early access for your best customers or email subscribers. Example: "Early access for VIPs starts Nov 10—sign up to get first dibs." This makes people feel special and drives list growth fast.

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Why starting early actually works:

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Your open rates go up because people aren't drowning in Black Friday emails yet. You're capturing attention when inboxes are still manageable. 

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You grow your email list with people who genuinely want to hear from you. And most importantly, your customers show up ready to buy—not scrambling to figure out if your offer is worth it.

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2. Segment and Reward Your VIP Customers

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Not all customers are created equal, and your black friday marketing strategies shouldn't treat them that way.

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Your loyal customers, repeat buyers, and highest spenders deserve more than a generic "30% off everything" email. They want to feel valued. 

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And, when you treat them like VIPs, they spend more, stick around longer, and tell their friends about you.

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Here's how to segment and reward the right way:

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• Exclusive early access before your main sale goes live. Give your best customers a 24 to 48-hour head start. Email subject line? Something like: "[First Name], your 24-hour head start begins now." Personal, direct, and impossible to ignore.
  
  
• Extra discount codes just for them. If everyone gets 20% off, your VIPs get 30% or a bonus gift with purchase. It's a small investment that pays off in loyalty.
  
  
• Loyalty tiers that reward repeat behavior. Bronze, silver, gold, whatever you call it, make sure top-tier customers know they're getting the best deal you're offering.
  
  
• Reactivation campaigns for customers who haven't purchased in a while. Black Friday is the perfect excuse to win them back with a "we miss you" email and an exclusive offer.
  
  
• Personalized bundles based on past purchases. If someone bought your software last year, offer them an upgrade or add-on at a special rate.

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The result?

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Your conversion rates climb because you're targeting people already primed to buy. Your customer lifetime value increases because loyalty breeds more loyalty. 

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And post-Black Friday churn drops, people who feel appreciated don't disappear after the sale ends.

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Treating VIPs like VIPs isn't just good black friday marketing strategies—it's good business year-round.

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3. Optimize Your Email Marketing Strategy for Black Friday

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Your inbox on Black Friday looks like a warzone. Everyone's screaming "SALE! SALE! SALE!" in all caps with five exclamation points. 

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If your black friday email marketing strategy doesn't cut through that noise, you're invisible.

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The difference between emails that convert and emails that get deleted? A solid plan, smart timing, and a subject line that doesn't sound like everyone else's.

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Plan your email cadence like a campaign, not a one-off blast:

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1. Teaser email (2-3 weeks out): Build curiosity without revealing the full offer yet.
   
   
2. VIP early access (24-48 hours before public launch): Reward your best customers first.
   
   
3. Launch email (Black Friday morning): This is go-time. Clear offer, strong CTA, no fluff.
   
   
4. Cart recovery emails (same day and next day): Someone added to cart but didn't buy? Remind them why they wanted it.
   
   
5. Last chance email (Cyber Monday or end of sale): Create urgency. "This ends in 6 hours" works because FOMO is real.
   
   
6. Post-purchase follow-up (1-2 days after): Thank them, ask for a review, suggest related products.
   
   
7. Test your subject lines and preview text before you hit send: Your subject line is the gatekeeper. If it doesn't grab attention in 2 seconds, your email dies unopened.
   
   

Example subject lines that work:

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• "Your Black Friday offer is live 🚀"
• "You're on the early-access list—claim your deal now
• "[First Name], this won't last long"
• "Still thinking about it? Here's 20% off to help you decide"
  
  

8. Warm your domain if you're sending more emails than usual. A sudden spike in volume can trigger spam filters.
   
   
9. Segment your lists so you're only emailing people who actually want to hear from you. Generic blasts hurt your sender reputation.
   
   
10. Clean out inactive users before Black Friday. If someone hasn't opened an email in 6+ months, remove them. Quality over quantity always wins.

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A strong black friday email marketing strategy is about sending the right emails to the right people at the right time.

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4. Use Urgency and Scarcity Intelligently

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Urgency works. Scarcity works. But fake urgency? That kills trust faster than anything else in your black friday marketing strategies.

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You don't need to fake urgency when you can create real urgency.

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How to use urgency and scarcity the right way:

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• Countdown timers that actually count down to something real. If your sale ends at midnight, show it. Put the timer in your emails, on your website, in your social posts. Let people see the clock ticking.
  
  
• Stock alerts when inventory is genuinely low. "Only 5 left in stock" hits different when it's true. If you have 500 units, don't lie—but if you're down to single digits, absolutely let people know.
  
  
• Limited-time offers with clear end dates. "This deal ends in 2 hours" or "Early access closes Friday at 5 PM." Be specific. Vague deadlines don't create action.
  
  
• Flash sales within your sale. Drop a surprise 1-hour bonus discount mid-campaign. It rewards people who are paying attention and creates a mini-spike in activity.

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The trust factor:

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Here's what separates smart black friday marketing strategies from sketchy ones: transparency. 

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Why? You want them coming back in January, March, and next November. Real urgency drives sales today. Trust drives sales forever.

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Use urgency to create action. Use honesty to create customers for life.

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5. Invest in Mobile Optimization

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If your marketing strategy for black friday doesn't work on mobile, you're losing money. Plain and simple.

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Over 70% of Black Friday sales now happen on mobile devices. They're shopping from their couch, from the office, from the back of an Uber. 

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If your site loads slow, your checkout is clunky, or your buttons don't work on a small screen, they're gone. And they're not coming back.

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Here's what mobile optimization actually looks like:

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• Fast load speed is non-negotiable. If your page takes more than 3 seconds to load, you've lost half your traffic. Compress images, minimize scripts, use a CDN. Speed matters more than fancy design.
  
  
• Sticky CTAs that stay visible as people scroll. Your "Add to Cart" or "Claim Offer" button should follow them down the page. Don't make people hunt for it.
  
  
• Autofill-enabled checkout that remembers shipping info and payment details. Every extra field you make someone type on mobile is another chance they abandon cart.
  
  
• Thumb-friendly design where buttons are big enough to tap without zooming. Navigation is simple. Forms are minimal. Everything works with one hand.

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Before your campaign goes live, test everything:

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Pull out your phone and actually buy something from your own site. Then do it again on an Android. Then on a tablet. Click every button. Fill out every form. Go through the checkout twice.

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Mobile optimization isn't a nice-to-have in your marketing strategy for black friday. It's the foundation everything else is built on.

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6. Run Retargeting Campaigns Across Platforms

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Most people don't buy the first time they see your offer. They browse, they think about it, they get distracted, they forget. 

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That's where retargeting comes in. And it's one of the most underused black friday marketing strategies out there.

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Retargeting lets you show up again for people who've already shown interest. They visited your site, clicked your ad, added something to the cart—they're warm. Way warmer than cold traffic. 

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Where to run your retargeting campaigns:

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• Facebook and Instagram for visual, scroll-stopping ads. Great for reminding people what they looked at and showing them what they're missing.
  
  
• Google Display and YouTube to follow them across the web. Someone researched your product? Show them why now's the time to buy.
  
  
• LinkedIn if you're B2B. Decision-makers are active there, and retargeting keeps your offer top of mind during their workday.

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Learn More: How to Advertise on LinkedIn to Generate Unlimited Leads

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Segment your audiences like you actually know them:

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• Cart abandoners are the lowest-hanging fruit. They were this close to buying. Hit them with: "Still thinking it over? Your 30% off deal expires tonight."
  
  
• Past buyers who haven't purchased this year. Offer them a "welcome back" deal or exclusive loyalty discount.
  
  
• Product page viewers who didn't add to cart. Show them reviews, benefits, or a limited-time offer to push them over the edge.
  
  
• Homepage visitors who bounced. They're curious but not convinced. Retarget with your best offer and social proof.

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Optimize your creative and don't annoy people:

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• Rotate your ad creative so people aren't seeing the exact same ad 47 times.
  
  
• Cap your frequency at 3-5 impressions per day max.
  
  
• Use dynamic ads that show the exact product they viewed. 

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Be present when someone's ready to decide. And in black friday marketing strategies, that second (or third, or fourth) impression is often the one that closes the deal.

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7. Bundle Products and Increase Average Order Value (AOV)

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Discounting is great. But you know what's better? Getting people to spend more while they're already buying. 

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That's where bundling comes in—and it's one of the smartest black friday marketing strategies you can use.

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How to bundle products the right way:

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• Product bundles that make sense together. Don't just throw random items in a package—pair things people actually use together. Example: "Buy a jacket + jeans, get 20% off shoes." It's a complete outfit, and the discount on the third item feels like a bonus.
  
  
• Add-on suggestions at checkout. "Customers who bought this also added..." works because it's social proof and a nudge at the same time. Keep suggestions relevant and easy to add with one click.
  
  
• Tiered discounts that reward bigger purchases. "Spend $100, get 15% off. Spend $200, get 25% off." People will add that extra item to hit the next tier—it's human nature.
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• Buy X, Get Y deals like "Buy 2, Get 1 Free" or "Buy any 3 items, get the cheapest one free." It creates perceived value without killing your margins.
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• Gift bundles if you sell products that work as gifts. "The Ultimate Holiday Bundle" or "Everything They Need Starter Pack." Pre-packaged bundles save customers decision fatigue and increase your AOV.
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• Use dynamic recommendations powered by browsing behavior. If someone's looking at software, suggest the premium plan or an add-on integration. If they're buying a product, show accessories or upgrades.

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Why bundling beats straight discounting:

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Higher perceived value means customers feel like they're getting a better deal—even if your actual discount is smaller. 

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You move more inventory without tanking profit margins. And you create a better customer experience because you're solving multiple needs at once.

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8. Automate Your Abandoned Cart and Post-Purchase Sequences

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People get distracted, second-guess the purchase, or plan to come back later (but never do).

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Without a solid black friday email marketing strategy to bring them back, that's money walking out the door.

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The good news? Abandoned cart emails recover 10-15% of lost revenue. And when you automate the sequence, it runs on autopilot while you focus on everything else.

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Your abandoned cart automation flow should look like this:

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• 1st reminder: 2 hours after abandonment
  
  
• 2nd reminder: 24 hours later with urgency
  
  
• 3rd reminder: 48 hours later with a smaller incentive
  
  
• Don't stop at the sale—automate post-purchase sequences too.
  
  
• Thank you email.
  
  
• Cross-sell or upsell email.
  
  
• Review request email.
  
  
• Loyalty or repeat purchase offer

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Why automation is non-negotiable in your black friday email marketing strategy:

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You can't manually chase every abandoned cart or send personalized follow-ups to hundreds of customers. 

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Automation does it for you—consistently, timely, and at scale. It recovers revenue you'd otherwise lose and builds relationships that last way beyond Black Friday.

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Set it up once, and let it work while you sleep.

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9. Use Cold Email Outreach for B2B Black Friday Promotions

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Everyone thinks Black Friday is just for B2C. But if you're selling to businesses, whether you're a SaaS company, agency, wholesaler, or service provider, cold email outreach for black friday is one of the most underutilized strategies out there.

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While consumer brands are blasting their email lists, decision-makers at B2B companies are still checking their inboxes, still solving problems, and still open to offers that help them win Q4. 

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The key? Your outreach can't look like every other "50% OFF!!!" email they're ignoring.

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Explore Further: Best Time to Send Cold Emails (Backed by Data & Research)

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When to start your cold email outreach:

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Start 2-3 weeks before so you have time to build conversations, follow up, and close deals before everyone checks out for the holidays.

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Your 3-email sequence for Black Friday outreach:

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👉 Email 1: Lead with value, not just a discount

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Example: "Hey [First Name], helping 50+ eCommerce brands increase sales by 30% this Black Friday—want to see how?"

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Then explain what you do, drop a soft offer (limited spots, exclusive pricing, bonus included), and include one clear CTA.

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👉 Email 2: Reminder + a relevant use case

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Example: "[First Name], quick follow-up—one of our clients used this exact strategy last Black Friday and closed $400K in new pipeline. Worth a 15-minute call to see if it fits your goals?"

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Keep it short. Reinforce the value. Make it easy to say yes.

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👉 Email 3: Final call with urgency and a clear CTA

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Example: "Last call, [First Name]. We're locking in Black Friday pricing this Friday, and I don't want you to miss it. If you're interested, let's chat this week. If not, no worries—I'll circle back in Q1."

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Give them an out, but make it clear this is time-sensitive.

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Personalization and compliance are everything:

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• Generic cold emails get deleted. Personalized ones get read. Reference their company, their role, or something specific about their business. Show you've done 10 seconds of research.
  
  
• Avoid spam triggers like ALL CAPS, excessive exclamation points, or words like "free," "guarantee," or "act now." Write like a human talking to another human.
  
  
• Stay compliant with CAN-SPAM and GDPR. Include an unsubscribe link, use a real reply-to address, and don't buy sketchy email lists.

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More on This: How to Increase Your Cold Email Response Rate (10 Proven Tactics)

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Why cold email outreach for Black Friday works in B2B:

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B2B buyers don't shop on impulse. They need context, trust, and a reason to act now. 

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Cold email outreach for black friday gives you a reason to reach out, a hook to start the conversation, and a deadline that creates urgency.

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At Cleverly, we've helped thousands of B2B companies use cold outreach to generate millions in pipeline—and Black Friday is one of the best times to do it. 

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Decision-makers are wrapping up budgets, planning for next year, and looking for ways to close Q4 strong.

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Your job? Show up in their inbox with an offer they can't ignore.

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10. Analyze, Measure, and Optimize Post-Black Friday

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Your black friday marketing strategy doesn't end when the sale does. In fact, what you do after Black Friday might be more important than the campaign itself.

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Most brands run their promotions, count the revenue, and move on. The best ones? They treat Black Friday like a learning lab—digging into what worked, what flopped, and how to do it better next time.

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What to track after your Black Friday campaign:

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• ROI (Return on Investment): How much did you spend on ads, emails, and tools versus how much revenue you generated? If you're not profitable, something needs to change.
  
  
• Conversion rate: What percentage of visitors actually bought? If traffic was high but conversions were low, your offer or site experience needs work.
  
  
• Email performance: Open rates, click rates, and unsubscribe rates. Which subject lines crushed it? Which emails got ignored? This data is gold for your next campaign.
  
  
• List growth: How many new subscribers or leads did you capture? Black Friday should grow your audience, not just extract short-term sales.
  
  
• Post-sale retention: Did people who bought during Black Friday come back? Or did they disappear? One-time buyers are nice. Repeat customers are the goal.
  
  
• Average order value (AOV): Did your bundling and upsells work? If AOV was low, rethink your offers next time.

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Conduct a campaign post-mortem:

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• What performed? Which emails had the highest open rates? Which ads drove the most conversions? Which products flew off the shelves? Double down on what worked.
  
  
• What didn't? Which tactics flopped? Which channels underperformed? Which offers didn't resonate? Cut the dead weight.
  
  
• What surprised you? Sometimes your best-performing asset is something you didn't expect. Pay attention to the outliers—they're often your biggest opportunities.

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The best marketers don't treat Black Friday as a one-time sprint. They treat it as a test ground for what resonates with their audience, what drives action, and what builds long-term value.

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Bonus Tip — Combine Email + SMS for Maximum Impact

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Most brands either ignore SMS completely or spam people until they unsubscribe. 

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But when you combine email and SMS strategically, you create a multichannel experience that's hard to ignore—without being annoying.

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When to use SMS in your Black Friday campaign:

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• Urgency reminders when time is actually running out. "Your VIP Black Friday access ends in 3 hours—tap to claim." SMS feels immediate, so use it for moments that demand immediate action.
  
  
• Limited-time flash drops that your email list might miss. If you're dropping a surprise 2-hour bonus deal, SMS gets people there fast.
  
  
• Cart abandonment nudges for high-intent shoppers. They added to cart but didn't check out? A quick text reminder can close the deal.
  
  
• VIP early access alerts for your best customers. Make them feel special by texting them first—before the email even goes out.

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SMS best practices that keep people subscribed:

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• Send within working hours (9 AM - 8 PM in their timezone). Texting someone at midnight is a fast way to get blocked.
  
  
• Always include an opt-out option. Every SMS should have "Reply STOP to unsubscribe" or similar. It's not just polite—it's the law.
  
  
• Limit to 2-3 messages per campaign. SMS is intimate. Overdo it and people will unsubscribe faster than you can say "Black Friday." Quality over quantity.
  
  
• Keep it short and actionable. No one wants to read a paragraph in a text. Get to the point, include a clear CTA, and make it tappable.
  
  
• Personalize when possible. Use their first name, reference their cart, or acknowledge their VIP status. Generic texts feel like spam.

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Example SMS that works:

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"Hey [First Name], your VIP Black Friday access ends in 3 hours—tap to claim: [link]"

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Short. Urgent. Personal. Clear action.

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Supercharge Your Black Friday Outreach with Cleverly

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If your cold email outreach for black friday looks like everyone else's generic "limited time offer" blast, it's getting deleted. 

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Timing and targeting are everything when inboxes are flooded and attention spans are nonexistent.

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That's where we come in.

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At Cleverly, we help B2B companies execute cold email campaigns that actually cut through the noise. 

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We're talking personalized outreach that feels human, subject lines optimized for opens (not spam folders), and deliverability-safe systems that make sure your emails land in the primary inbox—not promotions, not spam.

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The results? Brands using Cleverly's outreach campaigns see up to 40% more engagement during peak-season promotions. More opens. More replies. More meetings booked.

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We've helped over 10,000 clients—including teams at Amazon, Google, Uber, and PayPal—generate $312 million in pipeline revenue. 

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Want help turning your Black Friday campaigns into booked meetings and revenue?

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Let Cleverly manage your outreach while you focus on conversions. We'll handle the strategy, the targeting, the follow-ups—you handle closing the deals.

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Get started with Cleverly →

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Wrap Up

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With the right black friday marketing strategy, you're not just running a sale, you're building anticipation, rewarding loyalty, automating what matters, and turning one-time buyers into repeat customers.

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Start early. Segment smart. Test everything. And don't forget: the brands that win Black Friday aren't the ones shouting the loudest—they're the ones showing up consistently, authentically, and right when their audience is ready to buy.

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Now go execute. Your best Black Friday is waiting.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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