Black Friday email and SMS campaign: calendar, strategy and copy-ready templates
Three weeks, two channels and a clear plan: what to send each day, to whom and how to automate it to sell more this Black Friday.
Have you ever put together a great Black Friday offer, only to see your email get lost among fifty others when the day comes? On that day every store writes at the same time. The winner is whoever gets in first, reaches the right person and uses the channel that customer actually checks.
A Black Friday email and SMS campaign takes three weeks to prepare. First you warm up your list with teaser emails. Then you give your subscribers early access. On the day itself you send the offer by email and a short SMS to people who have already bought from you. And you wrap up with a last reminder and Cyber Monday.
In this guide you’ll find the day-by-day calendar, how to segment, 5 emails and 3 SMS to copy, and how to automate it all.
When is Black Friday 2026 and when should you start your campaign?
Black Friday 2026 falls on Friday, November 27. Cyber Monday is on Monday, November 30. If you want to know where the date comes from and how it differs from other campaigns, check out our Black Friday glossary entry.
Your campaign should start about two weeks earlier. Many stores bring their discounts forward to the week before. If you wait until Friday, your customer will already have bought somewhere else.
One more thing: before your first campaign, clean up your list. Remove bounces and contacts who haven’t opened anything in months. On high-volume days, mailbox providers keep a closer eye on sender reputation.
Don’t wait until the last minute to send your Black Friday campaign. It’s true that many people expect to receive offers on the day, but if you only send one email on Friday, you’ll be competing with dozens of brands in the same inbox. It’s better to send a few emails in the days before, for example a teaser and early access for your subscribers. That way you secure their attention and, often, the purchase before competition peaks.
Jose Argudo, CMO at Mailrelay
Day-by-day Black Friday campaign calendar
This calendar combines email and SMS. Email tells people about the offer and SMS alerts them at the right moment. Adapt it to how often you send and what you sell.
| Day | Channel | Send | Goal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday, Nov 16 | Teaser: “Black Friday is coming” | Spark interest and encourage sign-ups | |
| Thursday, Nov 19 | Early access invitation | Capture the most interested | |
| Tuesday, Nov 24 | Early access for subscribers | Sell before the competition | |
| Friday, Nov 27 (morning) | The Black Friday offer | Main sale | |
| Friday, Nov 27 (afternoon) | SMS | Short reminder to customers | Reach those who haven’t opened the email |
| Saturday, Nov 28 | Reminder to those who opened but didn’t buy | Win back the undecided | |
| Monday, Nov 30 | Email and SMS | Cyber Monday and last reminder | Close the campaign |
If your list is small or you don’t send often, stick to four sends: the teaser, the early access, the Friday offer and the last reminder on Monday.
Strategy: what to send by email and what by SMS
Email and SMS don’t compete. Each channel does a different job within the campaign.
| Goal | Best channel | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Present the offer with photos and prices | There’s room for products, terms and design | |
| Announce that the offer is live | SMS | It’s read within minutes and doesn’t compete with other emails |
| Give subscribers early access | Rewards your list and leads to an exclusive page | |
| Remind people of an unpaid cart | Email and SMS | Email gives the details and SMS gives the push |
| Last reminder before the offer ends | SMS | Urgency works better in a short message |
| Thank customers for their purchase and get ready for Christmas | Sets up the next campaign without another sales pitch |
Use SMS carefully. It’s a more personal channel and, if you overdo it, people unsubscribe. Two or three SMS throughout the whole campaign are enough. And only send them to contacts who have consented to receive them.
How to segment your list for Black Friday
Sending the same thing to everyone is the most common mistake. With three simple segments your campaign will already be more relevant:
- Customers who have already bought. They get the early access and the Friday SMS. They’re the ones who respond the most.
- Subscribers who open your emails but haven’t bought. They need a clear offer and a good reason to make up their minds: free shipping, a gift or a limited-time discount.
- Inactive subscribers. Better one email than several. If they don’t open it, don’t insist: it would hurt your deliverability.
You can build these segments with your contacts’ groups and fields, and also by their activity: who opened or clicked in your latest campaigns. It’s all explained in the guide to segmentation in email marketing.
Get your Black Friday ready with Mailrelay
Create your segments, design your emails and schedule them in advance. Free for up to 80,000 emails a month.
5 Black Friday emails to copy
Copy these texts and change what’s in square brackets. You’ll find more subject lines in the Black Friday glossary entry.
Subject: Black Friday comes early for you
Preheader: Sign up and get in before anyone else
Hi [name],
This year we’ll have the best prices of the year at [store]. And we want you to see them before anyone else.
If you’re interested, you don’t need to do anything: on Tuesday the 24th we’ll send early access to this same email address.
In the meantime, save what you like to your favorites. You might see it discounted very soon.
[Button: Visit the store]
Email 2. The early access invitation (Nov 19)
Subject: [name], your early access is almost ready
Preheader: On Tuesday we open for subscribers only
Hi [name],
On Tuesday the 24th we’re opening Black Friday only to people subscribed to our newsletter. You’ll get the same discounts as on Friday, but with all the stock available.
We’ll send you the link first thing in the morning. Don’t share it: it’s just for you.
[Button: See what will be discounted]
Email 3. The early access (Nov 24)
Subject: You’re in: your Black Friday starts today
Preheader: Up to [X]% off before anyone else
Hi [name],
As promised: Black Friday is now open for you. Until Thursday, only subscribers can get in.
- [Product or category 1]: [discount]
- [Product or category 2]: [discount]
- Free shipping on orders over [amount]
[Button: Get early access]
Email 4. The Black Friday offer (Nov 27)
Subject: Black Friday: up to [X]% off the entire store
Preheader: Only until midnight on Monday
Hi [name],
Today’s the day. You get up to [X]% off [categories] and free shipping on orders over [amount].
Best-selling products usually sell out on the first day. If you had something in mind, now’s the time.
[Button: See the deals]
Email 5. The last Cyber Monday reminder (Nov 30)
Subject: Final hours: the discount ends tonight
Preheader: Plus, today only, [Cyber Monday perk]
Hi [name],
Our Black Friday ends tonight. And today, because it’s Cyber Monday, [extra perk: gift, express shipping or an additional code].
If you were still thinking it over, you have until 11:59 pm.
[Button: Make the most of the last day]
3 Black Friday SMS to copy
An SMS holds 160 characters. If you use accented letters such as á, í, ó or ú, the message drops to 70 characters and can count as two SMS. That’s why these texts avoid them. We explain it in SMS characters.
| When | SMS | Characters |
|---|---|---|
| Friday, Nov 27 (afternoon) | [Store]: Black Friday is on. Up to 30% off sitewide and free shipping. Shop now: [link] Opt out: [link] | About 135 with short links |
| Unpaid cart | [Store]: Your cart is still saved with the Black Friday discount. Finish here: [link] Opt out: [link] | About 135 with short links |
| Monday, Nov 30 | [Store]: Last day. The Black Friday discount ends today at 11:59 pm. [link] Opt out: [link] | About 125 with short links |
Note two details. The SMS starts with the store’s name, which must match the sender. And it always includes an easy way to unsubscribe.
Email and SMS from the same account
Send your SMS campaigns and combine them with your emails in a single automation.
How to automate the campaign
A good part of the campaign can run on its own. That way you save time right in your busiest week.
Abandoned cart reminder with email and SMS
Lots of carts are abandoned on Black Friday: the customer compares prices and never comes back. With an automation you can send an email after an hour and an SMS the next day to anyone who hasn’t completed their purchase. If your store runs on WooCommerce, you’ll find the steps in the guide to WooCommerce abandoned carts.
Scheduled campaigns
Schedule your campaign emails days in advance. On Friday you’ll only have to check the results and, if needed, send the reminder to those who didn’t open.
Welcome new subscribers
In November lots of new subscribers sign up, drawn in by the offers. Prepare a welcome email that tells them what they’ll receive and gives them access to the campaign right away.
Legal requirements for email and SMS on Black Friday
In Spain, sending commercial communications by email or SMS requires the recipient’s prior consent, under Article 21 of the LSSI (Spanish Information Society Services Act). The only exception is customers with a previous purchase, as long as the offer is for products similar to those they bought and they can easily unsubscribe.
In addition, for SMS the sender name must be registered in the CNMC’s alias registry. If it isn’t, the message may not be delivered. And during sales, the previous price you show must be the lowest you have applied in the previous 30 days, under Spain’s Retail Trade Act (Ley de Ordenación del Comercio Minorista).
Common Black Friday campaign mistakes
Starting on the Friday itself. Your customers have already been receiving offers for a week. If you show up late, you’re competing with everyone else.
Sending too much. An email a day for two weeks wears anyone out. Better fewer sends, and better segmented.
Not testing on mobile. Most emails are opened on mobile. Send a test and check that the button is visible and easy to tap.
Forgetting the aftermath. Black Friday brings in lots of new customers. A thank-you email and another with Christmas ideas turn a purchase into a relationship.
How Mailrelay helps with your Black Friday campaign
With Mailrelay you can prepare the whole campaign from a single account:
| What you need | How you do it in Mailrelay |
|---|---|
| Design the emails | Drag-and-drop editor with templates, and an AI that can generate the template, improve the copy and create images |
| Send the SMS | SMS campaigns from the same dashboard, with your registered alias |
| Segment | Groups, custom fields and activity-based segments |
| Automate | Automations with emails, waits and SMS, including abandoned carts with WooCommerce |
| Measure | Real-time open and click statistics and, with Google Analytics, the sales that come from your links |
The free account includes up to 80,000 emails a month and 20,000 contacts, with no daily limit. And you get human support on every plan. SMS runs on prepaid credit: check the rates on the SMS pricing page.
Start your Black Friday campaign today
Open your free account and get your first teaser ready this week. With human support on every plan.
Black Friday campaign FAQ
When should you start your Black Friday email campaign?
About two weeks before, in mid-November. For Black Friday 2026, which falls on Friday the 27th, it’s a good idea to send the first teaser around Monday the 16th.
How many emails should you send on Black Friday?
Between four and seven over the whole campaign, depending on the size of your list. What matters is segmenting: your customers can receive more sends than inactive subscribers.
Is email or SMS better for Black Friday?
They complement each other. Email presents the offer in detail and SMS alerts people at the right moment. Use SMS only two or three times and with contacts who have authorized it.
What should you put in your Black Friday email subject line?
The specific benefit and urgency, in fewer than 50 characters. For example: “Black Friday: up to 30% off the entire store”.
Can you automate a Black Friday campaign?
Yes. You can schedule emails in advance and create automations for abandoned carts or for welcoming new subscribers, combining email and SMS.
Jose Argudo
CMO at Mailrelay. Writes about email marketing, copywriting and conversion for small businesses and entrepreneurs.