How to Plan Your Black Friday Emails (Without Crying Into Your Pumpkin Pie)

We’ve all seen her: the business owner furiously typing at 11:53 PM the night before Thanksgiving, trying to write a “last call” email while basting a turkey and resisting the urge to throw her laptop across the kitchen.

My advice? Don’t be her.

Instead, let’s plan your Black Friday emails the smart way—with plenty of white space, breathing room, and actual strategy (not stress-induced subject lines). Whether you’re launching a new offer or putting a best-seller on sale, here’s how to get your Black Friday emails prepped and polished before the stuffing hits the table.

BLACK FRIDAY SALES EMAILS: PLAN NOW, PROFIT LATER

1) Decide on Your Offer First

Before you write a single word, get clear on what you’re selling.

A juicy, specific offer makes email planning easier—and it helps your readers say “heck yes” faster. Your emails need to lead somewhere, and if you don’t know the destination, your copy will just wander in circles.

🧠 The Smart Sell: This Black Friday, focus on one irresistible offer that makes saying “yes” easy. Think: your signature service with a fast-action bonus, a course bundle, or first dibs on a new digital product that makes people feel like they’re getting the VIP treatment.

2) Map Out Your Email Timeline

You don’t need to send 27 sales emails. You need the right emails at the right time.

Here’s a simple timeline to get you started:

• Teaser Email: Build anticipation and let your list know something’s coming. Send Date: 1 Week Before Black Friday
• Launch Day Email: Announce the offer and why it matters now. Send Date: Black Friday (or Thanksgiving Night, if you’re starting early)
• Mid-Sale Reminder: Share results, social proof, or FAQs. Send Date: If you’re running a traditional Friday-Monday sale, this could be sent on Saturday or Sunday; if you’re including Cyber Monday in your sale, consider sending this on the Sunday after Thanksgiving.
• Last Call Email: Remind your audience that the cart’s closing soon. Send Date: The morning of the last day of your sale
• Optional Bonus: Add a “clicked but didn’t buy” nudge for people who were interested but didn’t take the leap. Send Date: 1-2 days after your sale ends

📅 The Smart Sell: Batch your Black Friday sales emails in advance, so you’re not writing them in real time while also navigating the Thanksgiving holiday chaos!

3) Write Your Sales Emails in Batches

You knew this was coming, right?

Write those sales emails NOW, not the night before.

You’ll sound more confident and clear when you’re not trying to juggle choosing a pumpkin pie recipe and making Canva graphics at the same time. Plus, batching your email copy lets you spot gaps in your messaging and keep your tone consistent from one email to the next.

✏️ The Smart Sell: Grab my sales email freebie or hire a copywriter (hi, it’s me) to do the heavy lifting!

4) Don’t Skimp on the Subject Lines + The CTAs

Hot take: Your subject line matters just as much as the body of your email.

If no one opens it, the rest doesn’t matter. Take time to write subject lines that spark curiosity, hint at urgency, or create a “wait, what?!” moment.

And once they’re inside your email? Your call-to-action should be clear, confident, show some personality (“Learn More” is so boring), and repeat it at least twice!

📬 The Smart Sell: Write 3 subject line options per email, and pick the strongest one. Don’t leave this part for last—it’s not the garnish, it’s the gravy.

5) Segment Your List

If you have a larger email list, segmentation is your secret weapon.

Choosing who gets which sales email (or who doesn’t get them at all!) can help tailor your messaging to speak directly to:

• Past customers (“You know the magic—here’s your upgrade.”)
• People who downloaded your lead magnet, but haven’t bought from you yet
• Subscribers who clicked on a past sales email, but didn’t purchase

💌 The Smart Sell: Even one simple split—past buyers vs. non-buyers—can boost your click-through rate and conversion rate without writing a whole new email sequence.

MAKE THIS THE YEAR YOU DON’T PANIC-WRITE BLACK FRIDAY SALES EMAILS

Planning ahead means you get to enjoy your pie and your profit.

Whether you’re writing the emails yourself or hiring support, the best time to start is NOW, while your energy’s high, your inbox isn’t flooded yet, and your audience is still paying attention.

Want help crafting a sales email strategy without the last-minute spiral? Grab my free sales email guide, or reach out (the earlier, the better!) to inquire about my done-for-you sales email copywriting service. Your future self (and your Thanksgiving dinner) will thank you.