Subject Line Ideas for Black Friday and Cyber Monday Emails
The busiest season for emails is looming. The weekend after Thanksgiving promises to be special. Whether you are a buyer or a seller, Black Friday and Cyber Monday is a period of great deals for sellers and shoppers.
While customers will be full of eager anticipation over the best deals ever, business owners will hastily put things in order, lay the groundwork, map out and certainly get psyched up since it is going to be a crazy weekend with plenty going on in both the real and digital world.
The truth is that even though the biggest shopping event of the year is going to generate substantial revenue, it takes a great deal of effort. With the right tools and a well-thought-out plan, your path to success may be less intimidating. We have already covered several helpful guides to lead you through sending efficient Black Friday and Cyber Monday email newsletters; now it is time to guide you through creating the best converting subject lines to keep open rates high.
The Power of Strong Subject Line
BFCM weekend sees one of the loudest email newsletters of the year. They are bold; they are strong; they are expressive, and they are undoubtedly attention-grabbing. To truly scream, they need to make subscribers open the email newsletter. It is here where the power hidden inside an appealing and strong subject line becomes clear.
A subject line stands between you and subscribers. The entire success of the mission depends on it so be ready to put your heart and soul into creating an excellent headline. Follow our guide and you will learn how to create high converting subject lines for Black Friday and Cyber Monday email campaigns to reach subscribers instead of going to the spam folder.
General Rules of Good Subject Lines for Black Friday Emails
To get excellent open rates, there are several important rules to follow while creating a subject line for a BFCM email newsletter.
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Try FreeOther ProductsGet straight to the point
Get down to business is a technique that works everywhere, and a BFCM email campaign is no exception. With all those incredible deals flying around, people will not have much time to procrastinate and read all their emails. Get straight to the point. Give the crowd what they want right here, right now. For instance:
- Black Friday is ON!
- SALE is HERE
- 70% OFF Everything!
- The best deal of the year!
Make it Simple
Subject: The Apple Shopping Event is almost here
There’s no need to wow subscribers with flowery language. Make it simple. If it is a sale, then say it is a sale. Show it. A best practice is to put critical information right at the beginning of the subject line in the most understandable words.
- 3-Day Black Friday!
- Starts now: 40% Off site-wide!
- 35% Off. Free Shipping
Make it Short
Although a regular subject line may comfortably accommodate 50-60 characters, this is not the case with BFCM email marketing campaigns. The shorter, the better. Remember we are talking about deals, so lay them on the table. Aim for 10-12 characters to convey your message efficiently.
Subject: No Filler, No BS
Another argument in favor of this approach is that long subject lines may be cut off on smaller screens. You run the risk of losing subscribers who prefer to read on a phone and this is a vast audience. Create short subject lines to convey a message regardless of the device.
- Last Chance!
- 50% Off!
- SALE Starts Now!
- Huge Discount!
Make it Pushy
When it comes to sales in the real world, there is no better way to motivate customers to buy something than to apply action words. Use the same trick in BFCM subject lines. Strong words always work. Try not to sound bossy: no one likes that. You need to be just a little pushy. Use such command words as”
- Take
- Buy
- Get
- Find
They are strong without being domineering or dictatorial. Moreover, customers are used to seeing them all the time and even following those commands. Use them without feeling bad.
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Try Startup App Try Slides AppOther ProductsMake it Numerical
Subject: Black Friday Preview: $69.95 Ancestry Kit + 30% off Sitewide
Everyone loves big numbers. The bigger, the better. If you have impressive numbers to brag about, then do it. Be specific about sales; do not hint about discounts. Lure subscribers in by showing exactly what they get.
- Get 50% Discount!
- 70% OFF!
- 24 Hour Sale!
Make it Personal
Personalization is a powerful tool. Subscribers will be bombarded with a ton of deals right after Thanksgiving; using their name in the subject line may help you to stand out. The trick may create a feeling that you recognize and treat a person.
Not everyone will fall for this. Some may consider it an inappropriate familiarity. So test this before putting it into action.
Make it Relevant to the Copy
Let’s make it clear: your subject line describes the text inside. It initiates dialogue, while the content conducts it and leads to the desired action. If the two are not coordinated, subscribers may be disappointed. Align the subject line with the copy to make a smooth transition between the two.
Since users scan rather than read, the best practice is to use an appropriate design to support the subject line. For instance, use the Free Black Friday HTML Email Newsletter Template. From the first glance, it becomes evident that the subject line that announces BFCM weekend and the copy are in sync. Every detail exudes a vibe of the biggest shopping day of the year. With a catchy subject line and this outstanding BFCM-related email newsletter design, you will create a consistent experience and motivate subscribers to click the “Buy Now” button.
If this free template does not match your subject line, you can quickly create another using Postcards. Inside this free online HTML email template builder, you will find a vast collection of numerous handcrafted blocks. Mix and match to pull off an appropriate design as well as customize each section without coding skills.
The resulting email newsletter will work across various email readers and devices flawlessly so that the message will be displayed to subscribers, no matter what.
A dose of creativity does not hurt anybody. What’s more, it is a chance to be noticed since ingenious solutions are almost always eye-catching.
Ask Questions
This trick is drawn from psychology. It is in our nature to answer questions posed to us. Therefore, it will get subscribers’ attention at least for a second. Questions will help ignite interest and provoke action. Remember that the question should be relevant to the event. Make it short and straight to the point. One popular option is to start the subject line with the verb “want” or “ready” like this:
- Ready for a Black Friday Sale?
- Want to Get the Best Discount Ever?
Be Funny
This one is tricky, and not everyone will be able to use since it should not contradict with the established tone and theme. However, it can be a powerful tool.
Funny remarks and witty puns lighten the mood and make people smile, creating a positive and inviting mood. When people are relaxed it is easier to deliver a message. Use playful, droll subject lines to get subscribers on your side.
- It’s now or never…
- Pssst! Get the 30% OFF this Black Friday
- Better Than Their Deals
- OMG, The biggest sale ever!
Be Emotional
This is another tricky but beneficial solution. Emotions are what separate you from others. Dry, dull, and impassive subject lines fade in comparison. The best way to express your feelings and make the subject line exciting is to use emojis. Not only do they convey information in an unobtrusive way, but they are also compact, giving you extra space to maneuver. You can do many things with these tiny graphical cues, from accentuating attention on discounts to stressing urgency.
Note, before using emojis in your subject line, make sure your subscribers will see them since not all email readers support them.
Stress Urgency
We could not do without stressing urgency in our subject lines during the hot sale season. Everyone is going to do this. It will work for you as well. People expect time limits, so use this technique shamelessly.
Subject: Last Hours – 30% Off Sitewide – Use Code ’30OFF’ at Checkout
A solid practice is to begin your subject line with a time limit. If you want to maximize the effect, you can also end with it. Typical examples of subject lines with stressed urgency include:
- Last day! 40% Discount
- ONE DAY
- 24 HOUR SALE
- STARTS NOW
- Discount starts Tonight
- Discount ends Tonight
Play the Scarcity Card
Another beloved instrument of email marketers is establishing a sense of scarcity. Fear of missing out is a powerful thing that stimulates customers to make a decision faster. Play the scarcity card in your subject line using popular words and phrases such as:
- Low stock
- Only 1 day
- Moving fast
- Running out
- Almost sold out
Use Preview Text for Higher Conversions
Immediately following the subject line, preview text (PREHEADER TEXT) plays a supportive role. Although you have no more than 50 characters, this will be enough to emphasize the subject line once again. Do not miss an opportunity to reinforce the first impression.
All-Time Favorite Black Friday Subject Lines
From year to year, we see almost the same-old words in the subject lines. Surprisingly, they do not lose their power and viability. Therefore, our all-time favorite subject line words and phrases for Black Friday and Cyber Monday are:
- Black Friday
- Cyber Monday
- Sale
- Free
- Deals
- Special
- Exclusive
- Best Offer Ever
- Free shipping
- Now
- Save
- %
Recent statistics prove that they are valid, so use them in your subject lines without a doubt.
A/B Test
It may seem that the magic word “Sale” will do all the heavy lifting and generate mega revenue. However, subscribers are unique, and their preferences are unique. The first thing to do after you come up with several clever pitches for a subject line is to conduct tests. A/B tests show you what works and what does not.
First, use other seasonal sales to figure out the best converting subject lines. Then do some on-the-spot tests before BFCM to polish the results.
Subject Line Ideas for Black Friday Week
These are the most popular and time-tested subject line ideas for BFCM email newsletters. Try them to see what fits you most.
- Special day
- 50% OFF Entire Store
- Get a free gift
- Save 40%
- Shop
- Best Offer
- VIP Discount
- Buy one get 50% off
- BOGO
- Get amazing deals now!
- Take 30% OFF
Conclusion
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are coming. It is not a time to get comfortable, but you don’t have to be nutty either. If you have a good plan, well-thought-out strategy, and do your homework beforehand, you can enjoy this period as much as your buyers.
Use our guides to create a killer campaign and save yourself from a nerve-racking weekend.
