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If you run a business, you already know what\u2019s coming: the most competitive email weekend of the year.<\/p>\n
In 2024, shoppers spent an eye-popping $41.1 billion<\/a> online during Cyber Week, an 8% jump from the year before. And Adobe expects this year\u2019s holiday season to cross the $250 billion mark<\/a> in online sales for the first time ever.<\/p>\n While social feeds are overflowing and ad costs spike during the holidays, email remains the one channel you truly own. The inbox is where your customers stop, open and shop<\/a> \u2014 if your messages make it to them in the first place.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s how to get your email marketing in shape before Black Friday<\/a> hits.<\/p>\n Related: Online Shoppers Spent More Than Ever on Black Friday \u2014 And Now Cyber Monday Is Set to Break Records, Too<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n If your brand\u2019s been quiet most of the year, don\u2019t go from zero to 100 on Black Friday week. Sending a massive campaign out of the blue can set off every spam filter<\/a> in sight and crush your deliverability before your first sale even rolls in.<\/p>\n Plan your sending cadence carefully. When you suddenly start emailing thousands of people, your messages look suspicious. So warm up your domain slowly and start sending smaller batches of emails before Black Friday. This helps mailbox providers recognize you as a consistent, legitimate sender again.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s the hard truth: no matter how careful you are, email lists decay fast. In fact, 28% of the average email list<\/a> goes bad every year. People change jobs, abandon inboxes, or mistype their addresses when they sign up.<\/p>\n If you don\u2019t clean your list before the holidays, bounce-backs are just one of the risks. High bounce rates signal to mailbox providers that you could be sending spam. That can drag down your domain reputation and push your future emails to spam.<\/p>\n Run your database through an email validation service to remove inactive and fake addresses<\/a>. This simple step can improve your deliverability and engagement right away. It protects your domain just when you need it most.<\/p>\n Now that you\u2019ve cleaned your list, it\u2019s time to think about how you\u2019ll approach it in the next few weeks. You need different tactics for every segment of your audience, but don\u2019t be intimidated \u2014 you can still keep things simple.<\/p>\n First, instead of blasting your full list, focus on the subscribers who actually engage with your brand \u2014 the people who open, click and buy<\/a>. Send them early access to your offers, a sneak peek or a small loyalty reward. When customers feel valued, they respond. You\u2019ll see higher open and conversion rates as a result.<\/p>\n Targeting your most active segments also protects your sender reputation as clicks signal interest. That means more of your emails will go to the inbox. It\u2019s a smarter approach that ensures your messages reach the people who are most likely to convert.<\/p>\n Next, consider warming up your inactive audience so you can gauge where they stand with your brand. Not everyone on your list needs a discount. Some just need a reminder of why they signed up.<\/p>\n Send a simple \u201cHere\u2019s what\u2019s new before the holidays\u201d email to re-engage them. Keep it conversational and light. You\u2019re not pushing a sale yet; you\u2019re rebuilding familiarity.<\/p>\n Those who open and click again can be moved into your \u201cwarm\u201d segment ahead of your Black Friday campaign. You\u2019ll head into the holidays with a more responsive list<\/a> and fewer surprises when it matters most.<\/p>\n Every inbox will be flooded with \u201cHurry!\u201d \u201cFinal hours!\u201d and \u201cDon\u2019t miss out!\u201d subject lines. It\u2019s the noisiest time of the year, and that\u2019s exactly why sounding human helps you stand out.<\/p>\n Talk to your customers like real people, not prospects in a funnel. Share what you value, tell a quick story about your brand or highlight how your product can make their lives easier this season.<\/p>\n Even a small shift in tone, like swapping \u201cBuy now before it\u2019s gone!\u201d for \u201cWe saved something special for you,\u201d can change how people respond. When every other brand sounds robotic, being uniquely you<\/i> is your biggest differentiator.<\/p>\n Related: 5 Black Friday Strategies to Turn Holiday Browsers into Instant Buyers<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n A lot of brands go all-in for Black Friday, then disappear until spring. That\u2019s a mistake. Your goal is to earn long-term loyalty.<\/p>\n Send campaigns and newsletters consistently so you can keep your customers engaged beyond Cyber Week. After the sale, you could follow up with a product tip or an educational email. Think of simple gestures to build goodwill and keep prospects opening your emails long after the discounts are gone.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n If you run a business, you already know what\u2019s coming: the most competitive email weekend of the year.<\/p>\n In 2024, shoppers spent an eye-popping $41.1 billion<\/a> online during Cyber Week, an 8% jump from the year before. And Adobe expects this year\u2019s holiday season to cross the $250 billion mark<\/a> in online sales for the first time ever.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe rest of this article is locked.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJoin Entrepreneur+<\/span> today for access.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n Published by Dralys Blog \u2013 Stories | Insights | Innovation<\/strong><\/p>\n Discover more on DralysStore.com<\/a><\/p>\n1. Warm up your domain (especially if you haven\u2019t been emailing regularly)<\/b><\/h2>\n
2. Clean and validate your list<\/b><\/h2>\n
3. Focus on your best segments<\/b><\/h2>\n
4. Re-engage the people who used to like you<\/b><\/h2>\n
5. Keep your tone human (because everyone else sounds like a billboard)<\/b><\/h2>\n
Bonus tip: Don\u2019t burn your list for one weekend<\/b><\/h2>\n
Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n
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