We've reached the point in Black Friday prep where I'm writing slightly unhinged and definitely sassy subject lines.
Here's one I'm really using for a sports industry client: "Select mats are 10-15% OFF. No blood or sweat required."
That's actually the preview text. Subject line is "The Black Friday Sale is LIVE!"
So you get clarity on the offer to launch the sale, then you follow up with something that piques enough curiosity to stand out in the flood of sameness filling inboxes for the next 7 days.
Let's say someone's inbox cuts off my preview text, so it just ends like this: "No blood..."
That's enough to make them go "HUH?"
Some may hate it, but the top customer is a wrestling coach. He's familiar with faces getting smushed into the training mat, and yes - BLOOD.
If I did my job right, that wrestling coach will laugh. Then he'll open the email and buy a training mat for our BF sale.
Don't be just one more of the thousands of "Black Friday Sale is LIVE 🔥" subject lines blurring into obscurity as your customers' eyes glaze over in their inbox.
By the time you hit 9 pm on 11/28, people are going to need something to make them laugh or pique enough curiosity that they open your email and go shopping.
See how many of these subject lines look nearly identical?
The trick is to maintain offer clarity while using enough brand voice that your subject line stands out.
This is just a sample of emails my surveillance tool has received as of 10:40 am today. Now multiply that by about 100, and that's what your customers' inboxes will look like by Monday.
The flood is kicking into high gear now.
Your bonus materials:
At last week's Klaviyo Meetup in Austin with
And make you more money, of course.
We worked through a series of brainstorming exercises, blended with AI prompting, to quickly iterate copywriting that's effective for BFCM.
If you're running out of steam and need a fresh injection of ideas, or you're slightly panicked and feeling behind (you're not alone) try the worksheet our guest coach Lianna Patch prepared for the Klaviyo Meetup Attendees.
And when in doubt, it's okay to be a little unhinged. Now's the time it helps you.
For a "safe" play, simply lean into shopping culture. If you're not ready to talk about blood, sweat, and tears to get attention, you can speak like a Gen Zer and get people excited about the "gifting haul" they're about to bring home with your Black Friday sale.
Cheers to your success, and may your coffee (or stimulant of choice) be strong.
Gabrielle
Client Strategy Director at ebusiness pros, and 3x Klaviyo Community Champion, and Austin Klaviyo Meetup co-host
P.S. If you’re unfamiliar with Lianna Patch, she’s a renowned copywriter specializing in comedy to increase your conversions.