Monica Badiu, Email Copywriter & Copy Coach

Most people assume that Black Friday emails are simple—just announce a discount, and you’re done. But let’s be honest, crafting these emails can feel too ‘salesy’ and a bit off-putting. The experts, however, approach it differently. Today, I’ve brought in a fellow copywriter to share some tips on how to write Black Friday emails that not only drive sales but also feel authentic and engaging.

In this week’s episode of Master the Inbox, I sat down with launch copywriter Nikki Trailor to dive into how to craft Black Friday emails that feel authentic and still drive serious sales.

Watch on YouTube or listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & more

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Black Friday Emails

06:26 The Changing Landscape of Black Friday

10:00 Simplifying Black Friday Promotions: A Case Study

19:45 Standing Out in the Black Friday Inbox

21:16 Disruptive Content and Subject Lines

23:04 Engagement and Proof in Email Campaigns

23:33 Consumer Behavior on Black Friday

24:04 Re-engaging Your Email List Before Black Friday

24:29 The Negative Impact of Extending the Sale Period

25:59 Segmentation and Personalization in Black Friday Emails

28:05 Building Trust and Providing Value to Your Audience

33:46 Using Case Studies, Social Proof, and Testimonials

35:18 Highlighting the Long-Term Benefits of Your Offer

38:27 Being Original and Creative in Subject Lines

39:26 Avoiding Copying Other People’s Subject Lines

40:43 Disruptive and Unconventional Approaches to Stand Out


Hey, this season of Master the Inbox is all about helping you get ready for a profitable Black Friday.


You’ll learn from experts what are the exact steps you should be taking to create a no-brainer offer, build a profitable funnel, keep your list healthy and even write emails that convert without damaging your reputation.


Here’s a glimpse of what you can expect from this episode

Crafting Black Friday emails can feel salesy and off-putting, but experts approach it differently. In this episode, copywriter Nikki Trailer shares tips on writing Black Friday emails that drive sales and feel authentic. They discuss the changing landscape of Black Friday, the importance of strategy and messaging, and the success of a simplified Black Friday promotion. They also touch on the use of disruptive content and subject lines, the need for engagement and proof in email campaigns, and the impact of consumer behavior on Black Friday.

Takeaways

  1. Crafting Black Friday emails requires a different approach to avoid sounding salesy and off-putting.
  2. Black Friday has evolved from a one-day event to a two-month holiday, with brands feeling pressure to extend their promotions.
  3. Simplifying Black Friday promotions can be effective, as demonstrated by a case study where a client generated $36,000 in 24 hours by offering discounts on individual courses.
  4. Disruptive content and subject lines can help emails stand out in a crowded inbox during Black Friday.
  5. Engagement and proof of success are crucial in email campaigns leading up to Black Friday.
  6. Consumer behavior plays a significant role in Black Friday purchasing decisions, and strategic messaging can help capture attention and drive sales. Re-engage your email list before launching a heavy sales period
  7. Avoid extending the sale period after Black Friday
  8. Use segmentation and personalization in Black Friday emails
  9. Build trust and provide value to your audience
  10. Use case studies, social proof, and testimonials to overcome resistance
  11. Highlight the long-term benefits of your offer
  12. Be original and creative in subject lines
  13. Avoid copying other people’s subject lines
  14. Consider disruptive and unconventional approaches to stand out during Black Friday

1. Simplifying Your Black Friday Campaign Can Still Deliver Big Results

Nikki shared an insightful case study about one of her clients who was going on maternity leave right around Black Friday. With limited time and resources, they needed a hands-off, simple campaign that wouldn’t require a lot of customer support. Instead of bundling courses together, they decided to offer individual course discounts with strategic upsells and limited customer service interaction. Nikki explained:

“We decided to strip it back to just 24 hours, like Black Friday should be… It was a risk, but it paid off. We brought in $36,000 from those low-ticket courses in the space of 24 hours.”

So even a short, straightforward campaign can drive significant results if the offer and strategy are right.

2. Segmentation Is Key to Avoiding Subscriber Overwhelm

Nikki emphasized how crucial segmentation was in her successful Black Friday campaign. To avoid sending too many emails to uninterested subscribers, they carefully tagged people who showed interest in the offer:

“We were tracking the links of people who were opening emails, people who had put the sale in their calendar. We reopened the cart for Cyber Monday, but only sent the email to people who had put it in their calendar.”

This targeted approach kept the audience engaged without overwhelming those who weren’t interested in Black Friday, ensuring the offer stayed relevant and valuable to those most likely to convert.

3. Frequency and Reminders Are Essential During Black Friday

Black Friday is a competitive space where everyone’s inbox is bombarded with offers. Nikki’s team sent up to 7 emails on Black Friday alone to stay top-of-mind:


“We knew we were going to send a lot of emails… It was a lot for one day, but we had to remind people because they’re seeing your email in the morning, and then 20 other emails in the next 20 minutes.”

With so much noise, frequent reminders are crucial to capture attention and drive sales, especially when people are shopping around.

4. Timing and Preparation Can Make or Break Your Campaign

While Nikki’s team ran a last-minute Black Friday campaign, she admitted that more preparation could have driven even better results. She emphasized the importance of starting early to build anticipation:

“If I was to do the promotion again, I would convince my clients to book in a little earlier… I’d love to have enough time to build curiosity and showcase each course.”

This reinforces the importance of laying the groundwork well before Black Friday, including nurturing your audience and teasing your offer to increase engagement and anticipation.

5. Avoiding ‘Cart Reopen Fatigue’ Builds Trust

Many brands extend their Black Friday campaigns, which can frustrate consumers. Nikki pointed out that reopening carts or extending sales can undermine trust with your audience:

“A lot of people are reopening the cart for like another week after Black Friday… It’s frustrating as a consumer because you don’t trust the companies when they say the offer is closing.”

Instead, Nikki suggested focusing on segmentation and strategic follow-ups for people who showed clear interest in the offer, without sending blanket emails that reopen the cart for everyone.

6. Case Studies and Social Proof Are Powerful During Black Friday

When it comes to overcoming objections, Nikki recommends using case studies and testimonials. She said:

“I’m always a big fan of case studies… I try to keep it really scannable. People can quickly see where someone was at the start, what results they got, and here’s the offer.”

Social proof shows prospective buyers that your product has worked for others like them, which is crucial for building trust and overcoming hesitation during Black Friday’s buying frenzy.

7. Creative, Disruptive Subject Lines Make a Big Difference

With inboxes overflowing during Black Friday, you need a subject line that stands out. Nikki pointed out how everyone is trying to stand out with overused tactics like emojis and capital letters.

“It’s really hard to find that balance… Everyone is trying to stand out, so you need something that cuts through the noise, but you don’t want to be like everyone else either.”

She emphasized the importance of creativity and originality in subject lines, noting that sometimes going against the grain—like using casual, lowercase subject lines—can be effective.

8. Black Friday is No Longer About One Day, It’s About Long-Term Strategy

Nikki observed that Black Friday has become a two-month-long event for some brands, and small business owners feel pressured to extend their sales periods too. She suggested thinking beyond just the sale day:

“A lot of brands are dragging out their Black Friday promotions… It’s no longer just one day. But for smaller businesses, focusing on smaller, more strategic offers might be better than trying to keep up with the big brands.”

Nikki’s advice was to avoid the pressure of mimicking large companies and instead focus on what works best for your audience and business model.

9. Pre-Black Friday Engagement Is Vital

Nikki stressed that engaging your audience before Black Friday hits is one of the most important steps you can take. She agreed with Monica, who said:

“You can’t wait until Black Friday to start emailing your audience. I always recommend starting with re-engagement campaigns and warming up your list before hitting them with sales.”

By starting early and sharing valuable content before Black Friday, you ensure your audience is more receptive when the sales emails start landing in their inbox.

10. Your Audience Is Smart—Respect Them

One of the main points Nikki reiterated is that your audience is smart, and they can see through gimmicks. She said:

“Your audience is really smart. They know when you’re trying to trick them with fake urgency or over-the-top discounts. That’s why trust and integrity are so important.”

Building long-term relationships with your audience requires honesty and delivering on what you promise, which is even more important during high-pressure sales periods like Black Friday.

Meet my guest, Nikki Trailor

Nikki Trailor is a Launch Copywriter + Strategist who helps online business owners make more money from their courses and coaching programs, in a way that feels good to them and their audience.She’s helped coaches sell out brand new offers, and even doubled one client’s revenue goals – all using her signature lauch framework.

Connect with Nikki:
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Quotes

“People aren’t always buying in the first email… You have to remind them that you exist”

– Nikki Trailor

Ready to Plan Your Black Friday Campaign?

If you want to run a successful Black Friday campaign but need some guidance, I’ve got something special for you. There is a Black Friday resources vault right here.


Hi. And welcome. My name is Monica Badiu. I am a marketing consultant turned conversion copywriter and copy coach. I help online course creators and info product businesses sell more through persuasive, non-spammy, no fluff copywriting.

I teach about copywriting, digital marketing, and conversion strategies tested in my businesses and with my clients. 

Other links:

Want to learn email copywriting?

Start by analyzing what others are doing. My Email Teardown series showcases some of the best (and sometimes worst) examples of sales emails that have hit my inbox. Here’s the link to the playlist. I publish new email reviews every week.

Are you a course creator?

Email marketing is one of those channels you should be developing early on in your business. Here are The 9 Email Automations Every Course Creator Needs to make bank, enroll students, and nurture audiences.

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Hi! I’m Monica. I help course creators enroll, engage, and educate audiences through customer-centric email copywriting. I’ve been privileged to partner with course creators from all over the world. And I’ve seen this customer-centric approach to email marketing work every time.

The best part? It’s not about the sale.

Email marketing is a fantastic channel because it builds trust, delivers value, and positions the brand as a partner. Read more on my blog or listen to Master The Inbox, the podcast where I share all my conversion secrets.

About the Author

Monica Badiu is a passionate email copywriter and conversion strategist with over 13 years of experience in marketing. With a love for crafting emails that genuinely connect, she’s spent more than 25,000 hours honing her skills in customer-centric copywriting specifically for course creators. In 2023, her tailored strategies helped course creators around the world generate over $3 million in revenue, making her a trusted partner to some of the biggest names in the industry.

But for Monica, it’s about more than just writing emails; it’s about building relationships. She believes in creating value-driven content that doesn’t feel pushy or spammy but rather speaks to audiences on a real, human level. Alongside her work, she mentors and champions ethical marketing, helping course creators not only reach their revenue goals but also grow loyal, lasting connections with their communities.

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