Black Friday SMS Marketing for Ecommerce: Examples & Templates for Inspiration

You and I both receive tons of promotional messages every day. These messages are geared towards drawing our attention and encouraging us to take action, which in most cases involves buying something. 

Oftentimes we get frustrated with these promotional messages but thinking from a business’s perspective, it is one of the most cost-effective means to get in touch with their audience and inform them about the latest events or sales that can benefit them.

One such event where almost all of the businesses around the world offer great discounts on their offerings is Black Friday. It is the biggest shopping fest that is greatly anticipated by customers globally. 

So, how could businesses send crucial information to their customers about Black Friday effectively? Well, one of the ways to do that is by sending meaningful SMSs, notifying them about important dates and times.  

With that said, in this blog post, I will explore various ideas and templates for crafting effective Black Friday SMS marketing campaigns. I will also explain the benefits of using SMS for your Black Friday promotions and give some examples of how brands use it in their sales engagement strategies. 

What is Black Friday in the context of e-commerce?

Black Friday is one of the biggest retail events of the year starting from the end of October and going till the end of November. During this time, brands offer huge discounts, exclusive offers, and bundle deals, heavily enticing customers to take advantage of this opportunity and buy as much as they can.

This period is considered the start of the Christmas shopping season. And in many Western countries, stores, both online and physical, leverage the fact that during the festive season, buyers are actively looking to buy. 

So, they drive them to their platforms using hefty discounts. Although this concept originated in Western nations, it has spread across the globe and nowadays, many brands offer high price-offs during this time of the year.

Why should you use SMS marketing for Black Friday?

When it comes to using SMS marketing during Black Friday for your e-commerce business, there are a few advantages that you should be aware of before you consider using it this year. 

Immediate reach

Unlike emails or other communication platforms that require constant internet connectivity, SMS messages rely on cellular signals. This way, you can ensure that your promotions reach customers in real time even when they are on the go and not connected to the internet.

High read rates

Emails, which are also a traditional channel, have an open rate of 20%. In comparison to that, 95% of SMSs are seen within three minutes after being delivered. This goes to show that even though customers receive many messages daily they open and read almost all of them. 

This increases the likelihood of them seeing your message and taking immediate action, thereby boosting your sales engagement.

Straightforward promotions

Since there is a limit of 160 characters per SMS, you need to be to-the-point with your messages. This allows you to be more direct with your communication, ensuring valuable details are delivered to customers in the shortest amount of time without having to talk in circles.

Cost-effective channel 

Compared to other forms of marketing, like online ads or communication platforms, SMS marketing is much more inexpensive and offers a better ROI. In addition to that, the open rates for SMS are significantly higher in relation to other marketing channels, making it so that almost all your messages are read by your audience. 

Proven SMS marketing ideas for Black Friday

Now that you understand the benefits of using SMS messages for your Back Friday marketing, let’s look at some of the ideas you can take inspiration from for marketing campaigns.

Flash sales

If you look at it the other way around, Black Friday offers are in some way, like Flash sales where you get large discounts but for a limited period of time. So, announcing your Black Friday deals via SMS marketing not only generates a sense of urgency but also creates excitement, allowing you to take advantage of customers’ sales psychology to drive conversions. 

Countdown messages

Although the Black Friday event relies heavily upon urgency and FOMO, you still need to give time to potential customers to browse through your e-commerce catalog and find products relevant to their needs. You can utilize the countdown SMS youtube to build hype around your brand and its offerings, while also telling customers the exact starting date and time of the sale. 

VIP access

Another way to use SMS marketing to boost sales and, at the same time, build rapport or trust with your customers is to offer exclusive access to your inventory before the public launch. This way, you can demonstrate that you value your loyal customers by allowing them to shop your Black Friday deals before anyone else. 

Bundled offers

Since brands are offering huge price-offs and customers are in a frenzied state, looking to grab any opportunity that seems like a great deal, you can use this moment to upsell or cross-sell your offerings by showcasing them as bundles. This will allow you to clear your e-commerce inventory quickly while providing extra value to customers. 

Abandoned cart reminders

Even though you are offering amazing deals on your products or services, it is bound to happen that prospects will add items to their carts and exit before completing the payment. 

This is why, you need to send abandoned cart reminders to notify customers who have left items in their cart, encouraging them to complete their purchase. Doing so can increase your overall conversion rates while boosting your ROI through the roof.

Templates for Black Friday SMS campaigns

You can use various kinds of SMS templates for your Black Friday marketing efforts. These templates serve different purposes and allow you to adopt a sales engagement model that delivers all-around customer engagement.

Early access

As I mentioned above, early access messages offer priority access to a selected group of customers who have a high chance of making a purchase before your offerings are made public. Below are some of the SMS templates for early access messages:

Black Friday Early Access! Unlock exclusive deals now with code [Code]. Limited time only! Shop here: [Link]

VIP Early Access! Get a head start on Black Friday savings with[X]% off using code [Code]. Start shopping: [Link]

Beat the rush! Access our Black Friday deals before everyone else. Use code [Code]. Hurry, shop now: [Link]

Countdown messages 

Countdown messages enable you to build hype around your e-commerce store and interest customers to look forward to the launch of the sale. Here are a few countdown SMS templates:

Only [X] days until Black Friday! Get ready for amazing deals on your favorite products. Stay tuned!

[X] days to go! Black Friday is almost here. Preview our upcoming deals and prepare to save big: [Store Link]

[X] hours left! Black Friday starts tomorrow. Don’t miss out on the best deals of the year. Sneak peek: [Site Link]

Limited stocks 

Limited stock SMSs create a feeling of FOMO by telling your customers that they might lose this opportunity to get a product at such a discounted rate. This way, you encourage them to take instant action and secure their orders before it’s too late. 

Limited stock alert! Our bestsellers are running out. Get [X]% off now with code [Discount Code]. Don’t miss out: [Store Link]

⚠️ Limited Stock! These Black Friday deals are going out quick. Shop now and save [X]% Get yours [ Website Link]

Hurry! Limited stock available on hot items. Use the code [Coupon Code] and get [X]% off. Shop before it’s gone: [CTA Link]

Abandoned cart reminder

These messages are critical to win back potentially lost deals and improve sales. Abandoned cart messages incentivize customers to complete the checkout process. There are multiple examples of abandoned cart emails that you can take inspiration from. However, here are some ready-to-use SMS templates:

Don’t miss out! Your Black Friday cart is waiting. Complete your purchase now and enjoy [X]% off with the code [Code]. Shop here: [Link]

🛒 Still thinking? Your Black Friday deals are almost gone! Use the code [Coupon Code] for [X]% off and finish your order before it’s too late. [Link]

Hurry! Your Black Friday savings are waiting. Complete your purchase now and get an extra [X]% off if you complete the checkout within the next [X] hours. Don’t miss out: [Link]

Last chance SMS 

Using these SMS, you can leverage the sense of FOMO to compel potential customers who are still not sure about making a purchasing decision. Below are a few templates for these kinds of SMSs:

Last Chance! Black Friday deals end tonight. Save up to [X]% off now.[ Site Link]

Final Hours! Don’t miss out on Black Friday savings up to [X]% off. Deals end at midnight. [ Store Link]

Last Call! Black Friday sale with up to 40% off ends today. Hurry, shop now before it’s too late: [Link]

Bundle offers

Do you offer a variety of products that can complement purchases made by your customers? Well, this is the right time to offer them together. By sending bundle deals, you can provide value to your customers’ purchases while also upselling your products. 

Black Friday Exclusive: Buy one, get one [X]% off on all bundles. Use the code [Bundle Code]. Limited time offer, get yours now: [Website Link]

Bundle & Save! This Black Friday, get [X]% off on all your favorite bundles with the code [Discount Code]. Shop now: [Link]

🎁 Exclusive Deal: Black Friday bundle offer! Buy one, get one for free. Don’t miss out on this once-in-a-year deal. [Store Link]

Some examples of Black Friday SMS messages

It’s one thing to look at the SMS templates for the messages you want to send but a different thing to see them in action. That’s why, I have curated some examples for Black Friday SMS messages so that you can see how effortlessly famous brands are using them for their promotion. 

Cost Plus World Market

Cost Plus World Market, in its Black Friday SMS, emphasized Caps to draw the readers’ attention to the most important information, i.e. “LAST DAY” and “HUGE”. Furthermore, it has kept the message brief and to the point, allowing it to use customer engagement to get more sales. 

Bed Bath & Beyond

Bed Bath & Beyond sent a straightforward Black Friday SMS informing the customers that sale had started for all its stores. The message transitions into a discount offer which is followed by a CTA. This fluidity makes it easy to read the message in one go, without having to go back and read it again, making it a great SMS example to follow. 

SwimOutlet.com

In its Black Friday SMS campaign, SwimOutlet alerted its customers about the ending of the sale. By reminding them that they can still make use of the 25% off to get their desired products from leading companies. 

Belk

Belk opted for a much more detailed SMS where the brand focused on a specific product, “Rampage Boots'' instead of offering a store-wide discount. The message includes information like the date and time from when the sale will start and when it will end, giving customers the ability to plan their purchases accordingly. 

Dressbarn

Dressbarn also leveraged the caps to highlight crucial information the reader needs to know. After that, the message dives into the site-wise discount of 70% and offers a code customers can use to avail the discount. Lastly, highlights that its “best-selling sweaters” are available at $19.99 for today, giving customers a clear goal to check out these sweaters. 

Make the most of the Black Friday event and maximize the sales using SMS marketing

There you go. These are things you have to keep in mind when running a Black Friday promotional campaign over SMS. 

By sending informative text messages that contain useful details about the beginning and end of the sale, the amount of discounts you are offering, and whether it will be a store-wise discount or limited to specific products, you can ensure that your customers know the entire roadmap and can plan their purchases accordingly. 

There is one thing that is still unclear, and that is how can you run these SMS marketing campaigns. That’s why I recommend you Zixflow. 

Zixflow is an AI-powered marketing, automation, and CRM platform that lets you initiate marketing campaigns not only via SMS but also through WhatsApp and email. With its no-code campaign builder, you can set up your Black Friday campaigns effortlessly and reach out to thousands of customers within seconds.

Not just that. Zixflow enables you to create and save e-commerce messaging templates for various kinds of scenarios, like sending information about the sale, following up with customers, or sending abandoned cart SMSs to convert potentially lost deals. 

Furthermore, as you might have noticed from the above templates and examples, you have to add a CTA to your SMSs in order to drive traffic to your store. Plus, this CTA link has to be short because there is a limit of 160 characters per message. 

So, to solve this problem, Zixflow has a native Smart link builder that lets you shorten any URL to save valuable character space. Also, it tracks how many times this link has been clicked and it can grab the phone number of your recipient so that you can save them in the CRM for future conversations.

These are only a handful of marketing features that you get with Zixflow. To access all the marketing capabilities of the platform, get started for free with a 7-day trial without providing any payment information upfront. Leverage Zixflow’s SMS marketing functionalities and maximize your e-commerce revenue during Black Friday festivities.