4 quick win creative ideas for Black Friday emails

Black Friday this year is somewhat an uncharted territory, with lockdown now a part of the everyday and online shopping increasingly more commonplace, how can retailers break up the inbox monotony this Cyber Weekend? This blog post highlights examples from standout brands that have executed  achievable, and highly effective, email campaigns. 

Create urgency 

Nothing spurs customers to purchase quite like limited availability. With Cyber Weekend spanning three days, it’s easy for customers to get lax and wait until the last minute before making a purchase, especially if they suspect the incentive will be applicable across those 72 hours. 

An example we love: Trouva

This eye-catching Cyber Weekend campaign from Trouva, the online marketplace for independent brands, showcases the incentive with a striking hero image. As you move down the email there is a countdown timer to create a sense of urgency and provide a further reminder of the incentive. The discount code is easy to remember and rests upon cleanly displayed product images, which change dynamically to match the customer segment and are each signposted with their specific discount. At the foot of the email are buttons based on the top brands on Trouva to further increase CTR.

Following Trouva’s lead, you should stay true to your brand in the language you use within your customer marketing. Trouva pivots its tone to describe the sale as a ‘Cyber Boutique Sale’ which is more on message for the brand. 

Exclusivity 

Alongside urgency, another way to create FOMO in customers is to offer exclusive discounts and incentives to your most loyal customers. By creating previews with your highest value customers, not only do they feel valued but you are able to change customer behaviour from reliance on one-day purchase events. 

An example we love: Hotel Chocolat 

The email below highlights the exclusivity of the recipient and has a large hero image which makes the email stand out visually, essential when customer inboxes are flooded during peak season. The additional incentive of free delivery is featured, as well as an added sense of urgency noting the time-sensitive nature of the offer. 

Category sales 

As a brand you may have categories that do especially well, or based on the shopping behaviour of the recipient want to highlight specific products directly to them. By doing the heavy lifting for them, you can encourage customers to spend on things they already have an affinity towards. This also creates an opportunity for you to share lifestyle images that encourage upsell and cross-sell of complementary products.

An example we love: Farfetch 

Fashion retailer Farfetch is much loved for its accessibility to multiple high-end brands in one place. To make the shopping experience easier for customers, this email organizes the customer journey based on specific items. Further, noting “Too much choice” wisely addresses a common pain point of overwhelm and makes the recipient more at ease when going through the email. The promo code at the head of the email is an added incentive for shoppers to proceed to their desired category.

Conscious buying 

Shoppers are becoming increasingly more aware of the impact of their shopping choices and are steadily investing in brands and items that show an awareness of their contribution towards the current state of the planet. Black Friday, as paradoxically as it may initially seem, is a great time to highlight how your items are more ‘green’ or ‘conscious’ of the environment, especially during a time of increased consumer purchasing. Customers can splurge feeling a little better about where they are spending their money. 

An example we love: House of Hackney

Interiors brand House of Hackney’s “Green Is the New Black” campaign instantly sets the tone with its catchy hero image and play on a popular phrase. Throughout the email the ethos of the brand is reinforced, even going so far as to use it in the promotional offer. All this serves as a reminder to the customer that they are making a difference and have chosen to spend with a brand that is (Earth) conscious.