Your email list needs some care before the holiday rush. Here’s where to start.
“Be the email they’re already waiting for.”
I already know which emails I’m waiting for this year 👀
There are a few brands I watch closely around Black Friday and Cyber Monday every year. They offer great deals, free shipping, and tend to have new products out for the holidays. My mascara 👁️ that rarely is on sale is usually on sale with free shipping. The new monitor🖥️ I’m eyeing up will be discounted, our favorite restaurant 🍽️ nearby will be offering promotions on gift card purchases, and even my favorite New Balance shoes 👟 will be on sale. I’m usually not just scrolling and looking for random sales because I have my go-to brands that I love and trust. Since I love a good deal and the chance to save a few dollars, I take this time of year to do just that!
I think a lot of small business owners miss this part. There is pressure to sell, sell, sell, with bigger discounts than ever. However, it may not be the random scroller who gets you the sale; it could be the customers and clients you already have, and they are waiting to hear from you in their inbox. So, be the email they’re already waiting for.
The numbers are out there to back up this theory. In Sinch’s 2026 Black Friday consumer survey of 2,501 shoppers, 55% named email as a preferred way to hear about holiday deals. Shoppers also want to hear early: 58% want promotions at least a month before Black Friday, and 82% want them at least two weeks out.
Black Friday is on November 27. It’s coming up quickly, and that’s exactly why I’m writing this today.
You have to give your emails and your email marketing some love. It takes time, effort, care, and nurturing.
If you don’t have an upcoming sale or promotion, these simple tips and email practices still apply whether you are opening your calendar up for 2027 meetings, launching a service, or just staying in touch with your subscribers.
I recently watched a webinar by Flodesk on Black Friday marketing. What’s Flodesk, you ask?! Oh, just my favorite email marketing platform EVER and the one I recommend to all my clients and have used for years myself. If you’d like to try it, here’s my link. That means I may earn a small commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you🧡
Back to what I learned from the email marketing experts themselves.
These are the steps that stood out to me:
1. Clean your list.
We’ve all heard we need thousands of subscribers. It’s no longer about the number; it’s about the quality. I know you worked hard to get every one of those subscribers, but it is perfectly okay to let go of the people who aren’t engaging anymore. Sending to 100 people who open is better than sending to 1,000 and having only 100 open. Before you remove anyone, consider a friendly “still want to hear from me?” email.
2. Protect your sender reputation.
That’s really just making sure you do all the right things: only email people who signed up, make it easy to unsubscribe, and show up regularly instead of going silent and then blasting everyone in November.
3. Authenticate your domain.
Send from an email address that ends in your own domain, not Gmail, Yahoo, or iCloud. Then connect that domain to your email platform so inboxes can verify the emails are really from you. It’s a one-time setup, and it’s worth doing now.
4. Warm up your list.
Warming means sending to a small group of subscribers over a period of time. It rebuilds your sender reputation and your trust with inbox providers. Don’t go from silent to sending to everyone overnight.
5. Segment your list.
Segmenting means breaking your list into smaller groups so each one gets something that fits them. In the Sinch survey, 77% of shoppers said they value personalized messages. Clients, past customers, and new subscribers don’t need the same email. The secret isn’t to send more emails. It’s to send smarter.
I know this is a bit technical and not about how to make pretty graphics for Black Friday, but this is the stuff that moves the needle.
A clean, trusted, well-prepared list is what lets your emails actually get seen, whether you have a big sale or just a simple hello. The behind-the-scenes, proactive steps done with intention make a huge difference compared to rushing three days before the Black Friday hustle begins.
If you’ve been meaning to get your email organized, this is your sign to start this week. If you’d like help, my inbox and DMs are always open 🧡
Credit: Black Friday statistics from Sinch’s 2026 BFCM consumer survey. Strategy tips inspired by Flodesk’s Black Friday marketing webinar.
This post contains an affiliate link. I only recommend tools I use and love.