SureSMS guide
Tips for SMS campaigns on Black Friday and Cyber Monday
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are busy days in customers' inboxes. With SMS you can create high visibility - if timing, content, consent and technical setup are in place.
Main points
- Avoid the busiest times when many others are also running campaigns.
- Make the SMS short, personal and action-oriented with a clear link or offer.
- Test setup, links, segments and sender well before campaign day.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are great times to use SMS - but also days where competition for attention is fierce. That's why your SMS needs to be sharp, relevant and sent at the right time.
SMS works best when the recipient can quickly understand the offer and act immediately. This requires good timing, a clear message and consent.
When do you need to ship?
On big campaign days, many messages are sent. If you send at the same time as everyone else, you risk being overlooked even if the message is relevant.
Experience shows that traffic is often high around “round” times and in the middle of the day. Therefore, consider sending outside the most obvious times - for example, in the last 15 minutes of an hour.
- If you want to stand out, avoid the busiest hours if possible.
- Schedule broadcasts so they don't land at the same time as everyone else.
- Feel free to test multiple segments and times if you have a larger list.
If everyone else is broadcasting at 10:00, 10:47 might be a better time. Small timing choices can make a big difference on busy campaign days.
What should the message contain?
A good Black Friday SMS should be simple. The recipient should immediately see why you're texting, what the offer is and what the next step is.
- Personalize the message, if you have the data to do so.
- Use a clear link to the campaign page, product or payment.
- Keep the text short, so the offer is easy to decode.
- Use urgency wisely - for example “valid today” or “while stocks last”.
- Target on click, so you can see what the campaign actually creates.
Only send to recipients who have consented to SMS marketing. Remember clear sender and an easy way to unsubscribe.
Test before campaign day
Don't make big changes to your setup just before Black Friday. New integrations, new senders, new links or new segments should be tested well in advance.
Review in particular:
- that the recipient list is correctly segmented
- that links work on mobile
- that tracking and URL shortener works
- that the sender and unsubscribe are clear
- that the time and time zone are set correctly
Do you want your Black Friday SMS to be sharp?
SureSMS can help with broadcasting, links, segments and scheduling so your campaign is ready before traffic peaks.
Get help with the SMS campaignExample of a simple campaign SMS
“Hi [Name]. Black Friday at [Brand]: Get 25% on select items today. See the offer here: [link]. Reply STOP to unsubscribe.”
This type of message is short, clear and action-oriented. It explains the offer, provides a direct link and shows the recipient how to unsubscribe.
Conclusion: Plan early and ship accurately
SMS can be a powerful channel on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but only if the message is relevant and the technique works. Plan ahead, test before sending and send a few strong messages rather than many half-hearted ones.