⏰ When to Launch Your BFCM Emails

Hey, it’s Ray.

Every year, brands pour weeks of effort into crafting BFCM campaigns, killer designs, perfect offers, optimized flows.

But here’s the truth most overlook:

Timing is everything.

You can have the best offer in the world, but if you send it too early (or too late), it gets buried in the noise.

So, when should you launch your Black Friday and Cyber Monday emails?

Let’s break down the ideal send timeline to win both inbox share and conversion volume this season.

The BFCM Email Launch Timeline

Here’s your step-by-step roadmap to send the right emails at the right time and make every send count this BFCM.

1. The Warm-Up Phase (Now → Mid-November)

Start warming up your list early, this is when you re-engage inactive subscribers and prime your audience for what’s coming.

Goals:

• Rebuild deliverability before the surge

• Get engagement signals (opens/clicks)

• Build anticipation
  

Recommended emails:

• “Holiday Sneak Peek” or “Coming Soon” teaser

• Engagement reactivation flow

• VIP early access sign-up
  

Subject line ideas:

• “Your early holiday preview is here 🎁”

• “Want first dibs on our Black Friday deals?”
  

2. The Pre-Launch (Monday–Wednesday Before Black Friday)

This is your soft open. You want to reach VIPs and high-value segments before inbox chaos hits.

Goals:

• Capture early buyers

• Reward loyal customers

• Test which offers perform best
  

Recommended emails:

• VIP early access

• “Your pass to shop before everyone else”

• Waitlist / early bird announcement
  

Subject line ideas:

• “VIPs only: 24-hour early access starts now 🔓”

• “Beat the Black Friday rush, shop early!”
  

3. The Main Event (Thanksgiving → Cyber Monday)

This is where you go full send.
The key is sequencing, not just blasting one email and hoping for the best.

Goals:

• Maximize visibility

• Sustain momentum through the weekend

• Convert browsers into buyers
  

Suggested cadence:

• Thursday (Thanksgiving): “The doors are open”

• Friday AM: Reminder + scarcity (“Ends soon”)

• Saturday: A/B test subject lines on non-openers

• Sunday: “Last chance” or product spotlight

• Monday (Cyber Monday): Fresh subject line, new urgency
  

Subject line ideas:

• “It’s here: Our biggest event of the year 🎉”

• “Still thinking about it? Your deal expires tonight.”
  

• “Cyber Monday exclusive — 24 hours only!”
  

4. The Post-BFCM Phase (Tuesday–Friday After)

Smart brands don’t stop at checkout, they nurture the momentum.

Goals:

• Drive repeat purchases

• Gather feedback

• Introduce giftable bundles or December offers
  

Recommended emails:

• “Thank you + what’s next” message

• Loyalty / referral offer

• Post-sale replenishment flow
  

Subject line ideas:

• “Thank you for our best BFCM ever ❤️”

• “Your exclusive December perk is unlocked 🎁”
  

The Takeaway

BFCM success isn’t just about what you send, it’s when you send it.

The best-performing brands:
✅ Warm up early
✅ Launch before the crowd
✅ Stay consistent all weekend
✅ Keep the relationship alive post-sale

Because timing beats noise and strategic cadence beats chaos.

Talk soon,
Raymond Chen
Founder & CEO, 11 Agency

Ready to Perfect Your BFCM Timing Strategy?

Q4 is here, and with BFCM and the holidays right around the corner, your email marketing has to be dialed in. 

Every click, every open, and every flow can mean the difference between hitting record revenue or leaving money on the table. 

Here’s how I can help you maximize Q4: 

Done-for-You Email Strategy: If you’re ready to scale but don’t have the time, I’ll build out a complete email system designed to capture more revenue, convert more customers, and keep sales flowing through the holidays. Book a call with me here. 

Free Resource: Not ready to commit just yet? Grab my FREE 10-page KPI audit and 128-point health scorecard, a proven toolkit to quickly optimize your email performance before BFCM. Get it here!

Take Your Email Marketing Even Further

If you’re up about boosting your email game, I’ve got a few more gems for you:

📺 New Video: 2x Your Ecommerce Sales in 6 Minutes

Serious about growing your ecommerce brand? In this quick tutorial, I’ll show you how to:

• Build a winning Klaviyo flow

• Improve email deliverability

• Drive more sales with a smarter email strategy
  

Whether you're starting out or scaling, this video gives you the exact steps to make email marketing work. 👉 Watch now:

🎯 Fix Your CTA, Fix Your Clicks
Still seeing low click rates even with solid subject lines and great content?

Chances are, your email CTA needs work. We asked Lawrence Soliman, our Lead Copy Strategist, to break down how to write email calls to action that actually get clicks—plus 5 high-performing examples you can swipe.

👉 Read the blog: How to Write an Irresistible Email Call to Action (Plus 5 Examples!)

💡 Let’s Connect on LinkedIn
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