Steal Our 4-Week BFCM Send Calendar

Hey there, it’s Patrick from TVG.

If there’s one playbook you copy from us this Q4 — make it this one.

Every year, the best-performing eCommerce brands share one thing in common: they don’t “wing it” into Black Friday. Their success is engineered weeks in advance through a perfectly timed email + SMS cadence.

Because let’s face it — your audience’s inbox is about to become a warzone.

The only way to stand out is with consistency, clarity, and strategic volume.

Here’s exactly how we structure it across the brands we manage, from $100K/month stores to $10M+ giants.

Weeks −3 to −2: Warm & Educate

Most brands skip this. Big mistake.

This period (right now) is when you’re earning inbox placement and trust.

You’re reminding your audience why they love your brand before asking them to buy anything.

We send 3–5 value-driven emails per week featuring best sellers, educational content, and light social proof. Think: “what’s coming soon,” not “buy now.”

At the same time, we activate SMS with 1 text per week from the founder, conversational, human, and story-driven.

“Get early access before anyone else” is a great hook here.

Week −1: Early Access

This is where the tone changes.

We shift from storytelling to selling… but with purpose.

Start teasing exclusive “VIP early access” to your list. This rewards your most engaged subscribers and builds social proof before your public launch.

We’ll typically send 4–5 emails: the early-access announcement, a benefit-focused reminder, a social proof email (show what’s selling), and a final “last call” for VIPs.

SMS becomes more active too. Two or three texts throughout the week: a launch notice, a mid-week reminder, and one strong last-chance message.

Black Friday (Nov 26–30): Go Loud

This is the Super Bowl.

You’ve earned attention. Now it’s time to maximize it.

We send 1–2 emails per day… a morning launch email and an evening reminder.

Each one reframes the offer slightly: lead with social proof one day, urgency the next, and a new angle the day after.

Our SMS cadence mirrors that intensity — short, punchy reminders with thresholds (“Spend $200+ to unlock 30% off”) or inventory updates (“500 bundles left — 72% gone”).

The brands that win here aren’t the ones with the biggest discounts — they’re the ones who communicate clearly and often.

Cyber Week (Dec 1–3): The Twist

Just when your competitors burn out, you pivot.

We introduce a fresh hook: a free gift with purchase, a new product drop, or a “last-chance to save” variant.

The messaging feels new, but the backend offer can remain identical.

Again, 1–2 emails per day, plus 1 SMS per day, with a heavier push toward final hours.

Urgency sells… but newness keeps people opening.

The Psychology Behind the Calendar

Each phase has a purpose:

• Warm & Educate earns attention.

• Early Access drives initial conversions.

• Black Friday maximizes volume.

• Cyber Week sustains momentum and captures stragglers.

And it works because it’s rooted in behavioral sequencing, meeting your customer where they are emotionally each week.

When you plan like this, every email and text becomes a continuation of the story, not just another promo.

If you want to see how we built this live — including examples, subject lines, and full campaign layouts — watch the full Black Friday Strategy Workshop on YouTube.

👉 Watch the full training on YouTube

To your success,

Patrick O’Driscoll

CEO, The Visionary Group

P.S. If you want our team to personally build your Black Friday plan and execute it for you — book a free strategy call here. 👉 Book Your BFCM Strategy Call