With Black Friday and Cyber Monday creeping up on the calendar, brands are scrambling to be “strategic” with their sales. But if history is any indication, most of them will end up running the same tired promos:

15% off everything!

Free shipping!

Sitewide savings!

…and then wonder why their emails get deleted faster than you can say “unsubscribe.”

Black Friday online is like Times Square in real life: Everyone’s yelling, nobody’s listening.

If you want your brand to stand out, you have to stop sounding like everyone else. Here’s how.

1. Stop Sanitizing Your Copy

You don’t need to reinvent your entire marketing plan. Sometimes, the words alone can make people stop scrolling. Case in point: DUDE Wipes calls their sale “Brown Friday.” Yes, it’s gross. But it’s also impossible to unsee—and that’s kind of the point.

Don’t be afraid to sound human. Write the subject line you’d actually click on. Drop the corporate fluff (“Exclusive Holiday Savings!”) and talk like a person. If your brand has personality, now’s the time to crank it up.

2. Rethink the Discount

Flat discounts are easy, but they’re also forgettable. Everyone’s doing 20% off. So instead of cutting prices across the board, make it feel like a game or a reward. A few examples:

• Tiered discounts: Spend $50, get $10 off. Spend $100, get $25 off. It encourages people to add that extra item to their cart.
• Mystery gifts: Throw in a free surprise with every order. It doesn’t need to be fancy. Just unexpected enough to make people smile.
• Limited-time bundles: Package your bestsellers together and make it feel like an event. (Bonus: it simplifies shopping for lazy gifters.)

Creativity doesn’t have to cost more; it just has to feel fresh.

3. Segment your Audience

One offer doesn’t fit all. New customers might need a nudge (read: a higher discount), while loyal fans might respond better to early access or limited drops. If you’re emailing everyone the same generic sale, you’re leaving money on the table.

You can also highlight different products to different people. Instead of shouting “SITEWIDE SALE!” try showing the stuff that actually sells. A skincare brand might push gift sets to newcomers, but refill packs to repeat buyers. A clothing brand might focus on best-fit categories for men vs. women.

When In Doubt, Ask Yourself: Would I Click This?

Every brand gets so wrapped up in “campaign planning” that they forget to be consumers for a second. Would you click on your subject line? Would you care about your ad? If the answer’s no, your audience won’t either.

So this BF/CM season, don’t settle for “good enough.” Be funny. Be weird. Be something.
The brands that win aren’t necessarily the ones with the biggest discounts; they’re the ones people actually remember after the sale ends.