9 Cyber Monday Emails that Really Work

It's that time of year again! Black Friday and Cyber Monday are right around the corner. Businesses are trying to figure out how get the most out of Cyber Monday and stand out against all the competition.

In this post, we’ve put together some inspiration, and have called out some ideas for you to incorporate into your email campaigns this season. 

Let’s take a quick look at some effective Cyber Monday emails:

1. Giant Animated Gif: Mixtiles

Subject Line: Finally! It’s Cyber Monday – GO GO GO! 🚦💥

Preheader: Get your hands on this excellent deal.

Mixtiles has done a great job creating a high-impact visual for Cyber Monday,  incorporating a simple animated gif. The entire image area is clickable, with the bulk of the email content below the "fold." These days, people are used to scrolling through content, thanks to apps like Instagram and TikTok. This applies to email as well, especially on mobile. In this case, the designer has done a great job of creating visual elements that encourage the reader to scroll down.

In addition to the Mixtiles Cyber Monday offer, they include a short testimonial with an additional CTA, and one more CTA to purchase a gift card as a different way to take advantage of this deal.

2. Hidden Offer: Mixtiles

Subject Line: 🎁 Cyber Monday Surprise!

Preheader: Open to reveal your cyber-tastic offer!

In another Mixtiles example, they tease the reader to open the email by hiding the offer. Again, they incorporate an animated gif, with a CTA to reveal a mystery discount. They do a really good job piquing the reader's curiosity with the subject line, preheader AND the CTA. An approach like this pretty much guarantees clicks.

3. Subject Lines, Preheaders and More: Wayfair

Wayfair consistently stands out in recipient inboxes with their subject and preheader lines, and Cyber Monday is no exception. Here are two examples that highlight their unique approach:

Example 1:

Here, Wayfair does a few things to stand out on Cyber Monday:

1. Blue emojis instead of red/green to stand out from other holiday emails
2. Emoji repetition for extra effect
3. Preheader follows through with all emojis, all repeated
4. Sender name "Wayfair" is spaced out in all caps "W A Y F A I R"

Slightly obnoxious? Yep! But it certainly stands out among all the other Cyber Monday emails and grabs the recipient's attention.

Example 2:

In this example, Wayfair:

1. Goes all in on the preheader, using emojis that are unrelated to the holidays but still stand out with a playful, graphic effect. 
2. Utilizes the sender name area for additional copy real estate, including "LAST CHANCE" messaging.
3. Emphasizes the subject line in all caps, separating messages with double slashes for a graphic treatment
   
   

Example Email:

Wayfair's email layout focuses all the attention at the top with a large Cyber Monday callout and clear CTA. As the user is drawn in and scrolls down, they can browse an endless list of categories and products (email has been significantly cropped for this post).

4. "Just for You" - West Elm

Subject Line: *Early Access* to Cyber Monday, just for you

West Elm leads with a strong subject line, leaning on the "early access" angle. They lead the user to believe they're getting early access to deals that others don't yet have access to.

From a layout standpoint, they lead with the Cyber Monday deal graphic area, listing off ALL their brands in addition to West Elm (the user may not realize the deals span all those brands). Similar to Wayfair, this is a long-scroll email that is filled with deals on specific products and categories. 

5. Don't Shop Today: Article

Subject Line: This weekend only: please don’t shop ❌.

In an interesting twist, Article asks the reader not to shop. Yet. They have sent this email in advance of Cyber Monday, reminding users to wait for deals to come. The blacked out visual adds intrigue and mystery.

6. Take a Break from Shopping: Taco Bell

Subject Line: Take a break from Cyber Monday. Have some Taco Bell.

Taco Bell may not be the first brand on people's minds when they're shopping Cyber Monday deals. But they found a way insert themselves into your Cyber Monday online shopping spree. They know you're probably not shopping for 75% off a beef taco, but they also know you haven't had a chance to think about lunch.

In this email, Taco Bell uses Cyber Monday as an opportunity to announce that rolled chicken tacos are back (in case you really missed them). The CTA drives the reader to order pickup via the app or website.

7. No Mention of Cyber Monday: P.F. Candle Co. 

Subject Line: Yep, we’re having a sale!

P.F. Candle Co. takes a more subtle approach, assuming the recipient is already online Cyber Monday shopping. They are having a sale, as is expected, but they keep their email pretty simple and subtle, relying heavily on beautiful, relaxing product imagery for a nice sensory break from Cyber Monday.

8. Never Been Done Before: The Futur

Subject Line:  🤩 We’ve never done this before! 🤩

In this email, The Futur uses Cyber Monday as an opportunity to "unlock" existing content and courses, with an additional sale applied. Their playful subject line creates intrigue rather than leading with the sale info. The header image highlights several of the featured courses, which are also featured lower in the email with CTAs to buy the workshops.

9. Anti-Sale: Everlane

Subject Line: No Sale Today. Here’s Why.

In this example, Everlane takes quite a bold approach with their anti-Cyber Monday stance. They take the opportunity to remind recipient why they shop at Everlane—their products are high quality, the prices are reasonable and they don't need to have sales (unlike everyone else in your inbox). They include several gift ideas at different price points paired with strong CTAs for each. The email closes with a reminder of how things used to be before Cyber Monday, and two CTAs to shop for gifts.

We hope you've found new ideas to incorporate into your holiday email campaign. Some additional tips to keep in mind:

• Send Cyber Monday emails before, during and after Cyber Monday to build anticipation and attract more shoppers (and giving procrastinators a bit more time). Keep in mind your Cyber Monday emails can easily get lost in recipient inboxes, so it's a good idea to follow up.
• When it comes to character counts, avoid stating the obvious. Don’t waste valuable characters on the phrase “Cyber Monday.” Also, consider using the sender name to incorporate additional messaging.
• People are shopping from their mobile devices more than ever before, so don't forget to make sure your emails are mobile-optimized.

Like what you read? Contact us to see how we may be able to help you meet your marketing goals.