Since the early 2000s, flash sales have been a significant part of the eCommerce world.
This promotional tactic applies to all businesses but requires some extra effort.
Flash sales boost customer loyalty, increase your sales volume, and help you to stabilize your current stock. However, if not done right, the strategy can have a negative impact on your business. This means that it may damage your brand’s image, erode profits, and rob your loyal customers.
What is a Flash Sale?
This is a promotional deal of the day on a specific product. This Sale is usually over a short period (24-36 hours) where the brand offers substantial discounts. The deals can lift your transactional rates by 35%.
Although you can throw a flash sale voucher to your customers at any time of the year, most brands do so on shopping holidays like Black Friday. Therefore, you need to send a flash sale email to your contact list as they should be the first lot to know about these goodies!
What is a Flash Sale Email?
This is a message you send to your subscribers informing them of your upcoming deal of the day. Your existing customers should be the first ones to know about these goodies! After all, they have been loyal to your brand. It’s your turn to offer a treat!
A flash sale email is a type of promotional email. Therefore, you should keep them simple but persuasive enough to draw the customers to your store, even those with no prior arrangements. Flash sale promo increases awareness, gives rise to revenue, and develops customer retention.
Image source: Hermo
Among all the online channels of reaching out to your audience for your flash sales, email is the most effective as it offers the highest engagement. Most marketers will send more than one email before the due date.
How Do You Sequentially Send Your Flash Sale Emails?
When sending out your flash sale email, you should do so in four major phases. Let’s have a look at each of them:
Notice Phase
This stage is where you send your first flash sale email to your subscribers, informing them that you are about to launch a daily deal. This email may include details like the Sale’s date, how long it will last, the product(s) on Sale, and the discount you intend to offer.
The best way to send this email is roughly two days before the sale starts. This provides you with enough time to prepare your stock and take advance orders.
Launch Phase
This is the stage where you send an email notifying your customers that the Sale has kicked off. The message should be brief and enticing, expounding a little bit on the deal but persuasive enough to get subscribers to participate! It will include the promotions, the product(s) on Sale, or the sale duration.
Last Day Phase
This email is necessary when you’re running a flash sale for several days. Most people will want to buy during the last-day rush sales, and they might end up forgetting. Hence, sending your customers the last-day email will keep them engaged and avoid their likelihood of forgetting. About the email content, include all the details in your notice phase.
Last Call Phase
This flash sale email aims at pushing your subscribers into action. Create a sense of urgency by informing them that your Sale is ending in a few hours. You do this 4 to 6 hours before the closure of the deal. This email’s content should include the available promotions, the product(s) on Sale, and the Sale’s closing.
In all the stages, it’s advisable to segment your list to be effective in your promotions. For example, you may send a flash sale email to new customers or loyal customers where in both cases, you boost your brand’s customer loyalty. You can also classify your existing customers according to their past purchases and send your email to the relevant groups.
Of course, when it comes to email sequences, you won’t be able to execute it effectively without a tool that helps you automate the process. See how easy you can automate your emails & SMSes:
Effective Flash Sale Subject Lines
When crafting your email, your first consideration should be your subject line. Your email’s subject line influences its open rate significantly. In fact, 47% of email account holders base their decision on whether or not to open their messages on the subject line.
In this case, you want to have a successful flash sale and therefore, you need a catchy subject line for a fantastic email that will drive traffic to your site. To create an outstanding subject line, include the Sale’s duration, discount, or attractive icons/ emojis.
Here are sample subject lines that can inspire you.
- Whoa! Hundreds of Black Friday Ad deals available TODAY (Best Buy)
The subject line is very clear about the sales’ duration by emphasizing “Today.” The email recipient can understand by just looking at the subject line at a glance! It capitalizes on the brand’s Black Friday flash sale, where it promises hundreds of the day’s deals. - Get $15 off. Breakfast is calling (Grubhub)
This subject line is brief and straightforward. The $15 slash is such a perfect deal for a meal, while the “breakfast is calling” part hints at what the marketer is promoting. - Last chance! Save on 4 months when you subscribe now (Blinkist Subscription Service)
The subject line indicates the last call phase of the flash sale. Hence, it creates a sense of urgency because there are only a few hours to the deal’s closure! The 4 monthly offer is an excellent deal for the subscribers. - Big Summer Sale (Sony)
This subject line is simple but speaks volumes! The word “Big” tells the reader that the upcoming Sale will be huge and involve significant discounts. “Summer” means the flash sale will last as long as the summer season. And, “Sale” represents the flash sale. - Weekend sale. Inventory you need to see (Nissan)
The brand offers a weekend flash sale to its customers. The term “inventory” indicates that there are several products on the flash sale. - Ending in 24 hours: 25% off sitewide (Converse)
This deal of the day’s email is the last day’s reminder to subscribers. The flash deal will be closing in the next 24 hours. This subject line creates urgency. - Last day: Pick your 5 faves (Sephora)
The subject line means exactly what you see. It’s the last day of the flash sale, and the email recipient receives a reminder informing them to hurry and grab their share of the offer lapses. - Stop EVERYTHING! Up to 50% off ALL Dresses 🚨👗 (Miss Selfridge)
The discount offered makes this flash sale email subject line very attractive to the reader. Buying a dress at half the price is very persuasive to most ladies, making the deal a hot one! By telling the recipient to “stop everything” shows some degree of urgency. - 💡 THIS SALE IS LIT 💡 20% off all lighting (West Elm)
This email talks of a continuing flash sale. The subject line informs readers that the deal is glowing and shouldn’t be left behind. This is signified by the use of gleaming bulbs. - $50 Massage today at 12:30 pm (Salon & Spar)
This subject line gives the specific time of that particular day when the flash deal expires. It also indicates the subsidized amount. By reading this subject line alone, the recipient can already tell the email content.
Ideal Flash Sale Email Examples That Convert Well
Below are flash sale email examples from various brands to help you understand this promotional strategy.
1. Aéropostale X Bluenotes – Epic Flash Sale For New Styles
Subject line: STARTS NOW 50-75% OFF EVERYTHING!
In this email, the brand offers a one-day flash deal. The limited-time offer is available to online shoppers only. The first thing the recipient of this email notices upon opening is the grand Sale’s discount of 50-75% plus a bonus of free shipping on orders over $100. These two draw everyone’s attention and desire to get more details from the email.
Another good thing about this flash sale promo is that it covers both genders, from kids to adults. It’s such a super deal for all! In addition, the brand promises its customers additional styles that they haven’t seen before.
Subdividing this flash sale email into men, women, kids, and jeans sections is a perfect idea! Using a CTA for each segment is very convenient for the shoppers, and this inspires them to link to the site and get themselves an item or two from the store.
Creating emails that drive shoppers to your website might be a bit overwhelming when you have too much on your plate already, hence, it’s great to have a tool that helps you craft them in a blink of an eye. With pre-made templates and drag & drop editor it’s a childsplay.
See for yourself inside Sender’s drag & drop builder:
NoDaysWasted – Flash Sale Email For Favorite Products
Subject line: FLASH Sale inside
This brand offers a two-day flash sale but sends this email as a last chance reminder to its subscribers. The brand informs the recipients that they still have a few hours left to grab their favorite drink from its stores. It creates urgency! While most people will wait for the last-minute hustle, this is an effective strategy to push them.
The bold 15% offer and the outstanding CTA are easily scannable by the reader, allowing them to understand the message before reading the entire contentment. The brand uses the discount code “Flash” at the checkout point.
If the recipient isn’t willing to receive more of these emails, the brand provides an unsubscription.
Liz Earle – Flash Sale Email For Limited Time
Subject line: Quick! 20% off until 10pm tonight
The subject line of this email alone can communicate the intended message. It includes the offer and emphasizes that it won’t last long and immediate attention!
This is a perfect flash sale example. It includes all the necessary details like the products on sale, discount offered, and the flash deal duration. Since it’s a limited offer, the email creates a sense of urgency, an effective marketing strategy.
The 20% discount and the free shipment of goods worth $30 or more are the main reasons shoppers will flock to the brand’s store. In addition, the email highlights other reasons for the customers to visit their premises, including brand story, cruelty-free products, expert advice, and a five-star rating.
Asos – Ongoing Flash Sale Reminder Email
Subject line: Final sale: extra 25% off
The subject line of this email creates curiosity as the reader is left to find out how to “get more power and choice” at the checkout point.
This is a reminder to the audience about an ongoing flash sale. The offer is an additional 25% discount on top of the initial 80% at the beginning of the sale. The offer sounds unbelievable! The strategy is very effective when you want to get rid of excess stock.
The discount code and the closure are clear to enable the recipient to slot in some in their busy schedule to visit the online store.
Oasis – Flash Sale Email For Everything
Subject line: Sale made easy!
The subject line is clear that for every item the shopper will purchase, they get 20% off its cost. In addition to this discount, there are specific products on sale for up to 70%, which is a mind-blowing offer! Each of these items has a separate CTA to enhance the accessibility of the products.
Bulk – Autumn Flash Sale Email with Extra Discount
Subject line: The big Autumn sale continues…
The brand offers a great deal during the autumn season. From the subject line, the reader can get details like flash sale duration ( Autumn season). Other information such as the discount offered, the number of products on sale, and an additional discount of 25% are in the body of the email.
The email has promo code “Rest”, allowing the shopper to access the flash sale offer. Unlike most other flash sale emails, this email gives the minimum amount that a customer must spend.
The use of images gives the audience a better understanding of how they will benefit from purchasing the particular products on sale. This makes the flash sale less promotional as the customer has a reason to buy.
The shopper feels like the sole beneficiary of the sale and not the brand itself! It’s a polite tactic of pushing customers to purchase your products.
HayNeedle – Engaging Flash Sale Email with Product Images
Subject line: Its time to get your home Holiday-ready
Most of us would like to know how to make our homes comfortable dwelling places. Therefore, the subject line is very engaging, increasing the email’s open rate.
This flash sale email has images of the products on sale with limited texts eliminating chances of boredom to the readers. Each product on sale has a brief description and CTA that ease the buying decision and action, respectively.
The email provides other areas of exploration with links to the specific product page. This presents the audience an opportunity to buy items they may be interested in that are not part of the flash deal. It’s a great promotional strategy!
Banner Buzz – Flash Sale Email with Timer
Subject line: Up to 25% off on Select Categories sale Ends Sunday
The email has its subject line displaying the discount offered and the remaining time before the closure of the flash deal. The email body is beautiful, they added the product images, discount codes, and a CTA for each product. This simplifies the shopping process, encouraging the audience to click and purchase an item.
The email also has a countdown timer that reminds the recipient that time is about to expire. The free shipping services for orders above $99 inspire shoppers to spend more to qualify for the offer.
Puma – Outlet Flash Sale Email Message Grabbing Attention
Subject line: Get a Move On: Flash Sale Ends Tomorrow
The subject line for this email creates urgency as the deal closes the following day. It is a wake-up call to any audience who intends to purchase the product on sale but hasn’t made their way to the store.
The twinkling star draws the audience’s attention to the email message, which is the flash sale reminder. The additional discount means that there is an initial discount at the beginning of the deal. This extra discount aims at increasing sales to reduce excess stock that could be remaining.
The pro code provided is an effective marketing strategy to drive customers to the website to do shopping. Additionally, there are different CTAs for the various categories of the products on sale, making it convenient for the customers to shop.
Perk Clothing – Black Friday Flash Sale Email
Subject line: 25% off Black Friday sale on now!
The brand announces a worldwide flash sale where it offers a 25% discount for all products on sale on its website. However, each product has its own CTA, enabling the shoppers to pick what they need easily.
The outfit images are an excellent promotional tactic to encourage shoppers to buy. Also, the use of images and limited text inspires the audience to read through and draw more information from the photos.
The list of the products’ qualities besides the item is a big plus in convincing more customers to make an informed decision to purchase!
Also read: 125+ Black Friday Subject Lines That’ll Get You Open Every Time
Creating Mind-Blowing Flash Sale Emails for Your Next Campaign
Your flash sale emails are a significant factor to consider when preparing for a flash deal. With a perfect subject line, you can increase your email rate and when the reader gets in, give them a reason to go through the email.
Keep your message less wordy, include images of the products on sale, add a clear CTA, and as much as possible, create the impression that the customers are the first to benefit from the deal.
Also read:
- 13 Free Email Template Builders (HTML + Drag and Drop Editor)
- What is an Email Blast? Definition, Templates & Best Practices
- 10 Holiday Email Marketing Tips & Email Campaign Examples
- 27+ Appointment Email Examples
