Black Friday showdown: E-mail vs SMS – which drives more sales?

Email vs SMS marketing. (Image: Supplied)

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It’s that time of the year again – Black Friday! Shoppers are gearing up, ready to grab deals faster than a sprinter at the Olympics.

But, as a business, how do you make sure they head your way?

We’re taking a look at which tool drives more sales – e-mail or SMS? We’ve all heard the debates. Some say e-mail is king, while others swear by the instant nature of SMS. But let’s get to the heart of it and find out which one truly helps you boost those Black Friday sales.

One of the biggest draws of SMS marketing is its simplicity. SMS messages have an open rate of 98%, and 90% of texts are read within three minutes of being received. That’s fast – blink-and-you’ll-miss-it fast.

Now, imagine your Black Friday promotions reaching your customers almost instantly. You could send out bulk SMS messages, and within moments, your audience is checking out your latest deals. SMS doesn't just grab attention; it demands it.

But it’s not just about getting noticed. SMS encourages engagement. SMS campaigns can boast a response rate of up to 45%. People don’t just open the message; they click, interact and, most importantly, buy. Bulk SMS tools, like those from Cellfind, are designed to make sending these campaigns easy and effective – your message goes straight to your customers’ hands.

Let’s not discount the trusty old e-mail. While SMS excels in speed and engagement, email provides depth. It’s the tool for long-form content where you can really build excitement. You can showcase your products, share detailed promotions and create a visually captivating message – all in one go.

As noted by SendGrid's research, 44% of consumers made at least one purchase last year through an e-mail promotion. That's nothing to scoff at. E-mails allow businesses to craft longer, more detailed Black Friday campaigns. Whether it’s multiple offers or time-sensitive deals, e-mail lets you explain it all, guiding customers through the buying journey.

However, the open rate for e-mails hovers around 20%, far lower than SMS. And with the chaos of Black Friday, inboxes can feel like a battlefield where your carefully crafted e-mails might get lost in the fray. It’s a numbers game, and e-mail marketing, while powerful, doesn’t always guarantee visibility.

Here’s where it gets interesting. If your goal is to drive more sales in the moment – like a flash sale on Black Friday – SMS is your best bet. It's direct, immediate and taps into that sense of urgency we all feel when hunting for a deal. A quick message like “Flash Sale! 50% off for the next 2 hours!” can lead to immediate conversions.

E-mail, on the other hand, is like a marathon runner. It’s great for setting up the anticipation. Want to drip-feed your audience with sneak peeks of your upcoming Black Friday deals? E-mail gives you the space and flexibility to do so, creating a narrative that keeps people engaged over time.

But let’s not forget – timing is everything. When you send your message can make or break your sales success. Research shows that SMS works best when sent at the height of Black Friday madness, while e-mail is more effective in the lead-up to the event.

Picture this: A week before Black Friday, you sent your perfectly polished e-mails. They’re sitting in inboxes, building excitement and giving customers a reason to bookmark your store. Then, just as the clock strikes midnight on Black Friday, you hit them with an SMS. Boom! The deals are live, and your customers are ready to pounce.

Why choose between e-mail and SMS when you can use both? Using a multichannel strategy allows you to cover all bases. Research shows that combining the two leads to higher engagement rates and, ultimately, more sales. Imagine sending a detailed e-mail with your Black Friday deals and following it up with an SMS reminder. This combination keeps your brand top of mind without overwhelming your audience.

An anecdote from a recent study highlights this well. One business found that customers who received both an e-mail and an SMS reminder during Black Friday were twice as likely to make a purchase. It’s the digital equivalent of a one-two punch – e-mail grabs their interest and SMS closes the deal.

Let’s face it – personalisation is key. In a sea of generic Black Friday promotions, how do you make your offer stand out? SMS can feel like a personal message, especially when you use the recipient’s name or tailor the message based on their past shopping behaviour. It’s like getting a nudge from a friend who knows you’re about to miss out on a great deal.

Email offers personalisation, too, but it’s not quite as intimate. Sure, you can segment your email list and craft customised offers, but nothing beats the directness of SMS for that personal touch.

So, which tool is better to drive more sales? The answer is – it depends on your strategy. If you're after instant sales, SMS is your secret weapon. It’s fast, effective and perfect for grabbing attention in a busy Black Friday rush. However, e-mail shines when you need to build anticipation and tell a story.

The real power comes when you combine the two. Use e-mails to set the stage, then swoop in with SMS to seal the deal. Black Friday is a competitive landscape, but with the right tools and timing, you can turn your promotions into profit.

Ready to take on Black Friday and drive more sales with Cellfind? Whether it’s bulk SMS or a perfectly crafted e-mail campaign, having the right approach will make all the difference this year.