Black Friday SMS campaign plan for online stores: a step-by-step playbook for 2026
A practical Black Friday 2026 SMS plan for online stores: send calendar, segments, copy examples, Iranian SMS consent rules, and setup in Leadara.
Amir Hosseini
Runs email, SMS, and push campaigns for acquisition, retention, and reactivation.
September 25, 2026 · 10 min read
Also available in فارسی
A Black Friday SMS campaign is a short series of scheduled text waves that starts about ten days before Friday, November 27, 2026, where each wave goes only to the segment it fits: VIPs get early access, active buyers get the main launch, and everyone else gets a single "last chance". Every message goes only to people who opted in, with a visible way to unsubscribe.
What exactly is a Black Friday SMS campaign?
Black Friday is the Friday after US Thanksgiving. In 2026 it falls on Friday, November 27 (6 Azar 1405 in the Iranian calendar), and Cyber Monday on Monday, November 30. Most Iranian online stores run a multi-day sale window rather than a single day, and some brand it under their own name.
A Black Friday SMS campaign is a plan that decides who gets which message, on which day, at what time. It differs from "one bulk text to the whole phone book" in four ways:
- the audience is segmented, so not everyone gets the same message;
- sends go out in waves, not a single blast;
- event-triggered flows such as abandoned cart stay on alongside it;
- results are measured in real revenue, not in the number of texts sent.
During Black Friday week people's SMS inboxes fill up with discount messages. The ones that get read arrive at the right time, reach the right person, and say what's happening in a single glance.
Why start now, in late September?
Because three jobs can't be crammed into November: growing an opted-in list, cleaning it, and technically testing your sending. The 2026 BFCM guides, from Klaviyo to email marketing agencies, say the same thing: the real work starts in September, not in the final week.
| Window | Main job | Output |
|---|---|---|
| Late Sep – Oct (now) | Grow the list with consent, clean numbers, connect and test your SMS provider | Clean list, tested sending |
| Early November | Define segments, write copy, lock the offer and stock | Segments and templates ready |
| Nov 16 – 24 | "Coming soon" message and VIP early access | Warmed-up audience |
| Nov 27 – 30 | Main launch, reminder, Cyber Monday, last chance | Revenue |
| Dec 1 – 16 | Post-purchase follow-up, turning first-time buyers into repeat buyers | Retention |
How do you prepare the list and consent before the first text?
Under resolution 3-270 of Iran's Communications Regulatory Commission, sending bulk promotional or informational SMS without the subscriber's prior permission is prohibited. Messages sent from service lines must include the phrase "لغو ۱۱" (cancel 11); replying 11 unsubscribes, and 12 re-subscribes. Subscribers can also switch off promotional SMS with the *800# code or file a complaint via 195.
In practice:
- Only text people who gave you their number themselves: at checkout, when joining your customer club, through a site form, or in a support chat.
- Drop purchased numbers or "ready-made databases". They carry legal risk, push complaint rates up, and damage your sender line's reputation.
- Clean the list: remove duplicates, invalid numbers, and anyone who has already unsubscribed.
- Don't hide the opt-out. Someone who can't find a way to unsubscribe files a complaint instead.
You still have until early November to grow the list: a "be the first to know" popup, a spin-to-win wheel with a real discount code, or a short opt-in on the checkout page.
Which segments should you build?
The rule is simple: every wave has a defined audience. These five segments cover most stores:
| Segment | Suggested rule | Message they get |
|---|---|---|
| VIP | 3+ orders or top spend in the last 12 months | Early access 24–48 hours before everyone else |
| Active buyers | At least one purchase in the last 90 days | Main Friday wave |
| Interested, no purchase | Viewed a product or added to cart in the last 30 days, no purchase | Offer tied to that product category |
| Lapsed customers | Last purchase 90–365 days ago | One "last chance" message, no more |
| New subscribers | Joined in the last 30 days | A message that references their recent sign-up |
If you know the RFM model, this table is a simplified version of it. One important point: don't bombard lapsed customers all week. One good message on the final day beats four in a row that end in an unsubscribe.
Send schedule: how many texts, and when?
For most stores, 4 to 6 texts across the whole campaign is enough. Each message must do one specific job:
- "Coming soon" (7–10 days before): announce the campaign and link to the early-access list. Active buyers and VIPs only.
- VIP early access (1–2 days before): an exclusive code or link. VIPs should feel they heard first, not that they got the generic blast.
- Main launch (Friday morning, around 10:00): the sale is live, when it ends, and a link to a dedicated landing page.
- Reminder to non-clickers (Saturday): different copy, same offer.
- Cyber Monday (Monday): a fresh angle such as a bundle or free shipping. "Sale extended" rarely works.
- Last chance (a few hours before the end): short and direct.
Take send times seriously too. A promotional text at midnight or very early morning brings unsubscribes, not sales. Roughly 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. is the safest window.
How do you write Black Friday SMS copy?
A Persian SMS segment holds about 70 characters, and multi-part messages multiply the cost. So copy must be short and clear, and include four things: store name, offer, deadline, and link.
Example for the main wave:
Narvan Store: Black Friday is live. Up to 30% off shoes and bags until Sunday only. narvan.ir/bf Cancel: 11
Example for VIPs:
Sara, you're one of Narvan's top customers. The sale opens for you tonight: narvan.ir/vip Cancel: 11
A few practical rules:
- One offer, one link. Three discount codes in one text means none of them gets read.
- Short, trustworthy links on your own domain, not an unknown shortener.
- A dedicated landing page that shows the same offer as the text. People who tap and land on the homepage usually bounce.
- Keep discount claims honest. "Up to 70%" when only two items are at 70% destroys trust.
Don't switch off event-triggered flows during the campaign
Many teams pause automated flows during Black Friday week "so there aren't too many messages". Yet the highest-return texts of the week are usually these:
| Flow | Trigger | Why it matters more on Black Friday |
|---|---|---|
| Abandoned cart | Added to cart, no purchase | Traffic is high and many people abandon mid-comparison |
| Browse abandonment | Product viewed | Signals interest in a specific category |
| Order confirmation and tracking | Order placed | High order volume and "where's my order?" questions |
| Post-purchase | A few days after delivery | Turns discount buyers into repeat customers |
Instead of pausing them, coordinate them with the campaign: someone who got the main wave today doesn't need an abandoned-cart text two hours later. Set a minimum gap between messages.
How do you set this up in Leadara?
These steps map to what Leadara does today:
- Send events. Use the web SDK or REST API to send
product_viewed,product_added_to_cart,checkout_started, andpurchase_completed, and store the mobile number on the profile withidentifyat login or checkout. Without a phone on the profile, the SMS step is skipped. - Connect and test your SMS provider. In settings, connect your own provider (Kavenegar or Nikaline) and send a test message. Before that, you can rehearse the whole journey in the Sandbox without sending real messages.
- Build the segments. Use filters such as "did something" (e.g.,
purchase_completedin the last 90 days) and OR groups to define the five segments above, and check each one's estimated size. - Build one journey per wave. Pick the segment as the trigger, add an SMS step, and write the template right there. If you're stuck on copy, the AI draft button gives you a first version you then edit.
- Add an exit rule. On reminder journeys, exit on
purchase_completedso buyers don't get the "last chance" text. - Limit re-entry. Use entry rules to add a cooldown on the abandoned-cart journey so nobody enters it several times in a row during the busy week.
- Start list growth now with gamification or a popup. A spin-to-win wheel gated on a phone number fires a
game_wonevent that can start your welcome journey. - After each wave, check Run history and the SMS log. Run history shows whether the journey reached the SMS step; the SMS log shows whether the provider delivered or rejected the message.
What should you measure?
| Metric | What it shows | Watch out |
|---|---|---|
| Click rate per wave | Appeal of the offer and copy | If low, check the landing page and link first |
| Revenue per text | The real value of each send | Compare with the cost of multi-part messages |
| Unsubscribe rate (11) | Audience fatigue | If it jumps after a wave, reduce frequency |
| Delivery rate | Health of the list and sender line | A sudden drop points to list or provider issues |
| Second purchase within 45 days | Quality of Black Friday customers | The long-term profit metric of the campaign |
Common Black Friday SMS mistakes
- One identical text to the entire phone book at 8 a.m. on Friday.
- Buying a "number bank" and texting without consent.
- A four-part text full of emojis and three links.
- Pausing the abandoned-cart flow in the highest-traffic week of the year.
- Forgetting customers after the purchase; Black Friday buyers who aren't followed up rarely come back.
FAQ
When is Black Friday 2026?
Friday, November 27, 2026 (6 Azar 1405). Cyber Monday is Monday, November 30. Most stores start their campaign a few days earlier.
How many texts should I send in total?
For most stores, 4 to 6 texts per customer is enough. VIPs get one or two more (early access), and lapsed customers get just one.
What's the best time to send promotional SMS?
Roughly 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. is safe. Send the main wave in the morning and the reminder around midday or afternoon the next day. Night sends usually bring unsubscribes and complaints.
Can I send promotional SMS to numbers that didn't opt in?
No. Under resolution 3-270 of Iran's Communications Regulatory Commission, bulk promotional SMS without the subscriber's prior permission is prohibited, and subscribers can file complaints.
Is SMS or email better for Black Friday?
Both, in different roles. Email for full product showcases and gift guides; SMS for urgent moments like "the sale is live" and "last chance". SMS shouldn't repeat your email calendar.
What should I do with customers who bought on Black Friday?
After delivery, send a thank-you and a review request, then 2–4 weeks later an offer related to what they bought. The goal is a second purchase, not a deeper discount.
Next step
Do three things this week: connect and test your SMS provider, build the five segments above and check their size, and launch a popup or spin-to-win wheel to collect opted-in numbers. If those three are ready by early November, late November is just execution.
