Should You Even Do a Black Friday Sale? A Spicy Guide to Strategy, Pricing & Copy that Doesn’t Backfire

The night my friend almost Black Friday’d her book into oblivion

Picture this: it’s evening, my tea is lukewarm, my Slack pings are finally quiet, and I’m on a call with a good friend—a total badass who does business her way.

She’s in the middle of a book launch.
She’s smart. Strategic. Knows her people.

And then she says:

“So I’m thinking… what if I drop the book price way down for Black Friday to get more people in the door? Then I can sell them into my offer in January.”

Cue my eyebrow going all the way up.

On paper, it sounds clever, right?
Big Black Friday sale → more buyers → more leads → more high-ticket sales.

But my brain went straight to one tiny, annoying, marketer question:

Why?

Not the “you’re doing it wrong” why.
The “does this actually do what you think it will do?” why.

Because here’s the context:

• She has an offer coming in January priced at $3K.

• She was planning to drop the book to “practically free” levels for Black Friday.

• The plan was: ultra-discounted book now, high-ticket offer later.

And my immediate response was:

“Okay but… people who grab a $0.99 Kindle book on a dopamine-fueled Black Friday scroll are probably not the people leaping into a $3K offer six weeks from now. That would be a fuuuukin’ miracle.”

That’s the moment I want you to hold in your mind as we talk Black Friday strategy and copy.

Because this isn’t just about her.
This is about you.

And whether your Black Friday move is strategic or “I guess I should do something?” chaos.

Before you write a single Black Friday email, ask this: What’s the job of this promo?

We’re not starting with “what should I discount?”
We’re starting with:

What is the actual job of this Black Friday promotion?

Some real, solid answers might be:

• “I want a quick cash injection before year-end.”

• “I want more people in my world—email list, community, low-ticket ecosystem.”

• “I want more book sales so I can boost my rankings and reviews. Best seller here I come!”

• “I want to do something special for my existing audience as a thank-you.”

Those are all valid. Strategy loves clarity.

My friend’s answer was:

“Audience growth, so I can sell the $3K offer in January.”

Cool. Good goal.
But then we have to ask:

Does the way you’re planning to use Black Friday actually help you get that result?

If not, the problem isn’t your copy.
It’s the plan.

Why deep discounting can quietly wreck your buyer journey

Let’s go back to Book Friend.

Her plan:

• Drop the book price dramatically for Black Friday.

• Use that to fill her world with new readers.

• Then invite those readers into her $3K offer in about six weeks.

Here’s why that made my strategy brain itch:

1. It waters down the perceived value

If you’ve spent months (years?) pouring your brain into a book or product… then you slap a “basically free” sticker on it, your audience is going to feel that disconnect.

“If it’s that cheap… is it actually that good?”

The copy can scream “this is a game changer,” but the price quietly whispers “this is a throwaway.”

2. It attracts a different buyer than your high-ticket offer

The $0.99 Kindle crowd is often in “snag five things while I wait for my coffee” mode.
Not deep-investment, ready-to-transform, $3K-program mode.

Yes, there are exceptions.
Yes, you might get a few people who jump.

But:

Building your whole launch plan on exceptions is not strategy. It’s hope.

3. It can cannibalize your real launch

Her previous book launches had done really well at a higher price.

So if she trains her audience to wait for bargain-basement deals, guess what happens next time she tries to launch at full price?

Crickets, side-eye, and “I’ll wait for the sale.”

All of that from a discount she was making…
because it was Black Friday.

When Black Friday does make sense (and how to make it work)

Let’s be clear: I’m not anti–Black Friday.

I’m anti–“I don’t know, I just threw something together because the internet yelled SALE at me.”

Black Friday can be a smart move when it’s aligned with your goals and your buyer journey.

Here are a few situations where it can be a hell yes:

1. You want a clean, honest cash injection

You’ve got an existing offer that doesn’t clash with a major launch, and you want to bring in some extra revenue.

You:

• Set a clear time frame.

• Offer a real, meaningful price break.

• Communicate it clearly and calmly.

Your Black Friday copy might sound like:

“If you’ve had your eye on [offer], this is the best price you’ll see from me all year. Through Monday, you can grab it for [price], then it goes back to [regular price].”

No drama. No manipulation. Just… a deal.

2. You’re intentionally growing a lower-ticket ecosystem

Some businesses are built on low-ticket offers and volume.

If that’s you, Black Friday can be an “ecosystem expansion” moment:

• Bundle a few products into an irresistible stack.

• Price it in a way that makes your right-fit people go, “Well, duh, yes.”

• Tag those buyers so your follow-up emails nurture them into the next logical step.

Here, your copy leans into:

• What they get as a whole.

• How the pieces play together.

• How this bundle helps them with a specific problem or goal.

3. You’re loving on your existing audience

Maybe you decide:

“I’m not doing a big public Black Friday thing, but I am sending a special offer just to my list / members / long-time people.”

Delightful.

Your Black Friday message then becomes:

“You’ve been here. You’ve supported this work. So I’m opening up [offer] at [special rate] just for you.”

That’s nurture. That’s gratitude. That’s strategy.

How to write Black Friday copy that sounds like you (not a mall ad)

Once the strategy is solid, then the words matter.
Good copy can’t save a bad plan—but it can absolutely amplify a good one.

Here’s how to keep your Black Friday copy sharp and on-brand:

1. Lead with the outcome, not the discount

Instead of opening with “50% OFF!!!”

Start with:

• The problem you’re helping them solve

• The shift they’ll feel or see after they buy

• Why now is a particularly helpful moment to jump in

Example:

“If you’ve been stuck staring at a blinking cursor every time you try to write about your offer, this weekend is your easiest ‘yes’ to finally getting support.”

Then you introduce the deal.

The discount sweetens the decision—
it shouldn’t be the entire decision.

2. Be specific with your pricing and details

Vibe-only copy like “crazy savings!” doesn’t build trust.

Say the thing:

• “Normally $997, yours for $497 through Monday.”

• “You’ll get: [list of what’s actually included].”

• “This is the only time this year you’ll see it at this rate.”

Specifics calm their brain down and help them decide.

3. Use grounded urgency

Yes, Black Friday is time-sensitive.
No, you don’t have to scream about doors slamming shut on their dreams.

Try:

“The Black Friday rate is available until Monday at midnight Eastern. After that, it returns to the regular price.”

That’s urgency.
Without the emotional hostage situation.

4. Stay in your brand voice, even under pressure

Black Friday does not require you to sound like someone you’d mute.

If you’re:

• Warm and gentle → lead with care, support, and steady guidance.

• Bold and spicy → bring the spice, but never at your audience’s expense.

• Nerdy and analytical → give them the data, the logic, and the roadmap.

The easiest way to confuse your audience?
Throw your (carefully built) brand voice out the window for three days in November.

Opting out is a power move, too

Also on the table:

“I’m not doing Black Friday this year.”

That is a strategy.

It might be your best play if:

• You’re protecting your pricing and positioning.

• Your people are already overwhelmed with sales.

• You’ve got a bigger, more important launch elsewhere on the calendar.

You can even talk about it in your content:

• Explain why you’re not discounting.

• Reaffirm the value of your work.

• Invite people into your world in non-discount ways—email list, podcast, free training, etc.

Owning your “no” can build just as much trust as a juicy “yes.”

The real Black Friday flex? Strategy first, copy second

So, back to that call with my friend.

We stripped the “because it’s Black Friday” out of the plan.
We looked at what she really wanted: the right people in her world for that $3K offer.
We adjusted the strategy to match the goal.

That’s the move I want for you.

Before you throw a discount into the void, ask:

• What’s the job of this promotion?

• Does this offer and price point actually help me do that job?

• How can my copy lead with value, not just “SALE!”?

Your people don’t need you to shout louder this Black Friday.
They need you to be clearer, more intentional, and more you.

And that? Will land way better than a random 70% off graphic ever will.