In between Thanksgiving and Christmas are three of the busiest shopping days of the year: Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Giving Tuesday.

According to the National Retail Federation and Forbes, more than 174 million people shopped over the five-day Thanksgiving weekend in 2017, spending an average of $335 apiece. The data also reveals that one-third of those big spenders went online, and about 40 percent shopped in a store and online. Giving Tuesday, a global day of giving, raised more than $274 million, with an average gift size exceeding $134.

If you want to boost your bottom line on the busiest shopping days of the year, it’s time to gussy up your email marketing campaigns. This is especially true if you want to stand out among retail giants such as Target and Walmart.

Here are a few email examples and helpful tips for how your small business can get in on the big bucks on Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Giving Tuesday.

Black Friday

If you feel you can’t compete with the big guys on Black Friday, why not start your sale early? Gift buyers are already shopping. In a CreditCard.com study, 34 million people said they start their holiday shopping before Thanksgiving. Take a tip from Blue Apron: The brand ran a Black Friday sale before Thanksgiving to catch early bird shoppers with the email subject line, “Can you keep a secret? Our Black Friday sale starts … soon.”

Cyber Monday

Shoppers spent $6.59 billion on Cyber Monday in 2017, the biggest shopping day in the history of online shopping. If you want to get your email subscribers to make a purchase, an email that suggests urgency is a powerful persuader.

Tick tock. Tick tock. Clarks Shoes knows that a countdown clock is a mighty motivator. With the email subject line, “Final Hours – Cyber Monday Ends At Midnight!” there’s no doubt that Clarks Shoes customers were eager to take a step in their direction.

Giving Tuesday

Sometimes the best advice is to keep it simple. Brooks Brothers made it easy for customers to support a charitable cause on Giving Tuesday. You buy something, we donate. It’s as simple as that.

Bonus tips

Online deal site Tanga decided that if you’ve got a good thing going, why stop? There’s no rule that your promotions must end after Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Giving Tuesday pass. It’s over when you say it’s over. You can extend your holiday sales for as long as you like — after all, it’s your business, right?

In order to maximize the shopping frenzy, plan to send emails to remind your customers that your business is a boundless resource for holiday shopping. You don’t have to open your doors at 5 a.m. to cash in on willing shoppers — just add your own spin and get the word out.

In addition, don’t forget about Small Business Saturday, which is sandwiched between Black Friday and Cyber Monday! Here’s our guide on how to take part in this highly successful holiday tradition.

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Editor’s note: This article was originally published in November 2017 and has been updated for accuracy and relevance.

© 2018, Contributing Author. All rights reserved.