Do you own a business? Are you marketing your business by email? Email marketing is one of the most effective ways to get the word out about what you offer and why subscribers should be interested in it. But there can be a steep learning curve in figuring out how best to get these emails to your audience. One aspect of that learning curve is when to send your emails. Read on to learn all about what to consider and what might make the most sense for you!
We’ve all been on the receiving end of email marketing campaigns. But do you actually open each one? What is it that prompts you to open, when you do? Whether you notice it or not, it may depend on when the email was sent. When you check your email – you see the emails at the top of your inbox first – which automatically increases their chances of being opened. Let’s look at some specifics in terms of this 'when' question.
Email marketing is one of the most effective ways to get the word out about what you offer and why subscribers should be interested in it.
Day of the Week
Any guess as to which day of the week is best for email send-outs? It’s...Tuesday! Followed by Thursday – and in third place – Wednesday. If you send bi-weekly emails, consider sending on Tuesdays and Thursdays for the most bang for your buck.
Time of Day
Not only is the day of the week you choose to send your email important — the time of day that you send it is also a factor. Various studies have found that mid-to-late morning is the best time to send emails, as people take a break from work or go for an early lunch. In second place was in the evening – around 8 PM. The dinner rush has usually subsided by then and people are checking in before bed. (Although let’s be honest, how many of us bring our phones to bed anyway?)
Another effective time is in the mid-afternoon – around 2 PM or so. It’s around this time that people start to lose focus at work and seek distractions. Let procrastination become your opportunity!
Various studies have found that mid-to-late morning is the best time to send emails, as people take a break from work or go for an early lunch.
A last lucrative time of day for email sending is early in the morning – say 6 AM. While not all of us are awake quite that early, you’re bound to catch a good number of early risers who kick off their days with a scan of their inbox.
Depending on your market, it’s likely that you’re sending across multiple time zones. If this is the case, try to assess where the majority of your audience is located and send accordingly based around that time zone.
Who’s Your Audience?
The important thing to consider in all this is your audience. Are there any generalizations you can make about whose inbox your emails are landing in? Whatever insights you have may help you determine when they have an extra few minutes to browse through emails.
... test out what timing works best for your business.
For example, a website that sells children’s clothing will likely have an audience made up predominantly of parents. Most parents are busy juggling their kids — and whatever else they have on their plate — and likely don’t have a chance to chill until after the kids’ bedtime in the evenings. Try sending your email in that sweet spot – say around 8 or 9 PM – to catch them before they hit the sack.
Getting to know your audience will provide valuable insights that will help your marketing efforts get the most traction.
Testing 1-2-3
If you’re serious about email marketing (which you should be!), you’ll probably want to test out what timing works best for your business. It will always vary, so the specifics above are general suggestions that should be tried and tried again. Test out different days and times, then track and analyze your data to assess where you get the most leverage. Happy emailing!
Have questions about email marketing? Just ask us in the comments below!