An email marketing campaign can be very successful. However, there is a whole array of factors that will affect the rate of success. One of the most crucial elements is email campaign timing. If you don’t do it at the right moment, it will not have the same impact on your clients. With that in mind, let’s dive a little deeper into this topic and try to figure it out together!
The definition of “the best time”
When you read the title of this article, what was your first thought? Did you think that we are referring to the best day of the week, or the best hour during the day, or something third?
Well, the definition of “the best time” includes all of that. We need to look at a thorough analysis of how and when people use emails. If you understand how your target customers think, you will know to pick the best time to send email campaigns!
When is the best time of the day to send email marketing campaigns?
This really depends on the daily habits of your customers. Some people like to look at emails early in the morning, while others take their time in the evening hours when they come from work, or maybe before they go to bed.
Keep that in mind even when preparing your email marketing campaign. If you wish to target both groups, create a 2-part campaign. Send the first part around 10 AM, and schedule the second part around 8 PM.
You can also pick 2 PM as your go time. Typically, this is when people who work take a lunch break. Another viable option is early in the morning, around 6 AM. Workaholics like to start their day early by reading emails while still in bed.
What day of the week is best for sending email campaigns?
Again, the psychological aspect of your clients plays a crucial role here. Usually, it is best to avoid Mondays. The weekend is just over, people are back to work, and let’s face it, no one likes Mondays!
By far, one of the most popular days to send email campaigns is Tuesday. It truly counts as the start of the week after Monday is finally over.
If you send emails on multiple days, there is a discussion about whether it is wise to send the second part on Wednesday or wait for Thursday. Some can’t wait to get the second part, while others don’t like to be swamped with emails every day. While both Wednesday and Thursday are good options, you should avoid Fridays. You want to send the second part while the information is still fresh and your customers are hooked to it. Two days difference between emails might cause them to lose interest.
There is also the option of sending emails on weekends. While some say that this is a good idea because people have more free time, it is also crucial to understand that people might not want to spend their time in front of a computer or browsing emails when they can relax and have some family time.
If you send a weekly newsletter, it is vital to pick a day and time and stick to it! Do not deviate from this plan. People like routines.
Find the best time to send email campaigns by testing your audience
While the information we provided so far makes sense, it is crucial to understand that you have to test your audience. This is all based on customer research and testing, and you cannot know for sure unless you spend some time getting to know your subscribers’ habits.
Schedule automated emails during different hours and days, and analyze the data. You can set it so that you receive notifications about when your clients open their emails. Keep in mind that the most loyal subscribers open emails within the first hour of receiving them. If you are testing the click rate at 10 AM, you might want to schedule emails 30 minutes before.
The entire testing process is very sensitive, and it will require time to get the complete analysis on your clients. However, the outcome is worth it. Once you know your customers’ habits, you can plan your email campaigns to match that pattern.
Sending email campaigns is easier with CRM
Since we are talking about collecting customer data and using it for your email campaigns, CRM can be a great tool for this. You can boost your marketing campaigns by using this software since it allows you to create customer profiles and track everything you can think of.
The best CRM platforms also provide options to automate your emails. This feature will make everything more manageable because you can schedule emails and let the software do the work. Sending email marketing campaigns without the automation that CRM offers can be a tedious process. Furthermore, you might forget to send emails at the correct time if you are busy. That will only disturb the habits of your subscribers and also mess up the entire schedule.
Avoid all of those problems by using a CRM to create your email campaigns.
Consider additional factors when picking the best time to send email campaigns
Besides researching the habits and behavioral patterns of your clients, it is also important to consider some other factors, like:
- what your industry is, and what your clients do;
- if your clients are in a different time zone;
- if it is a vacation season;
- if any unusual things are happening in your area at the moment.
All of these elements might disturb the habits of your clients, so it is crucial to keep that in mind. As you can see, the best time to send email campaigns depends on many different factors. This process requires constant adjustments, so be ready to put lots of energy and effort into it. Good luck!