E-mail marketing. Reflections on timing.

In a previous post on this blog, we already discussed e-mail marketing as still being a valid marketing channel. In that post we made a clear distinction between e-mail marketing and spam. Additionally, when you are not sending out spam but deploy e-mail blast software in cooperation with intelligent marketing techniques, one needs to realize that timing is a rather crucial aspect as well.

Timing e-mail marketing

When does the message appear in front of the receiver?

Feature story : e-mail blasts from political parties

Today, a few minutes ago, I went voting. Back at home I checked my e-mail inbox: 3 commercial e-mails from political parties in order to get my vote in the last minutes of the campaign. Sorry, too late! I voted after which I read your e-mail. Nevertheless, you had about 2 or 3 months to reach me via e-mail. You didn’t. Timing is almost as crucial as targeting the right audience. Wrong timing is a classical example of deploying e-mail marketing non-effectively.

Other reflections on the timing aspect of e-mail blasts

• E-mails on Monday: if people take a day off, it’s probably a monday… So, if you want your e-mail not to be read, send it on monday.
• E-mails on Monday – part 2: people open their mailbox after not opening it for an entire weekend. Your e-mail is in a clutter of loads of e-mails. Are you that sure yours it the one that’s going to be read?
• E-mail campaigns on Friday: if people take a day off, it’s probably on Friday … or on Monday
• E-mail hour of sending: I believe e-mails have the highest change of being read when send on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. Additionally one needs to realize that people want a small break from now and then while working. Don’t you feel like reading something amusing when you’re close to lunch break? Yes, I suggest that sending out e-mail blast shortly before noon is the most fruitful period of the day.