When should I send my email?

The most common question asked of any email marketer will be regarding the best time and day to send an email. Our best answer is always, it depends.

It depends on when you said you would send them, what you’re sending and who you’re sending them too. The answer lies in your business and in your data. But, let’s dive into some basics you can start with.

When should you send your emails and should you be resending them? Let’s start with…

What time should I send my email?
Normally we schedule emails anywhere between 10am and 3pm but there are no strict rules around this. Sometimes an email will be scheduled as soon as it’s tested because it’s based on a time-sensitive offer.

It is really dependent on your customer database. Review the information on when emails are opened to gauge a time that works for you. Keep in mind mail server peak times. For example, a lot of business email is sent between 8am and 9am as people start replying to the emails they’ve received. There is another peak in the afternoon.

It’s a good idea to try sends at different times, or sending the same email at different times to different segments of your customer database in order to get some concrete data on the best send times. Mailchimp has an interesting tool that optimises the send times based on a LOT of data. We’re using it and reviewing the difference in results. Time and reporting will tell if it’s working.

Resending emails to those contacts who haven’t opened your latest email is a great way to encourage more readers – we suggest changing the subject line and preheader text.

Be aware of your audience. International emails need to be relevant and sent at appropriate times. Most email platforms allow you to do this automatically.

Pro tip: Resends for the win! After sending an email, wait 2-3 days and then resend to the people who didn’t open the first time around. This will give you the best results from your offer and is one of the secrets to our client’s success!

Fun fact: Queen Elizabeth of Britain sent her first email in 1976!

Action
When do you mostly check and open your emails? Make a note of this and consider sending your emails around this time.

Next module >>