Here’s How to Know When is the Best Time to Send Marketing Emails
Learning when is the best time to send marketing emails is one piece of the puzzle to allow you to leverage the power of email marketing. This article will teach you that as well as provide you best practices in the form of a checklist.
It is predicted that there will soon be more than 4 billion active email accounts, a huge number that businesses can target for their sales generation. Companies that use segmented campaigns report increasing their revenue by as much as 760%. With so much potential for profit, many businesses incorporate email marketing into their lead generation.
However, unlike social media or blog posts that can easily be modified, once you send an email, they are out there and unable to be retrieved.
You can avoid possible mistakes by following this email marketing 101 checklist of what to check before sending your next marketing email and learn the best time to send marketing emails to optimize how effective your marketing messages are.
Email Marketing Trends and the Future of Email Marketing
First, you should check if your email marketing incorporate some of the latest trends and innovations in this field, such as:
- Inclusion of user-generated content – Many marketers are letting customers speak for themselves as part of an influential form of marketing. By containing information contained in recent product reviews or testimonials, the company can provide authentic information from customers that may encourage additional sales from email leads.
- Interactive content – With today’s advances, you can easily add animated buttons, linked calls to actions, product carousels users control, surveys, polls, and other interactive content.
- Voice assistant-enabled content – Because there will be more voice assistants in households and businesses, smart businesses will tailor their content so that these assistants can easily read them.
- Scheduled emails – Even if you prepare your marketing messages ahead of time, you do not have to send them out right away. You can use data to ensure that you send out your message at the best time to send marketing emails.
- Analysis of emails – Email marketing software providers have access to more data that shows critical information, such as, which email campaigns lead to the most success and open rates. This trend allows you to customize your message so that it is tailored to different market segments.
When is the Best Time to Send Marketing Emails?
Before you send your marketing email, be sure that you schedule it to be sent at an optimal time. The best time to send marketing emails is the time when your prospective or existing customers will be more likely to open the email, click on your links, and ultimately make a purchase.
A number of studies have focused on when is the best time to send marketing emails and found that 10 a.m. is a good time to send email as people begin their work day by checking their email. Other popular times were:
- 12 a.m. to capture people who open their emails as soon as they wake up
- 1 p.m. for people to check after they finish their lunch
- 4 p.m. for people who are looking for distractions at the end of the work day
Tuesday was found to be the most popular day for people to open their emails.
However, you should carefully consider the habits of your potential customers and the optimal times to reach them.
What Do You Need to Check Before Sending Marketing Emails?
Now, for the full list of everything you need to check before you send your next marketing email:
Permission
Stay in line with the law and avoid upsetting your customers by getting clear permission from them before you send marketing emails. Include a statement of how the customer granted you permission and allow users to opt out of future messages to cover your bases. You can usually find this information in the footer of your message.
From Field
Make sure that the form field has the right email address. Many business owners have multiple email addresses, so be sure that you are using the right account. Also, make sure that the email address you use is associated with your business and looks professional. Customers may use reverse email address search tools to ensure that you are a legitimate sender and not a spammer, so you want to be sure to clear these searches as well as spam filters.
Subject Line
Your subject line needs to be catchy to appeal to customers and to get them to open it. Some examples of subject line approaches that have been historically successful include:
- A fear of missing out message
- Self-improvement messaging
- Cliffhangers
- Controversial messaging
- Promotions
Additionally, you can get more open emails when the subject is personalized to your recipient.
Pre-Header
Most email providers place a pre-header next to your subject line. Review this field to make sure it makes sense and is not repetitive of your subject line.
Introduction
Make sure that you give a professional impression to your customers and hook them within the first 50 words by having a compelling introduction
Reply To Address
Make sure that the reply to the email address you use is the correct one.
Postal Address
Most countries’ email marketing laws require businesses to include their valid postal address in their emails. Customers may use reverse address search tools to learn more about a business, so you will need to have clear background information for your business.
Body
Now, you can focus your attention on the body of your message. Make sure that you use short sentences and paragraphs. Subheadings and bullet points can help break up the text and make it easier to read. Use an email template that gives you plenty of white space. Read the entire message out loud to yourself to make sure it makes sense and flows well.
Brand
Your message should include a voice and tone that is unique to your business. Be sure that the overall content of your message reflects your brand.
Headings
Any headings you use should be consistent in color, size, and font. They should also be logical and break up your text in a natural way. You may want to include parallel structure so that your headings reflect a similar format, such as all questions or strong verbs.
Personalization Data Fields
Make sure that each personalization data field includes the right person and all similar fields reflect this. Make sure that you have uploaded the correct data fields for personalization.
Segmented List
Since using different marketing campaigns to sell to different demographics is so effective, make sure that you are using the right segmented list for this particular campaign.
Links
You have painstakingly prepared your marketing message and included a link to send your customers to the page you want to get more views on. But, you discover after the fact that the link was broken. Don’t expect your customers to inform you of this mistake or that they will follow up on a second email where you admit your mistake.
Avoid this problem by ensuring that all of your links work before you send them out to your contacts.
Images
Make sure that you select appropriate images. Also, check that you have optimized alternate text when you scroll over the image. Check the load speed and optimize, if necessary.
Social Media Links
If you have social media pages, include links and icons to them on your message. Every link you create between your message and your business will give recipients another chance to interact with you.
Call to Action
Include a call to action that is easy to understand and straightforward. Your call to action should be clear and compelling. You should also link it if it includes a phone number or contact request.
Spelling
Give your entire message a thorough inspection for any possible spelling or grammatical errors.
Footer
Your footer must contain specific information to be compliant with the laws. This includes adding your address and clear instructions on how customers can unsubscribe from your list. Make sure this link is visible and functions correctly.
You may also want to add options that make it easier for your customers to share the information, such as including a “forward to a friend” button or social media icons.
Mobile Optimization
Did you know that mobile devices account for 60+% of all email opens? Make sure you are targeting this segment of the population by ensuring that your message is optimized for mobile users.
Some ways to make your message mobile-friendly are:
- Use at least 14-point font to make your message easier to read
- Stay within 320 and 550 pixels wide
- Use the proper size for images and check that they render accurately
- Make your call to action link and other links large and easy to be tapped on
- Spread out the links so they are easier to tap on
Test
Send yourself a test email to your own email address so you can test out the message before making it public to your recipients. This is the best way to see what your recipients will see. Send a new test email to yourself after you make any changes.
In particular, do the following:
- Proofread every line
- Make sure the customer can read the entire subject line
- Make sure all images render correctly
- Review if the body text appears as you imagined
- Ensure the color of text is easy to read
- Run the message through a spam filter and make sure it does not get redirected
- Include a link to view the message on the web and that this is easy to read
- See if the message looks attractive on desktop, a mobile device, and a laptop
- Review the preview text and make sure it is compelling to your target customer
- Check that any links work and that attachments download
To Field
There’s a reason that this is at the bottom of the list. You should make sure that everything in your message is correct before you put in a recipient’s email address. This is to help you avoid accidentally sending the message before it is ready
Conclusion
Email is an effective marketing technique – if used correctly. Use this checklist with each and every marketing message you prepare to ensure not only you know when is the best time to send marketing emails, but also that you deliver an appropriate, compelling, and influential marketing message.
Photo by Nick Hillier on Unsplash