When is best time to email-blast customers?

jganders · #1 (**permalink**) 09-04-2007, 02:24 PM

Is there a best time and/or day of week, to send an email blast to your customer list?
I've just had an associate speculate that it's best to blast during working hours. The thought is that if someone comes in on Monday and there are a couple dozen emails from the weekend, there is more of a chance that they will not look them. People will be more likely to read an email that comes in during their working hours.
Is this true? Does it matter when the email is sent?
Thanx,
Jim

**mjtaylor** · #2 (**permalink**) 09-04-2007, 02:41 PM

Well, I would say never BLAST them ... but that said, I think your buddy is right, there's too much else in the inbox on Monday morning ... and I would avoid Friday when everyone is thinking about the weekend .. but other weekday mornings would make sense to me ... first thing I do in the morning is read my email and plan my day ... on the other hand, I hate to be distracted once I am in the flow, so emails that come during the day from anyone but clients and this forum tend to get ignored.

My two cents, MJ

**mjtaylor** · #3 (**permalink**) 09-04-2007, 02:42 PM

PS ... I didn't realize we had such a famous actor/director on the forum!

Dubbya · #4 (**permalink**) 09-04-2007, 04:35 PM

I'd think Tuesday would be the best day, but it looks like Friday mornings result in the highest open rates, though surprisingly enough, Saturday and Sunday seem to fare rather well.

I'm not validating any science behind these links, but it's interesting reading, so use this information as you will.

eROI Inc., Q2'06 eROI Email Statistics

What is the Best Time to Send an Email Promotion or Newsletter?

Friday Best Day For Email Newsletter Open Rates?

My .02? If it's unsolicited, the title's too sp@mmy and the message isn't specifically targeted to the intended recipient, it'll hit the trash bin before it ever gets opened.

BTW MJ, I'm famous too! LOL

DanThies · #5 (**permalink**) 09-04-2007, 06:36 PM

It sort of depends on your audience. My best open rates (historical/empirical) have come from Friday mailings, for my SEO list. But I suspect that many of my readers have strange habits (and 7 day work weeks). YMMV.

jganders · #6 (**permalink**) 09-04-2007, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mjtaylor

PS ... I didn't realize we had such a famous actor/director on the forum!

You must be talking about yourself. Your avatar looks like Kim Basinger.

Also, When I say blasts, I am only talking about newsletters to customers. Nothing spammy.

**mjtaylor** · #7 (**permalink**) 09-04-2007, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dubbya

BTW MJ, I'm famous too! LOL

Yes, I see that now ... you know, you are both in terrible violation of photo guidelines!!!! And as a not-yet-famous-moderator, who is envious of your fame and fortune I have to warn you!!

**mjtaylor** · #8 (**permalink**) 09-04-2007, 07:38 PM

Kim ... haven't heard that one before

... thank you!
I will be keeping very quiet about your photo violation ...

craigmn3 · #9 (**permalink**) 09-04-2007, 07:41 PM

My First Answer would be don't...not at all.
But whatever you do, don't be part of that first rush that assaults me every morning. I delete them faster than a hitman dispatches a rat.
Hit them in the down time 2 pm like someone I know....some service always e-mails me right around 2pm....mmmm Oh yeah those muggs at webproworld.com It's a perfect break from the rat race of the morning and the hunkered down soild work of the afternoon.

TrafficProducer · #10 (**permalink**) 09-04-2007, 07:53 PM

Quote:

When is best time to email-blast customers?

Apart from Never BLAST!!!

I heard about 14:00-15:30, (Tuesday), (a bit after most the work has been cleared and lunch has finished), said to be the most productive work time, but then times change depending on where people live.

So if you have customers different city's, post different times.

Even Newsletter can become Spammy if done too much and not to the point, Targeted.

ratzisme · #11 (**permalink**) 09-04-2007, 09:01 PM

I agree that Tuesday is best for email marketing. I prefer 10:00 AM or so.

pagetta · #12 (**permalink**) 09-05-2007, 05:33 AM

i can't for the life of me remember when/where i heard this but i do remember reading an article about the fact that wednesday afternoons are when people are most susceptible to emails - they are feeling good cos its mid week and also probably quite relaxed, and are more likely to read and reply to/take action with any mail they receive.

Just a thought! we tend to send ours out at lunchtime mid week on the whole though

free-bet · #13 (**permalink**) 09-05-2007, 06:43 AM

I recall someone with a list of circa 20k or so telling me they had split test and found Friday's the best day.

I do suspect however it may depend on the nature of your audience and the nature of the offer emailed about.

Argument / reasoning for Fridays may be.. people are generally happier and perhaps more responsive.

Mondays...they are on more of a downer as it is typically first day back with the nose to the grindstone at work.

Then again if you happen to be in say the biz op business offering an escape from the 9-5 Monday may be the day when it makes most sense to the reader

I don't think there is one easy answer. You need to find the right answer for your particuar niche and target audience.

I have to admit to having little to know experience of this myself.
If you have a list big enough to warrent fine tuning sending however I would consider split testing. Here is a possible plan.

1 - take your mailing list then jumble it up then split it into 7 smaller lists. Do this jumbling else your results may be skewed due to list sign up freshness. New joiners may be more responsive than old etc.

2 - pick a week in mid month to try and minimise any monthly pay day effect.

3 - send exactly the same email at the same time of day to each of the 7 groups and monitor open rates etc.
Obviously you may need to set up 7 click tracking urls etc.

The results when analysed should give you an indication as to whats a good bet for your future mailings.

Feasibly month 2 you could retest but this time varying time of day as opposed to day of week.

Sounds like good advice. Just wish I bothered to do it all myself

Cheers
Mick

Volusion · #14 (**permalink**) 09-05-2007, 06:16 PM

What is your call to action? Are you wanting people to buy something that would require them to call you first, or is it something they can just go to your site and buy? If they can just go to your site and buy, I would go for Friday morning. If it requires them to contact you first or just go to a website, I'd go for Tuesday.

**incrediblehelp** · #15 (**permalink**) 09-06-2007, 01:19 AM

The time and day of the week totally depends on the customers your trying to attract, even for just opt-in newsletters.

ebizer · #16 (**permalink**) 09-09-2007, 03:31 PM

Tuesdays MUST be the best day because I get a sh__ load of newsletters on that day!

I wrote a tongue-in-cheek posting on my blog about this very thing.

qh4dotcom · #17 (**permalink**) 09-10-2007, 04:58 PM

I also get a lot of newsletter e-mails Tuesday in the morning...so I guess that is the best time.

Steven1976a · #18 (**permalink**) 09-30-2007, 08:17 AM

First of all I dont understand why people are saying dont do it all. I think they are referring to not sending spam to people that dont want it. If however the lists are to people that have requested you to send them emails I feel that Wednesdays or Fridays are the best if your selling products.

Wednesday because i feel they have got the build up of work on their desk from Monday morning out the way and may have time to view the new products to break up the week. Fridays, we send because we feel at the weekend people have time to go to our website and make their orders so we like to be in their thoughts going into the weekend.