As technology continues to evolve, there is an ever-growing amount of channels through which you can communicate with your customers. But which of these channels do customers enjoy using the most to stay in touch with their favorite brands? A survey by MarketingSherpa answered exactly that. The company conducted a survey of 2,057 American adults in early 2015 about their communication channel preference, and their responses certainly were eye-opening. The question asked was simple: “In which of the following ways, if any, would you prefer companies to communicate with you? Please select all that apply.” Here is the chart the company produced to display how responses were spread out: CLICK THE IMAGE ABOVE
When it comes to developing an effective email marketing campaign, your success hinges on more than just the quality of the content you provide. Something as seemingly minor as the time of day at which you send out your emails could make a tremendous difference in how many people actually read it.
Here are some tips to make sure you’re timing your emails perfectly:
• Always send during the day. This might seem rather obvious, but it’s always better to send out email messages during the day when your audience is actually awake and available to read them.
• Avoid Mondays and weekends. The general consensus is you should avoid sending out emails on Mondays and weekends. On weekends, people are going to be out enjoying themselves and are not going to be as likely to check their emails, especially if they’re going to their work accounts. On Mondays, people are still bummed that the weekend has come to an end, and they’re more likely to be flooded with emails they received over the weekend.
• Give some lead time before an event. If you’re sending an email about a specific limited-time offer, make sure to give just a little bit of lead time before that offer begins. A few days prior should be plenty, and possibly a follow-up reminder on the day the offer starts. While approximately 23 percent of all emails are opened within an hour after they are sent, it’s still a good idea to give people a little bit of time just in case.
• Focus on the middle of the day specifically. Middle of the week, middle of the day is always the phrase for marketers. Generally between 9 and 11 a.m. or 1 and 3 p.m. (avoiding the lunch hour) is advisable. People are likely to be near their computers or their phones at these times and more prepared to open a message right away. And of course, don’t forget to take time zones into account if you have multiple locations across a large area.
For more information about our email marketing services at That’s Biz, get in touch with us today.