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Email Marketing Guide 3: Targeting

6. How frequently should you email?

It depends. Maybe that sounds like a hedge, but the fact is that every situation is different. And this is why it is so important to know your own products and services inside out and match the cycles to the frequency of your email newsletter programme. There is a growing trend moving away from rigid monthly mailing schedules and instead publishing email newsletters or communications when a company has something relevant to say to a subscriber.

Timeliness of your message

The best measure is if the information in your email newsletter programme is timely, then you need to send it. If it doesn't relate to everyone on your list, then you need to consider sending it only to the appropriate subscribers. For example, recruitment consultants mail more frequently because when someone is looking for a job they are keen to hear about it as soon as possible, travel too matches this "frequent" cycle. Something that is a long sales cycle is probably going to be sent less often but enough to stay 'front of mind'.

Let the reader decide

Another idea is to let the subscriber decide how often they want or need to receive an email newsletter from you. Offer the flexibility to pick areas of interest, frequency, etc. Allow readers the ability to change their selections with each mailing. Make it as easy as possible! Stay away from complicated password-protected access, these are a real turn-off, and readers may just start deleting your emails rather than try to change their subscription.

Related articles:
Best day and time to email.
Marketing - one email at a time.

Areas covered in this guide

• Introduction
• Understanding customer life cycles
• Should you build or rent your email lists?
• Building an email database
• Renting an email list
• > How frequently should you email?