No simple rule gives the best date and time for all email marketingThere is a lot of data out there about email marketing, and there are a lot of opinions about how to do it right. People obsess over finding the exact best day to send emails to their lists. They worry over the exact right time to send them. Sometimes, it seems like finding the perfect time and day to send an email takes priority over the content or the goal.

For all that trouble, though, guess what. There is no “best” day or time for email marketing—at least, not that works for everyone.

The Best Time to Send Marketing Emails Depends on You and Your Perfect Clients

Sure, there are popular times and days to send emails to your list. Right now, one school of thought says that email marketing works best when you reach out to your list mid-morning and mid-week. For example, watch your email inbox next Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. How many marketing emails do you get between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m.?

The problem is that this general recommendation may not be the best strategy for your specific industry, practice, or practice areas. Instead, the “best” time to send emails comes down to your target audience—your perfect clients—and what is going to work best for them.

Key Factors You Must Consider To Get The Best Results From Your Email Marketing

Your audience.

Just like every other facet of your digital marketing, your email campaigns should always be focused on meeting your perfect clients where they are and when they want to see you. For example, an estate planning attorney might have the best open rates on Saturday mornings, when people are at home and have time to focus on planning for the future. A business that markets to other businesses might see better open rates on Friday afternoons, as owners are wrapping up loose ends for the week. A podiatrist might see the best open rates in the middle of the week or in the evening, after people have been on their feet all day at work. In a nutshell: whom are you trying to reach, and when do they check their email?

Your goal.

What is your goal with the email you send? This is a factor that gets overlooked too often. For example, your perfect clients may be more likely to read your email newsletter in the morning, but they may be more likely to take action on an email offer in the afternoon. For any given email campaign, are you more focused on opens or actions? How does that fit into your email strategy and planning?

Your competition.

When is your competition sending out emails? When do other people in your industry reach out? This can be great research, even though you probably don’t want to copy what they’re doing exactly. If you do, you’re likely to get lost in the sea of other marketing messages your audience gets at, say, 8 a.m. on a Tuesday. Instead, use the information you gather as a jumping-off point to do your own testing.

If you blindly go with what everyone else is doing, you may be missing out on an opportunity to deliver your message at exactly the right time for the people who matter most. Want to do better? The only way to know what works best for you is to experiment with your specific target audiences.

Experiment With Your Email Marketing to Find the “Sweet Spot”

Once you have some ideas and informed guesses, do a little A/B testing with your emails to try out a range of times and days. Use analytics reports and, when appropriate, ask your clients why they chose to take action or contact your office. As you analyze your email data, focus on your specific goals for the campaign. Then, tweak your email campaigns accordingly.

The right email marketing software can also make this process a lot easier. With the email tools in DSS, for example, our clients can easily create and schedule newsletters, email blasts, drip campaigns, and follow-up sequences. They also get built-in tracking tools that let them see opens, click-throughs, opt-outs, and other information without ever leaving DSS. By streamlining your data tracking and scheduling, you give yourself more time to focus on making data-driven decisions for the future.

Are You Getting The Most Out Of Your Email Marketing For Your Law Firm Or Medical Practice?

If you feel you should be getting more leads and clients from your email marketing you're probably right. Foster Web Marketing can help you get the most from your email marketing campaigns. Please contact us online or call our office directly at 866.497.6199 to schedule your free consultation with our experienced email marketing team. We have been helping clients throughout the United States and internationally since 1998 and are confident we can help you not only reach, but exceed your goals.

Tom Foster
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Founder|Owner, Speaker, Creator of DSS, World of Marketing Podcast Host, EOS Implementor
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