Email Campaign Timing

People ask me all the time, "when should I send my email?" And usually, I have about as much information about that campaign as you do – which is not much. If you spend some time researching this question, you will find some good best practices and benchmark data. For example, if your list is mostly comprised of business email addresses, send your email during business hours. If your list is made up of mostly home addresses, then send it on weekends or after-hours. When people ask me this question, I feel they are usually looking for a direct, simple answer like this. But I generally don’t give these kinds of answers.

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Our Top eBlast Tips

1. Do NOT use the CC field when addressing your recipients. Blind copy everyone or use an email marketing system. We're big fans of MailChimp.

2. CSS is great for web sites, but don't you dare use it for your eblast. Old school tables are the best solution for HTML emails.

3. Some email programs strip out HTML, HEAD and BODY tags ... keep that in mind when you're developing the overall design.

4. Include a link to your company's privacy policy ... many times, the professional email marketing systems will provide one.

5. Always include a one-click opt-out link (avoid "click here" language because that is spammy). Use a link to "Unsubscribe".

6. Don't expect your eblast to look like a web site. No JavaScript, no embedding movies, ... no fun! Keep eblasts straight forward and simple.

7. Use images sparingly. Know that most mobile devices and many email programs have image blockers ... make sure the important stuff is in plain text.

8. Don't be annoying. The only person who wants a daily eblast from you is your mother.

9. Don't buy mailing lists. That's just icky. Instead, make sure your recipients have all opted in and want to receive mail from you.

10. Test the final email before sending it out to your list just to be sure everything is loading properly. Nobody likes receiving a wonky email.

And, a bonus tip: Avoid spammy words like "viagra", "mortgage", "free", "click here", "limited time", or "act now".