Promotional newsletters: what's the best time to send them?
Sending a promotional newsletter is one of the most powerful marketing tools for increasing sales and staying in touch with your customers. Beyond the content, though, choosing the right time to send it matters just as much. Timing decides whether a campaign gets read or ends up among the emails that are never opened.
Why does timing matter for promotional newsletters?
Timing is crucial in email marketing. Even the best-designed newsletter with the most irresistible offer risks going unnoticed if it's sent at the wrong time. The time you send it matters for several reasons:
- User behaviour: people have specific habits when it comes to checking their email. If your email arrives when a user is less likely to read it, it's probably going to be ignored.
- Inbox competition: people receive a lot of emails every day. Sending your newsletter at a peak time means competing with dozens of other emails for attention.
- Open and conversion rates: open rates and conversion rates are closely tied to the time you send. Getting the balance right can mean a higher chance of clicks and, ultimately, purchases.
The best times to send newsletters: when should you send them?
There's no universal rule that applies to every business or sector, but some times statistically tend to work better for sending promotional newsletters.
1. Days of the week: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
Most email marketing studies show that Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are the best-performing days for sending emails. Monday is often a hectic day for many people, with inboxes overloaded after the weekend, while Friday marks the start of the weekend, when attention to work drops off.
- Tip: where possible, concentrate your promotional campaigns in the middle of the week, particularly between Tuesday and Thursday.
2. Time of day: early morning (9am–11am)
The morning, especially between 9am and 11am, is one of the most effective times to send newsletters. Many people check their email as part of their morning routine, and a promotional email sent during this window is more likely to be seen and opened.
- Tip: if your audience includes office professionals, sending emails in the early hours of the working day can lead to higher open rates.
3. Early afternoon (1pm–3pm)
Another good time to send newsletters is in the afternoon, between 1pm and 3pm. After their lunch break, many people check their email again before getting back to their work tasks. Sending your promotion at this time can help you reach your audience when they're less distracted.
- Tip: make sure your emails are concise and easy to read, since people may be busy at this time and prefer quick, direct content.
4. The evening (8pm–10pm)
If your target audience is consumers who check their email at home, the evening can be another effective time. Between 8pm and 10pm, many people are relaxing and have more time to read personal emails, including company updates and promotions.
- Tip: this time slot can work particularly well for businesses targeting a younger audience or consumers who shop online in their free time.
Consider your audience: tailor your timing to your target
While the general times mentioned above are a good starting point, it's also important to consider your audience's specific habits. Some factors to keep in mind:
- B2B or B2C: if you're targeting other businesses (B2B), weekdays and working hours will be more relevant. If you're targeting consumers (B2C), you might want to aim for evenings or weekends, when they have more time for personal shopping.
- Time zones: if your audience is spread across different geographic areas, consider scheduling your emails to reach them at the best time according to their time zone.
- Audience habits: analyse the data you've gathered on your audience's email-reading habits. Some email marketing platforms let you run A/B tests to find out which time works best for your market segment.
Best practices for increasing the effectiveness of your promotional newsletter
Besides choosing the right time to send your email, there are other best practices that can help improve the open and conversion rates of your newsletters.
1. Create engaging subject lines
Your email's subject line is the first thing the reader sees. It needs to be engaging, short and give a clear idea of the content straight away. Avoid overly generic subject lines and experiment with questions, special offers or a sense of urgency (such as “Last Chance to Save”).
- Example: “50% Off, Today Only!” or “Be the First to See the New Collection!”
2. Segment your audience
Sending the same email to your entire database can be ineffective. Segment your audience by interests, location or purchasing behaviour to offer more targeted, relevant promotions.
3. Test different times with A/B testing
If you're not sure of the best time for your audience, use A/B testing to try different sending times and see which performs best. Email marketing platforms let you send the same email to different groups of your audience at different times, giving you the chance to analyse which time generates the most opens and conversions.
4. Use personalisation
Personalised emails, which include the recipient's name or targeted offers based on their previous purchases, tend to perform better. Use personalisation to make the message more relevant and grab the recipient's attention more effectively.
Conclusion
There's no one-size-fits-all formula for determining the best time to send a promotional newsletter, but there are general rules that can help guide more informed decisions. Experiment with your sending times and keep monitoring your data to see which times bring the best results for your business.
