When are you Reading This?
One question I get asked a lot is, “When is the best time to send my newsletter?” If the person asking has an hour or so, we might chat about how it can depend on a lot of things about their business, strategy and target market.
Then I might tell them about the overall industry statistics. But really, do you pick Tuesday because it’s half a percent better than Monday? That will only make a difference if you have thousands of subscribers.
Consider your own email habits. How do you vet that backlog of emails you find on Monday morning? Keep in mind that, if you aren't part of your target market, your habits will vary from your subscribers’ habits. Don't project your own judgments onto your readership.
Ideally, you want your newsletter to arrive when your subscriber is using their email. And when they read is often dictated by where they read - at home, at work, or out and about.
So, the answer is simple: figure out when your subscribers are using their email and send your newsletter then. The implementation is not so simple, but it may not be such a wild guess in some cases. There are industries and professions where you can pin down specific times to find subscribers at their desks. Perhaps you don't have this luxury, so instead survey people in your target market, formally or informally.
Are you a small business owner reading this post in your email? What day and time is it? And are you mobile or at your desk? Hit reply and let me know!
