Timing Optimization

When to Send Matters

The best message sent at the wrong time dies unread. A mediocre message sent at the right time thrives.
Timing affects:
  • Open rates (will they see it?)
  • Response rates (will they act?)
  • Sentiment (will they be annoyed or pleased?)
  • Conversion rates (will they buy?)

Finding Your Optimal Send Times

Analyze your data:
  • When do most of your opens occur?
  • When do most of your responses happen?
  • When do most of your purchases take place?
Test systematically:
  • Send the same message to similar segments at different times
  • Measure open rate, click rate, and conversion rate
  • Identify patterns over multiple campaigns

General guidelines by message type:

Message Type Best Timing Why
Marketing promotions Tuesday-Thursday, 10 AM-2 PM recipient time Mid-week, mid-day catches active shoppers
Utility updates Immediately upon event occurrence Timeliness is the value
Appointment reminders 24 hours before + 2 hours before Reduces no-shows without being annoying
Re-engagement campaigns Sunday evening or Monday morning Catches planning mindset
Flash sales When urgency is real (not fake) Honest urgency converts better than manufactured

Frequency Management

Too many messages = unsubscribes and blocks. Too few = forgotten and irrelevant.

Recommended frequency by segment:

Segment Max Marketing Messages/Week Utility Messages
New subscribers 2-3 As needed
Active customers 1-2 As needed
VIP customers 1 (exclusive, high-value) As needed
Lapsed customers 1 (win-back only) None unless re-engaged

Warning signs you are sending too much:
  • Unsubscribe rate above 1% per campaign
  • Block rate increasing
  • Response rates are declining over time
  • Customer complaints about frequency
When in doubt, send less. One great message per week beats five mediocre messages that train customers to ignore you.
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