Email marketing can be one of the most powerful weapons in your arsenal with the right strategy. However, if you want to use this tool to its fullest potential, there are some major hurdles that must be overcome, including the dilemma of what is the right sending frequency for your list. It is a catch-22 of sorts because while sending too much could overwhelm your readers, sending too little could cause them to forget about you and lose interest altogether. Figuring out which way to lean can be difficult when you are dealing with different preferences, but this common issue can be overcome with a dedication to sound planning.

Set the Tone from the Outset

The email relationship begins the moment someone subscribes to your mailing list, and that first interaction is a crucial one. Why not make it count by setting the tone for the relationship from the get-go? Instead of making them wait, let your subscribers know what to expect in terms of frequency right away. This is something that can either be done in your welcome message, or during the actual signup process if possible. When your audience knows what to expect, they are far more likely to respond, and less likely to complain about sending frequency.

Conduct a Survey

While letting your subscribers know what to expect up front is a good thing, sometimes it is better to actually let your audience call the shots. When considering that your readers are unique and have different preferences, this is probably the best decision you can make in regard to your sending schedule. You can learn more about these preferences by conducting a simple survey. By asking the right questions, you can find out exactly when and how often they want to hear from you, be it on a monthly, weekly or even a daily basis. Once you have the survey results in your hands, schedule your campaigns accordingly to honor the preferences of your list.

Set Up a Preference Center

As a business committed to doing permission-based email marketing the right way, you definitely want to provide an easy way for users to opt-in, and unsubscribe when they feel the time has come to call it quits. Or, you can give them freedom to manage it all through a preference center. Set up a page tailored for each individual subscriber and give them the options necessary to manage their subscription. Ideally, you want to let them control frequency, in addition to things like message format and the ability to update their email address. If you are truly out to please your list, a preference center needs to be a part of the plan.

Remember, what works for the next sender could actually be detrimental to your efforts. For this reason, the answers to all the burning questions are best derived from your whole audience. Whether it relates to frequency, format or content, the right answer should always be determined by the preferences of your list.

If you’re ever unsure about email marketing best practices, click the link! This and other free PDF manuals will always be available in our Resources. Download them or read them right from our site.