How Often Should I Send Marketing Emails? 

Sending out promotional and marketing emails can be a great way to spread the news about your business and what you can offer. It can be difficult to find the middle ground between not sending enough and losing your customer’s attention and sending too many emails and annoying your customers. So how often should you be sending out marketing emails?

This article will discuss how to decide the frequency of your marketing emails, including a newsletter, and ways to build up your email list. 

Marketing Email

Email marketing is a form of direct marketing that uses emails to help promote your business’s products and services. An email marketing campaign is the basis for any other email marketing actions. The campaign should be a storyboard for any following actions. A successful email marketing campaign will get the recipients to take action. Your audience will engage with your business and help you get more leads and sales.  There are a handful of email marketing platforms that can also assist in the effectiveness of your marketing emails. 

Now that you have decided to start email marketing, how often should emails actually be sent from your business? Timing is a huge component to sending out marketing emails. How often your company sends out emails can have a significant effect on your company revenue and how your audience engages with your emails. There are a variety of factors to consider when discussing the frequency of emails. 

Factors for Frequency of Emails 

Industry Stats 

How often are other email marketers sending their emails? The frequency of your competitor’s emails can set the scene as to what your audience expects from you. Consider taking a look at their ROI. See what works for other companies and what doesn’t. Learning from your competitors can make the process much easier for your own company. 

Nature of Products or Services 

What exactly are you offering your customers? Your answer will impact the frequency of the emails you send. For example, a business for winter gear would send more emails in the winter while a news agency may be sending daily emails to keep their audience informed. Seasonal products will different in both the type and frequency of emails that should be sent out. 

Your Goals 

What are your goals for your email marketing? What is the point? Your answer could range from trying to entice people to purchase a product, to filling out a form. The nature of your emails determines how your audience will react to your future emails. Keep in mind that your business’ very first email is the most important. It will dictate if your audience will engage with your business or if they will simply just click through your emails. 

Customer Interest 

A good option is to let each subscriber decide how often they get emails through a preference center. 69% of US email users unsubscribe because of “too many” emails. If customers have control over the type and frequency of emails, they are far more likely to engage positively. 

The end goal is to keep your audience engaged without annoying them with too many emails and to avoid having them forget your company’s existence. It can be difficult to find an effective balance between the two. So, now that you have an idea of the concepts that should be a part of your decision, you can look at just how many emails you should actually be sending. 

So, how often should you email your contact list? The frequency of your emails is an important question to consider for any email marketing campaign. Some basic email frequency options include, 

Once a Month 

Sending out emails once a month can be a really smart choice for some companies. 86% of customers would prefer to receive promotional emails at least once a month. While monthly could be the best choice for your company based on your products and services, it could also be a risk. Simply put, your customers may forget about you if you only send out tests once a month. 

Once a Week 

Sending out emails once a week is a sweet spot for many businesses. Again, email frequency should depend on the nature and purpose of the emails. Sending less than one email once a week could mean that you are missing out on sales opportunities. You also risk that your audience will become disengaged. On the other hand, sending out too many emails may annoy your audience enough to have them delete your emails or unsubscribe. That’s why sending out an email once a week is ideal for many companies. 

Once a Day

The frequency and quantity of emails that you send out should be mindful of what your customer is looking for. Keep in mind that the number one reason people unsubscribe from marketing emails is because they get too many of them.

Another risk of sending emails once a day is incurring a higher click-through rate, or CTR. If your business sends out daily emails, it is essential to ensure that the content you are spreading is of high quality and will keep your audience interested. 

Of course, there are many variations that your company could employ instead. Let’s say, for example, your company was looking to increase their frequency of emails from once a month to once a week. This shift should not be a leap, but a steady increase. First start off with twice a month and then move on to once a week. Your customers don’t want to be surprised by sudden emails. They want consistent and high-quality content and information. 

Once you have decided the best amount of emails your business should send out, the next step is to make sure your emails are as effective as they can be. Think about how to ensure effective email marketing. For any new endeavor for your business, research is essential. There are also many digital marketing services out there to consider to help you with your email marketing campaign. 

Email Newsletter 

Email newsletters are a form of email communication sent out to inform your audience of updates about your company. They are used in a variety of ways and come in many different forms, but often include the latest news and tips of your business. Newsletters are an essential part to any email marketing strategy. They allow businesses to cultivate the relationship of your business with your customers. 

To create an effective email newsletter, your first step is to set your goals and strategies. These goals and strategies should be aligned with your overall email marketing goals. Consider what you are looking to get out of creating this newsletter. It is also important to ensure that you are sending out the right messages to your audience. 

Identify Your Target Audience 

Deciding who is included in your audience is essential to the success of your email marketing campaign. Once you understand the wants and needs of your readers, you can begin creating content that is full of value for the. Consider things like demographics, locations, interests of your viewers. 

Determine Basic Objectives 

Setting goals gives your newsletter a purpose to help measure the performance of your efforts. What do you want to achieve with your email newsletter? Are you looking to drive traffic to your website, increase sales to an online shop, or perhaps you want to invite recipients to upcoming events? Once your objectives have been determined, you can later learn if your newsletter was successful. 

Define Your Content 

The content that you feature in your newsletter should be relevant to the reader. Often newsletters include information that is useful, like tips or links to articles, tutorials, and guides. Newsletters also include information that is newsworthy, like updates to your business in particular or the industry as a whole. The topics that you include in your newsletter should be closely connected with the objectives that you have determined for your campaign. 

Capturing Email Addresses 

The first step to your email marketing campaign is building up your email list. Your email list should include the people who are actually interested in the products and services that you have to offer. This audience are your potential and current customers. The relationships you have with these people should be cultivated and well preserved because these are the customers that will help grow your business. 

So, how exactly do you build an email list? 

Describe Your Value 

Across your platforms, show what being added to your email list can offer your customers. Promote your newsletter or certain promotions you can or will include in your email marketing. Show your audience your value and what you can offer them by including them in the email list. 

Offer Your Value 

Consider what about your emails can benefit your customers. If your customers gain nothing of value from your emails, why would they continue to open and read them? When you ask for a customer’s email, make sure that you are offering them something valuable in exchange. This could be a coupon, early access to new products or services, high quality content, a chance to win a prize, etc. There are dozens upon dozens of valuable things to include in your emails. 

Get Personal 

Rather than sending out a mass email to everyone on your list, segment your users based on the recipient’s interests. No matter what, it is always useful to build the demographics of your audience. When you learn more about your database, you can have far more effective marketing. 

Use Popups 

A popup might initially sound bothersome or annoying but in actuality it can be very rewarding. A popup allows users to be offered relevant content. There are a variety of different kinds of popups that can be put into place on your website. 

Make it Easy 

Make it simple for people to sign up for any newsletter or other marketing emails you can send. At multiple points of contact, ask your customers if they want to be added to your list. Collect addresses at every contact point. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Email Marketing Frequency

What happens if I send too many marketing emails?

Sending too many marketing emails can have several negative consequences for your business. The most immediate risk is increased unsubscription rates—69% of U.S. email users unsubscribe from marketing lists specifically because they receive “too many” emails. Excessive email frequency can also lead to decreased open rates, lower click-through rates, and damaged brand perception as customers begin to view your communications as spam rather than valuable content.

Additionally, email service providers may flag your domain if recipients consistently ignore or delete your emails without opening them, which can hurt your deliverability rates for all future campaigns. Finding the right balance is critical—you want to stay top-of-mind without overwhelming your audience’s inbox.

What’s the difference between a newsletter and other marketing emails?

Newsletters and promotional marketing emails serve different purposes in your email strategy. Newsletters typically focus on providing value through information, education, and engagement—they include company updates, industry news, helpful tips, upcoming events, and relevant content curated for your audience.

They’re designed to nurture relationships and establish your brand as a thought leader. In contrast, promotional marketing emails are more sales-focused and action-oriented, with specific calls-to-action like “Shop Now” or “Limited Time Offer.” While newsletters follow a consistent format and are sent on a regular schedule (weekly, monthly), promotional emails are often campaign-based and tied to specific events, launches, or seasonal promotions. A comprehensive email strategy typically includes both types to balance relationship building with driving conversions.

Should I send emails on specific days of the week?

The optimal day to send marketing emails varies by industry and audience, but research shows some general patterns. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday typically see higher open rates than Monday (when people are catching up after the weekend) or Friday (when they’re winding down). For B2B communications, mid-week mornings often perform best when people are at their desks.

For B2C emails, evenings and weekends can sometimes yield better results as people have more leisure time. However, these are just guidelines—the best approach is to test different sending days with your specific audience and analyze the results. At SEO Design Chicago, we help clients identify optimal sending times through A/B testing and data analysis to maximize engagement for their unique audience segments.

How can I tell if my email frequency is working?

You can determine if your email frequency is effective by monitoring key performance metrics and watching for warning signs. Positive indicators include stable or increasing open rates (industry average is around 15-25%), healthy click-through rates (2-5% is typical), growing subscriber lists, and positive feedback from recipients.

Warning signs that your frequency may be too high include rising unsubscribe rates (especially immediately after sending), declining open rates over time, increased spam complaints, or negative feedback from customers. Another effective approach is to directly ask your subscribers through surveys about their preferences regarding email frequency. Many email marketing platforms offer analytics dashboards that make tracking these metrics straightforward, allowing you to adjust your strategy based on actual recipient behavior.

Should I send the same emails to my entire list?

Sending the same emails to your entire list is generally not the most effective approach. Email segmentation—dividing your audience based on specific criteria—can significantly improve engagement and conversion rates. Research shows segmented campaigns can drive up to 760% increase in revenue compared to one-size-fits-all approaches. Consider segmenting your list based on criteria such as purchase history, engagement level, demographics, geographic location, or where subscribers are in your sales funnel.

For example, new subscribers might receive a welcome series, while loyal customers could get exclusive offers or early access to new products. At SEO Design Chicago, we help businesses develop sophisticated segmentation strategies that deliver more relevant content to subscribers, resulting in higher engagement and better ROI from email marketing efforts.

How do I grow my email list ethically and effectively?

Growing your email list ethically involves offering genuine value in exchange for contact information while ensuring full compliance with email marketing regulations like GDPR and CAN-SPAM.

Effective list-building tactics include creating high-value lead magnets (such as ebooks, templates, or exclusive content), implementing strategically-timed website pop-ups with clear value propositions, adding sign-up forms to high-traffic pages on your website, and incorporating email collection at all customer touchpoints including checkout, events, and customer service interactions. Social media contests, webinars, and referral programs can also help expand your reach.

Always use double opt-in processes to confirm subscription intent and make unsubscribing simple. Remember that a smaller, engaged list of interested subscribers is far more valuable than a large list of uninterested contacts who never open your emails.

What elements make marketing emails more effective?

The most effective marketing emails combine several key elements: compelling subject lines (35-50 characters is ideal) that create curiosity or communicate clear value; personalization beyond just using the recipient’s name—including content tailored to their interests or behaviors; mobile responsiveness, as over 60% of emails are now opened on mobile devices; clear, focused calls-to-action that stand out visually; concise, scannable content with valuable information; high-quality, relevant images that enhance your message without overwhelming the email; and proper segmentation to ensure content relevance.

Additionally, maintaining brand consistency in design while incorporating elements of storytelling can significantly boost engagement. At SEO Design Chicago, we create email templates that incorporate these best practices while allowing for customization based on campaign objectives and audience segments.

How should I measure the success of my email marketing campaigns?

Successful email marketing measurement goes beyond basic open and click rates to track metrics that align with your specific business goals. Key performance indicators to monitor include: conversion rate (the percentage of recipients who complete your desired action); revenue per email (tracking actual sales generated); list growth rate; overall ROI (comparing campaign costs to revenue generated); bounce rate (to maintain list health); mobile open rate (to ensure mobile optimization); and forward/share rate (indicating content quality).

For newsletters specifically, also track engagement time and most-clicked content to refine future editions. Advanced techniques include implementing A/B testing to continuously improve performance and setting up automation workflows with targeted triggers based on subscriber behavior. SEO Design Chicago provides comprehensive reporting dashboards that highlight these metrics and translate them into actionable insights for ongoing campaign optimization.