In the ever-evolving landscape of email marketing, one factor remains crucial: timing. Sending your emails at the optimal time can significantly boost engagement rates, leading to higher open and click-through rates, and ultimately driving better results for your campaigns. But when is the best time to send emails for maximum engagement in the USA?

While conventional wisdom suggests that Tuesdays at 10 a.m. are the prime time for email sends, recent insights from industry experts indicate that this may not be a one-size-fits-all solution. In fact, some businesses have found success by deviating from traditional send times and tailoring their schedules to their specific audiences.

The Case for Sunday Mornings

Nicholas Greatrex, Chief Marketing Officer for TFG Brands London—which includes premium women's wear brands such as Whistles, Hobbs, and Phase Eight—shared valuable insights about their optimal email send times on the podcast "Email After Hours: The Podcast for Email Senders." Contrary to popular belief, they discovered that Sunday mornings were the golden hours for their email campaigns.

"But so what we saw is that there is this greater engagement on a Sunday, especially Sunday morning. And I don't think that that's, um, as you say Tuesday at 10 a.m. is, is the traditional Peak Point. It must just be our market."

[Email After Hours: The Podcast for Email Senders]

This shift from the traditional send times was driven by observing their customers' behaviors and preferences. Greatrex explains that their products require more consideration, which aligns with customers having more time during the weekends.

By sending emails on Sunday mornings, TFG Brands taps into a time when their customers are more relaxed and have the leisure to engage with content that requires more thought and consideration. This contrasts with weekdays when consumers might be too busy with work and other commitments to engage deeply with marketing emails.

Understanding Your Audience is Key

The success of TFG Brands' Sunday morning sends highlights an essential aspect of email marketing: understanding your audience. What works for one brand or industry may not work for another. Factors such as your target demographic, the nature of your product or service, and your customers' daily routines can all influence the best time to send your emails.

As Greatrex notes, their findings were made possible through testing and leveraging the unique opportunities presented by managing multiple brands.

"So I think we we came to learn because as we just saw the high on one of the great opportunities that we have as being part of the group is that we have three different brands. Now we have four with Inside Story with our home brand, but we have the opportunity to test on a factor of four and where we find something works, we can then roll it out across all of the brands."

[Email After Hours: The Podcast for Email Senders]

Testing and Analyzing for Optimal Results

Determining the best time to send emails requires testing and analysis. By experimenting with different send times and analyzing engagement metrics, you can identify patterns and preferences specific to your audience.

Greatrex emphasizes the importance of adapting strategies based on customer behavior:

Conclusion

While Tuesdays at 10 a.m. might be the conventional wisdom for email sends, the optimal time for maximum engagement can vary widely depending on your audience and industry. Insights from TFG Brands London demonstrate that for their market, Sunday mornings yield the highest engagement rates.

The key takeaway for email marketers is to understand your audience by leveraging data and testing different strategies. Don't be afraid to challenge traditional notions and find the timing that works best for your specific customer base. By doing so, you can maximize engagement and achieve better results from your email campaigns.