Sending the right number of email messages to subscribers is difficult to determine. Some subscribers don't mind hearing from you every day, while others don't want to hear from you much at all it seems. And even when you think you're got it right, a sudden increase in opt-out requests or decrease in sales could indicate otherwise.
Too Much of a Good Thing
Even if you receive wonderful, encouraging feedback from subscribers saying how much they enjoy reading your messages, you still need to stop yourself from sending too many messages at one time. Writing great email content can become addictive, especially if you receive great feedback. Limit your contact to one or two messages a week to give some space between you and your subscribers. A little mystery never hurts in a relationship - in fact, a little distance keeps things fresh and exciting.
Leaving a little time between messages also gives subscribers time to think about and reflect on your content. With all the other tasks people have to complete during the day, being able to sit back and contemplate what you've written is a wonderful to give busy people.
Planning Ahead
Create a monthly schedule for sending sales and informational messages. Determine which types of messages subscribers tend to respond to the most (test a variety of messages to find which ones entice people to visit your website or business location or make an online purchase), and the best times to send them (again, you can learn much by testing specific times and days of the week). Stick to the schedule to avoid sending too much information to subscribers.
If promoting a webinar, pod cast, or live event, you can increase the number of messages during this time period. Otherwise, stick to your schedule.
Classic Indicators of Oversending
If still unsure if you're sending too many mass email messages to subscribers, take a look at email analytics to determine:
- Increases in opt-out rates
- Increases in subscriber complaints
- Decreases in sales
- Decreases in open and click-through rates
Even though there may be other reasons for sudden changes in email analytics, many times it's due to sending too many email messages to subscribers. But instead of panicking, create short four or five question survey asking subscribers for their feedback. From there, make the necessary adjustments to your send schedule. Catering to the wants and needs of subscribers will yield more sales and more interest in the content you create.