The question of what is the best time to send e-mails to customers has been a hot topic for a long time. A new study from e-mail and SMS specialists Pure360 quite convincingly points out when not to send messages: before working hours.
New data from the firm shows that a staggering 96% of marketing e-mails sent before 7am remain unread. The exception to this rule is b2b marketing e-mails, however, with 45% of b2b messages sent before working hours, thus landing first in the inbox, being read. Somewhat surprisingly, the research suggests that the most successful campaigns are sent between 5pm and 6pm, when many people have done the most important work for the day and are getting ready to go home, with total opening rates of 26%, or some 9% above average.
Pure360 looked in detail at the most suitable time for successful campaigns to be sent and found that it depends on the topic. For example, e-mails concerning matters that may have been keeping people thinking overnight, such as health and finance, tend to be read in the early morning hours between 7am and 10am. A little bit later in the morning, between 10am and noon, people are more likely to engage with leisure-based topics. As many as a quarter of hotel offers sent between 10am and 11am are read, the research reveals.
In the afternoon, through to 3pm, overall opening rates drop, but e-mails concerning green issues, energy and technology stand the best chance. Between 3pm and 5pm opening rates pick up. Travel offers score the highest during this time, with 41% of them read.
96% Of E-Mails Sent Before Working Hours Remain Unread
