Chapter 1: Email Frequency Insights

In a previous article, I ignited a lively discussion regarding the frequency with which businesses should reach out to their customers via email. This dialogue stemmed from a case about an entrepreneur who founded a soap company but struggled to secure repeat purchases due to inadequate customer engagement. I suggested that she should consider sending emails weekly to reconnect with her customers.

Responses varied widely: some readers supported the idea of regular engagement, with one commenter asserting, "If you're not reaching out to your customers weekly, are you really in business?" — Marshall Hargrave. Conversely, many others expressed disapproval, with sentiments like, "Any company that emailed me once a week would get blocked. Sorry, not sorry." — Rolling Dividends.

Interestingly, the most vocal critics were particularly perturbed by the idea of a soap company sending weekly emails. This raises the question: are some businesses justified in emailing their customers more frequently than others? What are the established guidelines? As an entrepreneur, how can you determine whether your company should reach out daily, weekly, monthly, or not at all?

The reality is that anyone claiming to know the "correct" number of emails to send is likely misguiding you (myself included). Email marketing is far more intricate than a simple formula of "X type of company can email Y number of times." A savvy entrepreneur must grasp this complexity. It's entirely feasible for any business to conduct email campaigns that allow for daily (or even more frequent) communication, just as there are ways to execute campaigns that cause any email, even from a company that only sends one per year, to be perceived as spam. The crucial metric for a successful email campaign is not the volume of emails sent but rather the "value" they deliver.

Thus, instead of fixating on how many emails you dispatch, prioritize the worth of the content within those emails for your customers.

For instance, if a soap company wishes to email its clients every day, the main hurdle isn't about the frequency but rather how to ensure each email offers real value. While providing daily value as a soap company might seem challenging, it's not unfeasible.

Consider this hypothetical scenario…

The soap brand enlists Kylie Jenner as its brand ambassador. Following a purchase, customers receive daily personalized emails from her.

Regardless of your personal opinion about Kylie Jenner, it's undeniable that many fans would eagerly purchase our hypothetical soap to gain access to those emails. The reason? Those personal messages from Kylie would create significant value.

While this may be an extreme illustration, it highlights the essential principle of an effective email engagement strategy: the focus should be on value, not frequency. If you concentrate solely on "how often to email," you're missing the point.

Successful businesses don't communicate with customers merely for the sake of communication. Their objective is to deliver emails that provide meaningful value to consumers who genuinely appreciate their offerings. It's important to acknowledge that not all customers will find value in the same way. Some individuals might not want daily emails from Kylie Jenner. However, when building a business, you cannot cater to every individual's preferences. Instead, aim to make decisions that resonate with the majority of your customers; those who aren't interested can always opt-out.

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