Email Cadence: Best Practices for Email Marketers (2023)

Email marketing is a highly effective tool that can help businesses of all sizes to reach and engage with their customers. But one question that marketers often struggle with is email cadence, A.K.A. how many emails they should send weekly or monthly. Is it better to send many emails to increase the chances of customers taking action, or is it better to send fewer emails to avoid annoying customers and risking them unsubscribing?

The answer to this question is not straightforward, as a number of factors need to be considered when determining the optimal frequency for your email marketing campaigns. This article will explore some of these factors and provide guidelines on how many marketing emails you should send monthly.

The Importance of Frequency in Email Marketing

Frequency plays a crucial role in the success of your email marketing campaigns. Send too many emails, and you risk annoying your subscribers and damaging your brand reputation. Send too few, and you risk being forgotten by your audience or losing out to competitors who are more active in their email marketing efforts.

The key is to strike the right balance between keeping your brand top of mind and not overwhelming your subscribers with too many emails.

Finding this balance can be challenging, as it will depend on various factors, such as your industry, your target audience, and the type of content you send.

Factors to Consider When Determining Email Cadence

When determining how many marketing emails to send monthly, you should consider several factors. These include:

1. Industry: The frequency of email communications will vary depending on the industry in which you operate. For example, a fashion retailer may send more frequent emails to promote new collections, sales, and discounts. In contrast, a B2B software company may send fewer emails with more detailed product information and case studies.
2. Audience: The frequency of emails will also depend on the preferences of your target audience. Some people prefer to receive frequent updates and offers, while others may find this overwhelming and prefer to receive fewer, more targeted emails.
3. Type of content: The content you are sending will also affect how frequently you should send emails. For example, a weekly newsletter may be appropriate for news updates and industry insights, while a promotional email may be better sent monthly.
4. Campaign goals: The goals of your email campaigns will also play a role in determining the optimal frequency. For example, if you are promoting a time-limited sale, you may want to send more frequent emails to ensure that your subscribers don’t miss out on the opportunity.

Guidelines for Email Cadence

While there is no one-size-fits-all answer to how many marketing emails you should send per month, there are some general guidelines that you can follow to ensure that you are not overwhelming your subscribers and that you are getting the most out of your email campaigns.

Here are some recommended frequencies based on industry benchmarks and best practices:

Retail

According to a study by Omnisend, the optimal frequency for retail emails is 2-4 times per month. This allows retailers to stay top of mind with their customers without overwhelming them with too many offers.

Travel

For the travel industry, the optimal frequency is 1-2 times per month, according to a study by Mailchimp. This allows travel companies to promote new destinations and offers without sending too many emails and risking unsubscribes.

B2B

According to a survey by Coschedule, the optimal frequency for B2B email marketing is 1-2 times per month. This allows B2B companies to provide valuable information and updates without overwhelming their subscribers with too many sales pitches.

Non-Profit

For non-profit organizations, the optimal frequency is 1-2 times per month, according to a study by Campaign Monitor. This allows non-profits to keep their supporters informed about their activities and upcoming events without bombarding them with too many requests for donations.

Newsletters

For newsletters, the optimal frequency will depend on the type of content you are sending. A weekly frequency may be appropriate if your newsletter contains news updates and industry insights. If your newsletter contains promotional offers, a monthly frequency may be more appropriate to avoid overwhelming subscribers.

Promotional Emails

For promotional emails the frequency will depend on the type of promotion you are running. If you are running a time-limited sale, you may want to send more frequent emails to ensure that your subscribers don’t miss out on the opportunity. However, a monthly frequency may be more appropriate if you are promoting a long-term offer.

Triggered Emails

Triggered emails, such as abandoned cart emails and welcome emails, should be sent immediately after the trigger event occurs. These emails are highly effective at engaging with customers and driving conversions, but should be used sparingly to avoid overwhelming subscribers.

Tips for Optimizing Email Cadence

In addition to following these guidelines, there are several tips you can follow to optimize your email cadence and ensure that you are getting the most out of your email marketing campaigns:

1. Segment your email list: Segmenting your email list based on subscriber preferences and behavior can help you send more targeted and relevant emails, increasing engagement and reducing unsubscribes.
2. Test different frequencies: Testing different frequencies can help you to determine the optimal frequency for your email campaigns. Try sending emails at different frequencies and monitor the engagement rates to see which frequency performs best.
3. Provide value in every email: To avoid overwhelming your subscribers, make sure that every email you send provides value to your subscribers. Whether you send news updates, promotional offers, or educational content, ensure that your emails are informative, engaging, and relevant.
4. Monitor unsubscribes and engagement rates: Monitor your unsubscribe rates and engagement rates to ensure that you are not overwhelming your subscribers with too many emails. If you notice a high unsubscribe rate or low engagement rates, it may be a sign that you need to reduce the frequency of your emails.

Conclusion

Determining an email cadence for your email marketing campaigns can be challenging, as it will depend on various factors, such as your industry, your target audience, and the type of content you are sending. However, by following the previously-mentioned general guidelines based on industry benchmarks and best practices, you can find the right balance between keeping your brand in mind and not overwhelming your subscribers with too many emails. Remember to provide value in every email and monitor your unsubscribe and engagement rates to ensure you are getting the most out of your email campaigns.