Obviously, the best time is when you think it would have the best chance of being read. Of course, that can vary, but here are some experienced recommendations:
Blue Mondays
Mondays, especially after holidays, are somewhat taboo (who wants a cranky reader?). Besides, it’s typically a day when most people (even those who may be in a decent mood) are catching up on email from the weekend, and are contemplating the challenges posed by the week ahead. If Monday is a holiday, time your blast to arrive on the Wednesday morning after the holiday (that’s because – you guessed it – in that case, Tuesday has become Blues Day)!
Tuesday is a good news day!
Most business contacts receive an average of 75 emails per day. To make sure they have the time to review (and hopefully, read) your email, it’s a pretty good idea to have your email blast arrive on Tuesday mornings between 8am and 11am*. That’s because the “Monday Blues” are in the rear view mirror, and the day and week are relatively young. And, with energy levels and receptiveness relatively high in the morning, people are more apt to be responsive – hopefully, that day!
Wednesdays and Thursdays?
These are neither slime time nor prime time. Proceed as you see fit.
TGIF (They’re “gone” if Friday)
maybe not physically – just mentally. Be honest! Where’s your head on some Fridays? OK, you’re not the Lone Ranger; others are a little spacey, too. Yeah, don’t push your luck. Fridays are difficult, as most folks (even the most diligent and motivated) are wrapping up work for the week and may not have the time to look at your message even if they don’t have one eye on the clock. And, if they do find time to read it, with a weekend interruption, they may have forgotten about you, and your message, by Monday.
If they’re in the office during the weekend, they’re the worst kind of masochists, and you don’t want their business anyway!
On a more serious note, while many may be focused on business, your email most likely will lose out to a higher priority item, like the one that has brought them into the office on a weekend in the first place. And, frankly, we just wouldn’t want to stake our chances for readers’ comprehension on that “no man’s land” that falls between Friday and Monday.
And, finally, what is more important than the day and the time of day?
. . . Three little words: Content. Content. Content.
* Remember to keep time zones in mind
