How often to send your newsletter: the honest answer, and how to find your rhythm

The fear of writing too much, and the cost of writing too little

Plenty of owners write rarely because they’re afraid of being a nuisance. The result: three emails a year, each one greeted with “who’s this?”. People who haven’t heard from you in months don’t recognise you, don’t open, and sometimes report you as spam.

The truth is simpler: you’re not a nuisance if you’re useful. You’re a nuisance if you only write when you want to sell something.

Which frequency to choose

• Weekly: for businesses that genuinely have news every week, like a restaurant with its menu or a shop with new arrivals.
• Every two weeks: the rhythm we recommend to start. Often enough to be remembered, rare enough to always have something to say.
• Once a month: the minimum not to be forgotten.
• Several times a week: only at specific moments (sales, Black Friday, a launch), and only if people know it’s coming.

Whatever rhythm you choose, say it on the form and in your welcome email: “I write every two weeks.” People who know what to expect don’t feel invaded.

Day and time: the only data that counts is yours

You’ll find studies that swear by Tuesday at 10am and others by Thursday evening. The point is that they measure other people’s lists. Think about your customers:

• People who read you at work (businesses, professionals): early morning or lunchtime, on weekdays.
• Consumers: evenings and weekends, when they have time to read.
• Restaurants and bars: a few hours before people decide where to go, on Thursday for the weekend and mid-morning for lunch.
• Shops: before the moment of purchase, not after; Friday for Saturday.

Then test: send a few emails at two different times and compare clicks, not just opens.

How to tell if you’re writing too much, or too little

• Unsubscribes rising after every send: you’re writing too often, or about things that aren’t useful.
• Spam complaints: the most serious signal. Stop and ask yourself why.
• Clicks falling send after send: people are tiring of the content, not just the frequency.
• Sales and replies: if they mostly come after your emails, writing more often probably pays.

Opens are a less reliable guide than they used to be: we explain why in which numbers to watch.

What if I have nothing to say?

You almost always do. Here’s what a small business can write about without making anything up:

• what’s new: a product, a dish, a service;
• how to use, store or choose what you sell;
• a story from your work: a customer, a mistake, a discovery;
• the questions people ask you at the counter, with the answers;
• what’s happening this month: events, seasons, deadlines.

With Spedito you prepare emails when you have time and schedule them. Paid plans include 10 emails a month per contact (with 1,000 contacts, 10,000 emails), more than any sensible rhythm needs.

Frequently asked questions