Each morning, I admit, while my single-cup coffee is brewing, I glance at my blackberry out of habit to see "what's going on". I also admit, I am rarely up after 10pm, which is when many of my vendors and colleagues do their best work. So often I'm getting answers and questions, and to-do's to move projects to the next step. Then there are mornings when I wake up only to this (see the image right over here).
Maybe others share my habit. I read from a so-called expert that if you want someone to read your e-mail, send it at 6:30am. I confess, I read some email as early as 5am. Listen, I don't want it to be from my association, and I don't want it to be even my own e-newsletter. PLEASE...
I will tolerate a "past due notice" from my hosting service, or a subscription. It's a gentle reminder of what I should do that day.
So it got me to thinking about the best time for associations to send e-newsletters, calls to action, latest market statistics, education reminders, and other information material. So here's a list of rules I am establishing for myself as a mid-year resolution that you might want to think about too (July 5 seems a good half-way point in the year):
1. I will clearly identify the headline with a compelling title that will encourage my clients, future clients, and my followers to read it.
2. I will carefully shorten the topic of each of my three articles with a working link, so readers can make an educated decision to read it.
3. I will insert a relevant video or cartoon to entice, entertain, and educate my readers.
4. I will measure my open rates and links to see what my readers seem to be interested in. I'll take action to keep getting better at it.
5. Regardless that I only send one "mass" e-communication each month, I will send it on the same day, and the same time, but never first thing in the morning.
My "first things" are for catching up on what I don't get to do the other 23 hours of the day. So unless I owe you something, or have a spectacular idea for you, I will not send general information first thing in the morning. Deal?
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Hi Melynn,
ReplyDeleteI have a slightly different feeling about the once-weekly e-notices that we send to our REALTOR® membership.
Thinking like a REALTOR® who is focused on their industry and their active business, after client needs (#1 priority), the number two priority for REALTORS® would be “local market knowledge” and the number three priority would be their own professional industry knowledge.
Scanning my emails with that filter, when I rise at 6:00 a.m. and scan for important items (with my coffee cup in hand) I would WANT the data I find in my local Association e-newsletter in order to quickly mark my business calendar with “NOT TO MISS” professional updates and current market facts that are vitally important to buyers and sellers. Being relevant to our members means providing timely information and inspiration that would be perfect for client/past client communication!
We have received feedback here at our Association that being the first email in their inbox every Friday morning is a timely spot for us to appear with the Weekly e-Notices. We consistently get almost 400 opens from 6-10AM (within the first 4 hours) and we see many members reviewing the e-Notices over the weekend, according to their personalized organizational skills.
Do you have a preferred release time for Association newsletters? Thank you for all your thoughtful insights, Melynn. They always cause me to pause and evaluate.
Janet Bartman, Spokane Association of REATORS®