As a freelancer, personal business development is key to improving your business model and increasing your client load. However, with the past year's restrictions on in-person meetings, it can be harder to pitch your services when you don't get to speak with someone face to face.
So, how can you entice prospective clients?
Email, of course. Unfortunately, getting someone to open, let alone read, your email can be challenging. You need to utilize high-quality email practices, and here is how you do it.
Promotional vs. Work Emails
Before diving in on when to send an email, let us make a quick distinction. Today, we are talking about when to send promotional emails to gather prospective clients. If you already have a client with who you are working, you might emails whenever you want because you already have a working relationship.
When to Send an Email
When to send an email? The short answer is Tuesday in the morning. The long answer is a bit more complex.
After investigating various studies reported by Forbes, OptinMonster, Sleeknote, and others, it greatly depends on the person.
However, the majority of data indicated the following:
- The best day to send an email is Tuesday, with Thursday coming in second place.
- If your clients are 9-5 workers, their response rate will decrease toward the end of the week and become non-existent on the weekend. We want to note that if you are selling a physical product, you may have more luck on the weekends when people are relaxed, browsing, and willing to spend some money.
- The best time to send an email is in the morning. Research has shown that emails sent before potential clients start work (before 6 am) and between 10 am-11 am, have the highest open rates. Following those times are after lunch (1 pm) near day end (4 pm).
How to Send Emails Automatically
Now you may be thinking, what if I don’t want to send an email at an exact time on an exact day?
Don’t you worry! There are various email platforms, like Gmail, and tools, like Boomerang, Hubspot, or Flodesk, that will let you schedule emails in advance. All you have to do is set it up, select a date and time, and that's it.
The program will send it out for you.
Who Are You Sending To?
Before you take this information as a hard fact, you should also consider WHO you are sending these emails to. Consider the demographics of your client?
What time zone are they in? Are they a 9-5er? If so, you will likely want to grab their attention in the morning as they process their emails.
What if they are side hustlers or hobbyists? You may have a higher success rate if you email them in the evenings or on weekends when they are more likely to be working on it.
Test It!
Basing your business model on these statistics can only go so far. Take the time to analyze your success and play around with your emailing schedule to find out what works best for you and your business.
Plus, if you happen to use an email program, it likely has a tool built-in where you can review your open rates.
photos from pexels.com
