You know that a lot goes into creating successful email campaigns: subject lines, message copy, links, calls-to-action and so on. But some of the most important components of your campaign process have nothing to do with the content itself, yet these can make a big impact on performance: scheduling, targeting and timing.
Scheduling.
Most professional email services allow you to schedule in advance when your campaigns will be sent, allowing you to avoid last minute frantic shuffles to send. Consider setting up your next few campaigns far in advance, even with just placeholder copy and images. Then fill them in gradually (without feeling rushed), and you'll undoubtedly end up with more thought-out and better-executed campaigns. It's helpful to be able to step back for a few days and come back later to see how you feel about a campaign. You're more likely to catch typos, write better copy, keep things concise and engaging and ensure that all your links work. Preparing content and scheduling in advance affords you this luxury.
Targeting.
Engagement rates are consistently higher when accurate targeting and messaging are used. After all, no one likes to get irrelevant emails. If you have fans all over the country (or world), do they all really need a message about something specific to fans in North Dakota? Of course not. But geolocation isn't the only targeting parameter you can employ. Divide your fan list into different groups as well. Maybe you have a group for new fans, one for old fans, one for fans over the age of 21 or one for fans who bought merchandise from your store. Create groups that make the most sense for you and your different audiences.
Timing.
Although there isn't a perfect time to send an email campaign (i.e. a time when everyone is guaranteed to open it and click the links), there are certainly some days and times that tend to perform better than others. General consensus suggests that sending Tuesday through Thursday between normal work hours is a good idea. However, lots of people use this as a guideline, so not surprisingly, email volumes are highest then. Consider varying your sending days and times to see what works best with your fans. You could even split your list into a few groups and try out different days and times with each group. If you discover a clear winner, try sending your next campaign to your entire list during that time. It takes some experimenting, but it's worth the time and effort.