The success of an email campaign can be measured in a few different ways. Obviously, you want to generate sales. One way to track that is to give each email campaign its own code so you know how many unique transactions are generated. Another common measurement is called the click-through-rate or CTR. It’s the number of individual clicks divided by the total number of email addresses sent. A click on a link in your email that drives traffic to your website is one way to tell there is some interest in your message.
Finally, you’ll want to know if people are even starting to read your emails by opening them. This is called the open rate and it’s also divided by the total number of email addresses sent.
You want to send emails when your targets are most likely to open them and click through to a page that achieves your objectives, whether that’s an information capture, scheduled appointment or purchase.
The optimal time could depend on the content of your message. For example, if your email relates to business or finance, the best time to send may be during the workweek, and during regular business hours. On the other hand, if you are promoting retail or hobbies, the weekend is optimal. Look at your website and social media data as another good indicator for choosing timing.