Someone recently asked me, “What is the optimum frequency for delivering email messages to a subscribed user base?” This person was trying to determine email frequency so that he could minimize the number of people opting out of his communications.

I explained to him that it is not only the frequency, but many other variables as well, such as the content, and even details particular to each subscriber. In fact, the answer to the question would be that the optimum email marketing frequency would be the one that is deemed optimal by the recipient.

I get numerous email messages from organizations I know and trust, and with regular content I really want to read. The problem is that I just don’t have the time for all of it, and after a while I find myself unsubscribing, when what I really wanted was to reduce the frequency. Yet I rarely find this email frequency option available.

Give your subscribers as much control as possible about the email marketing frequency and content of the messages you would like to deliver to them. It may require some more engineering of your subscription management interface, email database and email generation systems, however the the R&D in this area is sure to increase subscriber retention. And that is what it is all about.