Best Time to Send B2B Emails: Tips for Success

Given that email is now the preferred method of marketing communication for 77% of B2B buyers, it’s not hard to see why every great lead generation company UK service will implement email marketing as a major part of the strategy. When it comes to communicating with B2B leads and clients, though, timing is everything. 

Whether you hire a UK lead generation company or implement an in-house lead generation service, knowing when to send B2B emails is an essential ingredient in the recipe for success. In this guide, we’ll answer all of your key questions, including but not limited to;

• Why email marketing?
• Why does finding the perfect time to send emails matter?
• What days and times are best for sending B2B emails?
• How can I consistently send B2B marketing emails at the right times?

As an experienced UK lead generation company that has helped hundreds of B2B businesses like yours since 2012, we know what it takes to master B2B emails in 2024 and beyond. Here’s all you need to know.

Why is Email Marketing Important?

Email marketing is now considered the #1 channel for reaching prospects in the B2B arena, with 73% of B2B marketers citing it as an effective solution while telephone sits second with just 39%. Moreover, most businesses now send marketing emails while prospects expect to receive this type of communication. In today’s highly competitive and increasingly digital landscape, failure to deploy an efficient strategy could see you fall behind the competition.

Research also shows that 61% of email subscribers want to receive weekly emails, with 39% happy to receive them even more frequently. It is also stated that average B2B email open rates are around 15%, which is a far better success rate than other marketing channels. If the content of your emails strikes a chord with the recipient, it can be one of the best ways to increase conversion rates and build stronger connections.

Understanding the Best Time to Send B2B Emails: Why it Matters

Emails will only be successful if they contain the right content, which is a major incentive for hiring an experienced UK lead generation company. However, an engaging email counts for very little if it doesn’t get opened.

Several factors including catchy subject lines contribute to open rates, and professional email marketing campaigns can master this to enhance your marketing communications. However, sending them at the right time is one of the most commonly overlooked elements.

It is suggested that the average person receives around 120 email daily. So, busy B2B buyers and decision-makers simply cannot give them all the desired levels of attention. Optimised timing for your sent emails may;

• Actively increase your email open rates.
• Result in faster email openings and responses.
• Help maximize the amount of time that a user reads the email for.
• Increase their overall engagement with the email content.
• Improve the ROI of your email marketing campaigns.

Whether using a leads generation company to manage your email endeavours or handling matters internally, timing your emails correctly will serve you well.

The Best Day to Send B2B Emails

Before considering the right time to send a B2B email, it is important to select the right day. With B2C emails, you probably want to strike when consumers are either not at work or at a point in the day when they can distract themselves from work. For B2B, though, this simply doesn’t work.

Research shows that the best days for B2B emails focused on sales enablement or marketing materials are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. It makes sense that open rates would be higher on these days for several reasons, including but not limited to;

• Mondays are often dominated by catching up with issues from the weekend, meaning that B2B clients do not have the time to open emails. Even when they do, engagement levels are a lot lower.
• Conversely, Fridays are dominated by putting preparations in place for the weekend and tying up any loose ends before the end of office hours. Again, addressing new email streams is a low priority.
• A lot of B2B buyers won’t be available on the weekends. They either won’t read their emails while those that do will only respond to urgent matters as they want to enjoy their recreational time.

In short, Tuesday to Thursday is the optimal day to send B2B emails. However, there are some exceptions. For example, a solopreneur will likely read emails on Sundays when they are not completing other business tasks. 

It should be noted, however, that there are noteworthy differences between varying industries. A B2B professional service, for example, may enjoy greater success on a Monday. Meanwhile, there are contrasts within the peak window of Tuesday to Thursday, with marketing companies typically performing better on Wednesday whereas B2B hospitality may see improved outcomes on Thursday. So, it is always worth researching your industry – or working with a lead generation company UK team that has this info to deliver data-driven email marketing. 

The Best Times to Send B2B Emails Explained

Selecting the right day to send B2B emails instantly gives you an advantage over most. For the best results, though, you also need to choose the right time of the day. Ultimately, you want to predict when recipients will check their emails because having yours appear at the top of their inbox will naturally improve your chances of them opening it. Get this consistently right and open rates could see a drastic upturn.

As with choosing the day to send emails, it is an email marketing myth to assume that there is a single right solution for all businesses. Nevertheless, it is suggested that B2B emails are best sent at the following times (particularly on the days mentioned above);

• Between 5 am and 7am.
• Around 10 am.
• After 3:30 pm (for newsletters).

The early emails give recipients a chance to read their emails on the train or during their commutes. Likewise, these and the 10 am emails are a good option as office professionals regularly check up on emails with a morning coffee. Sending it early additionally avoids the threat of the afternoon slump and potentially gives your business time to move things along should the recipient respond.

Late afternoon newsletters can give users an assignment at the end of the day that won’t see their work extend beyond closing time. Alternatively, it can provide good reading material for the commute back. Entrepreneur.com cites diverse marketing as an essential feature, which is why understanding how the different types of B2B emails can influence your timings is vital.

It should also be noted that welcome emails and transactional email should be sent immediately after the appropriate action from the client. 

Going forward, it’s equally important to show consistency by sending B2B marketing emails at the same time. When a B2B buyer becomes accustomed to receiving a newsletter or an update on a Tuesday morning, for example, it may become a part of their routine. Apart from ensuring that each message is received and read, it should lead to greater engagement levels. 

Top Tips to Send B2B Emails at the Best Times

Understanding the optimal time for sending B2B marketing emails is one thing, but knowing how to do it is another. Frankly, you cannot afford to sit manually sending email marketing at the right times each day as this would distract you from other assignments – not least because you may have dozens or even hundreds of clients on your B2B email list.

Here are some of the most effective ways to ensure that your B2B emails are sent at the right times, every time:

Automate Email Sending 

The easiest way to ensure that emails are sent on time is to use automated services. This is something our dedicated lead generation service can offer with optimal results. Powered by the right software, it is possible to schedule hundreds of emails and have them sent within seconds. It essentially puts B2B email marketing campaigns on autopilot, thus saving you a lot of time and generating guaranteed success with timings.

As well as ensuring that emails are sent at the perfect times, this can be supported by data analytics to provide valuable insights. In turn, you can use ideas like A/B testing to confirm that the times you’ve selected are working to deliver the desired outcomes. Of course, you can improve your campaigns further by using data to optimise the content.

Segment Audiences Based on Location

When your business is tasked with sending multiple marketing emails to different prospects for varying products and services, the use of email segregation is crucial. It is a great way to ensure that the right emails are sent to the right audiences while also increasing the sense of personalisation. However, it isn’t only good for grouping recipients based on the products they are interested in. It also allows you to target different audiences at different times.

If you are an international company, for example, this can ensure that emails send to people in the UK at one time and in France one hour later. In some industries, it enables you to send relevant marketing campaigns throughout the year, not least for celebrations that have different dates in various countries – such as Mother’s Day being March in the UK and May in the US.

Use Automated Triggers to Personalise the Experience

Sending emails at the optimal times mentioned above isn’t the only way to boost open rates. Thanks to advanced automated technology, it is now equally possible to send emails to recipients within seconds of them starting an interaction. This enables you to strike while the iron is hot, thus boosting the hopes of a desired response.

B2B buyers may have contacted multiple companies so a quick response is certainly beneficial. Some examples of when you may wish to do this are;

• Sending an automated chain of emails, starting from the moment they have signed up for the newsletter.
• Sending cart abandonment emails if they start an order but then close your website.
• Automated email chains, starting with introductions to a product or service that they have openly requested more info on.

It is a move that can accelerate B2B clients through the sales funnel while also setting a professional tone for the business.

Utilise Email Responses Well

Mastering the approach to your initial emails is the immediate priority as this lays the foundation for successful B2B client communications, and a strong lead generation company UK will help you do this in style. However, you must also think about how you keep the interactions flowing after the user’s response.

Several steps may be taken to ensure that subsequent emails are sent at the right times, such as;

• Setting up email notifications on your phone so that you can respond instantly to important emails from B2B buyers, such as pricing queries.
• Incorporating email response buttons within your email that can trigger an instant response. For example, if they want to book an appointment, the response button could take them to a chatbot that guides them through this.
• If you miss the chance to respond instantly to an email, respond to it the following day at the time you’ve already established works well for them. Email extensions allow you to schedule emails for this.

It will often take multiple interactions to gain the sale. A quick response inspires trust, not least because it shows you’ll be available should they encounter any issues.

The Final Word on Timing Your B2B Emails

B2B emails will play a key role in your marketing strategy, which is why timing them to optimise performances is essential. Working with a lead generation company UK can be particularly rewarding, not least because each client could potentially be worth a fortune in the long run. The Lead Generation Company is the perfect solution.

Our experts can design, develop, and deliver effective email marketing campaigns aimed at B2B leads in the UK and beyond. Whether used as a standalone service or integrated into a larger marketing strategy, great results are assured.

To learn more, get in touch with our friendly experts today.