How often should I email my customers to stay top-of-mind without annoying them?
Have you ever worried that your emails might be more irritating than helpful? You’re not alone. Finding the right balance is a challenge for every business, especially when your goal is to stay front-and-center with customers without ending up in the spam folder or driving unsubscribes.
Is there a “perfect” email frequency for all businesses?
There’s no universal rule, but research and real-world marketing experience point to a sweet spot: most businesses see the best engagement when they email their customers once per week or every other week. According to HubSpot, weekly emails strike the right balance for most audiences, keeping your brand top-of-mind while avoiding the fatigue that comes with daily blasts or the forgetfulness that can result from infrequent sends [source].
That said, your ideal frequency depends on your industry, audience expectations, and the value you offer in each message. Retailers and e-commerce shops might get away with two or three emails per week—especially during peak sales periods. For service-based or B2B businesses, weekly or twice-monthly is usually the upper limit before irritation sets in.
How can you tell if you’re emailing too often?
Pay attention to these signs:
- Unsubscribe rates spike after you increase frequency.
- Open rates and click rates drop steadily over a series of campaigns.
- Spam complaints rise, or you start seeing more of your messages land in the junk folder.
If you see these trends, pull back and test less frequent sends. Listening to your audience’s behavior is more reliable than guessing what “should” work.
What types of emails keep customers engaged (not annoyed)?
Repetition alone doesn’t build relationships—relevance does. The most successful brands mix up their email content. Instead of repeating sales offers, try rotating through these message types:
- Educational content (how-tos, tips, guides)
- Announcements and product updates
- Customer stories or testimonials
- Special offers and loyalty perks
- Invitations to events or webinars
- Quick surveys or requests for feedback
Personalization helps too. Platforms like Surge by Thrive let you segment your list so customers only get what matters to them. For example, you can trigger automated workflows to send a special offer after a purchase, or a friendly reminder if they haven’t booked an appointment in a while.
What’s the risk if you don’t email enough?
If you email too little, people forget who you are—or worse, forget why they signed up in the first place. You risk losing out on sales, referrals, and future engagement. Consistency builds trust and authority. Your brand becomes a familiar voice in their inbox, not a stranger popping in randomly.
How do top brands set expectations and keep their lists healthy?
Transparency is key. Let new subscribers know what to expect when they join your list. Use your custom forms to clarify how often they’ll hear from you and what kind of content they’ll receive. Allow them to select preferences, like “weekly updates” or “just the big stuff,” so they’re in control.
Regularly clean your list with tools in Surge’s CRM and lead capture features—remove inactive subscribers and monitor engagement to keep your deliverability high. A healthy list means more of your emails reach the people who actually want them.
Should you automate your email campaigns?
Absolutely. Email automation ensures your customers get the right message at the right time, without you having to hit “send” manually. For example, set up:
- Welcome sequences for new leads (great for lead capture forms)
- Appointment reminders using calendar integrations
- Review requests after a purchase or service, using reputation management tools
- Re-engagement campaigns for subscribers who haven’t interacted in a while
Surge by Thrive makes this easy by bringing email and SMS marketing, CRM, automations, and custom forms together in one place. You can build journeys that adjust frequency based on real user engagement—so the most interested customers get more, and those who aren’t ready get a lighter touch.
What if you have different types of customers?
Segment your list. Not everyone needs (or wants) the same frequency. Some may love weekly tips; others only want the big announcements. Surge’s segmentation lets you create unique paths and email frequencies for each group, which keeps everyone happier—and your unsubscribe rate low.
FAQs
How can I keep my emails out of spam?
- Send to people who opted in.
- Personalize subject lines and content.
- Clean your list regularly.
- Avoid “spammy” language and too many links.
- Use a reputable sending platform (like Surge).
What’s better—email or SMS?
It depends on your audience and the message. SMS gets higher open rates for urgent alerts or reminders, but email is better for longer-form content, updates, and promotions. Using both together through Surge’s platform can boost engagement.
How can Surge by Thrive help with email marketing?
Surge provides all-in-one tools for email and SMS marketing, CRM/lead capture, automations, custom forms, and more. You get simple templates, automation, segmentation, and analytics to optimize your campaigns and stay top-of-mind without burning out your audience.
Ready to make your emails work harder for your business?
If you want to stay top-of-mind with your customers—without the risk of being marked as spam—Surge by Thrive gives you everything you need to manage your email and SMS campaigns, automate follow-ups, segment your audience, and drive real results. Request a live demo or contact our team to see how easy it can be.
And if you’re looking to level up your entire online presence, don’t forget Surge also offers SEO Websites, AI Chat Widgets, Calendars/Appointment Scheduling, and more—all built to help you attract, engage, and convert customers.