How Often Should I Email My Customers?

Short answer

For most small businesses, 1–2 emails per month is the right frequency. Enough to stay top of mind, not enough to annoy people into unsubscribing.

Frequency by business type

| Business type | Recommended frequency | |-------------|----------------------| | Local service (plumber, salon) | Monthly newsletter | | eCommerce / product business | Weekly | | B2B / consulting | Bi-weekly | | Newsletter / content creator | Weekly | | Restaurant / events | As needed (promotions + events) |

Signs you're emailing too often

Unsubscribe rate above 0.5% per email
Open rates dropping over time
Spam complaints increasing
Replies asking to be removed

Signs you're not emailing enough

Subscribers forget who you are (low open rates on infrequent sends)
You only email when you want to sell something
People unsubscribe even though you barely email — they've lost context

The rule that matters more than frequency

Value per email matters more than frequency. A weekly email that's genuinely useful will outperform a monthly email that's pure sales pitch. Before sending, ask: "Would I be glad to receive this?"

What to put in your emails if not promoting