MUST EMAIL ONCE OR TWICE A DAY’ because that leads to me just deleting and unsubscribing and never wanting to shop from them again.” Their emphasis, not mine. This sentiment isn’t an isolated incident. Inboxes are overflowing, attention spans are shrinking, and consumers are becoming increasingly adept at filtering out the noise. Your relentless email schedule, born out of a desire to stay top-of-mind, could be pushing customers away and damaging your brand in the process. This isn’t about abandoning email marketing altogether. It’s about being smarter, more strategic, and ultimately more respectful of your customers’ time and attention. Let’s delve into why your frequent email blasts might be backfiring and explore a more sustainable and effective approach. The law of diminishing returns (and annoyance) Think back to the early days of email marketing. An email in the inbox felt like a direct line to a brand in which you were interested. It was novel, and click-through rates were often high. Fast-forward to today, and the landscape is drastically different. Our inboxes are battlegrounds, bombarded by promotions, newsletters and updates. The novelty has well and truly worn off, replaced by inbox fatigue. Sending multiple emails a week, or even daily, operates under the law of diminishing returns and quickly ventures into the territory of outright annoyance. Your initial enthusiasm to share every little update can easily translate into inbox clutter for your subscribers.  Each subsequent email becomes less likely to be opened and more likely to be deleted unread – greatly increasing the chances of that dreaded ‘unsubscribe’ click. The psychological impact of email overload Consider the psychological impact of a constantly pinging inbox filled with promotional emails from the same retailers. It creates a sense of overwhelm and intrusion. Customers feel like they’re being bombarded, their personal space invaded. This can lead to negative associations with your brand, even if they initially had a positive perception. That feeling of being constantly ‘sold to’ can breed resentment. Instead of feeling informed and valued, customers feel like they’re just another transaction waiting to happen. This erodes trust and damages the very relationship you’re trying to build. It’s the digital equivalent of a persistent salesperson following you around a store. Your constant emails can leave a sour taste. Quality over quantity: the content conundrum The pressure to send frequent emails often leads to a dilution of content quality. When you feel the need to email multiple times a week, are you truly delivering valuable, engaging content each time? Or are you scraping the barrel, sending out thin promotions or repetitive updates just to fill the quota? Customers can spot a filler email a mile away. Low-quality, frequent emails train them to ignore your messages. They learn that opening your emails is rarely worth their time, leading to a big drop in open and click-through rates over time.  Ironically, the very tactic you’re employing to drive traffic ends up making your future emails less effective. The unsubscribe avalanche The most direct consequence of email overload is hitting the ‘unsubscribe’ button. When customers feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of emails you’re sending, the ‘unsubscribe’ button becomes their escape hatch. Losing subscribers is losing potential customers – individuals who were once interested enough in your brand to share their email address. Furthermore, high unsubscribe rates can negatively impact your sender reputation with email service providers (ESPs). If a number of recipients are marking your emails as spam or unsubscribing, ESPs may start filtering your messages into junk folders, further reducing your reach and effectiveness. A smarter approach So, what’s the alternative? It’s about shifting your focus from quantity to quality, frequency to relevance, and broadcasting to personalisation. Here’s a more strategic approach to email marketing. Segment your audience: Not all customers are created equal, and their interests vary. Segment your email list based on purchase history, browsing behaviour, demographics, or expressed preferences. This allows you to send more targeted and relevant emails to specific groups, increasing engagement and reducing the feeling of being spammed. For example, new subscribers might receive a welcome series, while loyal customers could get exclusive early access to sales. Focus on value: Every email you send should offer genuine value to the recipient. This could be exclusive discounts, helpful product information, engaging content related to your brand or industry, or early access to new collections. Ask yourself, “What’s in it for them?” before hitting send. Map out a realistic cadence: Instead of adhering to an arbitrary daily or multi-weekly schedule, determine a more sustainable and customer-centric frequency. Consider sending a well-crafted weekly newsletter that consolidates key updates and offers. For urgent announcements or sales, an additional, targeted email might be warranted, but these should be the exception, not the rule. Listen to your data: Pay close attention to your email marketing metrics. Track click-through rates, conversion rates, and, crucially, unsubscribe rates. If you’re seeing a consistent decline in engagement or a spike in unsubscribes after a particular type or frequency of email, it’s a clear sign that you need to adjust your strategy. Offer preference options: Empower your subscribers by giving them control over the frequency and types of emails they receive. Allow them to choose how often they hear from you and what topics hold interest for them. This demonstrates respect for their preferences and can reduce unsubscribe rates. Automate strategically: Leverage email automation to send targeted and timely messages based on specific customer actions or triggers; for example, abandoned carts, welcome emails, post-purchase follow-ups. This allows for personalised communication without the need for constant manual blasts. Integrate with other channels: Email shouldn’t be your only communication channel. Integrate your marketing efforts across social media, your website, and even SMS or WhatsApp (used sparingly and with explicit consent). This provides a more holistic and less intrusive brand experience. The long-term benefits of a less-is-more approach Adopting a more thoughtful email strategy might feel counterintuitive at first, especially if you’re used to high-frequency sending. However, the long-term benefits are significant: Improved engagement: When your emails are less frequent and more relevant, subscribers are more likely to open and engage with them. Reduced unsubscribes: Respecting your customers’ inboxes leads to lower unsubscribe rates and a healthier email list. Stronger brand perception: A less-intrusive approach fosters a more positive perception of your brand as one that values its customers’ time and attention. Higher conversion rates: Targeted, valuable emails are more likely to drive conversions and sales. Better sender reputation: Lower unsubscribe and spam complaint rates improve your sender reputation, ensuring your emails reach the intended recipients. In the relentless pursuit of clicks and conversions, it’s easy to fall into the trap of over-emailing. But as the frustrated customer’s comment above so clearly illustrates, bombarding inboxes can have an unintended effect, leading to deletion, unsubscribes, and ultimately, lost sales.  It’s time for retailers to step back, reassess their email strategy, and embrace a ‘less is more’ philosophy.  By focusing on quality content, targeted segmentation, and a respectful cadence, you can build stronger relationships with your customers, enhance your brand image, and ultimately achieve more meaningful and sustainable results from your email marketing efforts. Stop the spam and start connecting.