Constant Tips: Schedule Your Email and Delivery Troubleshooting

[Nick_S]

 Every Tuesday we'll share tips, tricks, and insights on using Constant Contact and online marketing

Email scheduling is a powerful tool in digital marketing, allowing for precise timing and strategic delivery. However, understanding the nuances of this feature and the reasons behind potential delays in receipt can enhance your email campaigns significantly.

Review your plan: Some features, such as scheduling for later and resending to non-openers, are not available in all Constant Contact plans. If you don’t have full access, you may need to upgrade your plan.

Essential Aspects of Email Scheduling

1. Scheduling Flexibility: You can schedule your emails to be sent immediately or set them for a future date, up to a year in advance. This flexibility allows for meticulous planning and timing of your marketing campaigns.
2. Dynamic Recipient List: If you add new contacts to your mailing list before the scheduled send time, they will automatically receive the scheduled email. This ensures that no one misses out on your latest updates or offers.
3. Pre-send Checks and Tests: Always send a test email to check for errors before the final send-off. This helps in catching any mistakes that could affect the email's effectiveness or professional appearance.
4. Early Performance Insights: Opt to receive early results on your email's performance within the first 48 hours after sending. This can guide quick adjustments or provide insights for future campaigns.
5. Resend to Non-openers: Enhance your reach by setting up an automatic resend to recipients who did not open the initial email. This can significantly improve your open rates and ensure your message gets across.

Understanding Email Delivery and Compliance

1. Email Authentication and Address Formatting: Your 'From' email address may be modified to include a shared domain if you haven't authenticated your own domain. This is crucial for ensuring your emails are delivered and not marked as spam.
2. Reply-to Address: Ensure that your reply-to email address is active and regularly checked. This is where you will receive responses from your contacts, making it a critical component of engagement.
3. Legal Compliance: The CAN-SPAM Act requires that your physical address be included in the email footer. If you don’t have a physical location, a valid PO box address must be used instead.

Post-Send Actions and Troubleshooting

1. Monitoring and Analysis: After sending your email, give your contacts some time to engage with it. Later, analyze the performance metrics to gauge its impact and effectiveness.
2. Dealing with No-shows: If contacts report not receiving the email and they are not on your bounce list, advise them to check their spam folders. If the issue persists, they should safelist your 'From' email address in their email settings or security program.
3. Social Media Integration: To maximize the reach of your email, consider sharing it across your social media platforms. This can attract a broader audience and increase engagement.

It’s important to note that if you or a contact do not receive a sent email, it might be subject to email staging. Of course, depending on how many contacts you’re sending an email campaign to, the rate at which they might receive it can also be impacted.

By keeping these factors in mind, you can leverage the full potential of email scheduling to optimize your digital marketing efforts and ensure smoother, more effective communication with your audience. If you experience issues that aren’t resolved by any of the tips above, make sure to reach out to our Account Review and Delivery Specialists for help!