Best Days and Times to Send Promotional Emails (Backed by Real Data)

I’ve sent emails at 7 AM on a Monday. Bad idea. I’ve sent them on Friday afternoons. Worse. But once I started paying attention to when my audience actually opened emails? Everything changed.

So if you’re tired of low open rates and ghost-town click stats, here’s what I’ve figured out about the best days and times to send promotional emails, based on real testing and a lot of embarrassing flops.

Why Timing Actually Matters?

Most inboxes are war zones. Hundreds of unread messages, endless promo tabs, and people scanning on their phones while half-watching Netflix.

If your email hits at the wrong time, it gets buried — fast.

But catch people when they’re:

• Checking their inbox before a meeting

• Browsing during a break

• Scrolling late at night in bed

…that’s when they’re actually open to opening.

Timing = attention. And attention = clicks.

If you’ve nailed the timing but still struggle to get clicks, it might be time to rethink your email subject lines they’re the first thing people see, and they make or break your open rates.

Best Days to Send Emails (According to Data and Experience)

Here’s the short version:

• Tuesday: Consistently my best day for open and click rates. Inbox is clean, energy is high.

• Thursday: A close second. Great for B2B and B2C.

• Wednesday: Solid middle-of-the-week performer.

• Monday: People are catching up from the weekend — your email might get buried.

• Friday: Risky. People are mentally checked out or prepping for the weekend.

• Weekends: Works surprisingly well if you’re targeting consumers — especially for lifestyle, health, or hobby brands.

Bottom line? Start with Tuesday or Thursday if you’re unsure. Then test from there.

And don’t just guess, use email analytics to improve open rates by tracking what works over time.

Best Times to Hit “Send” (And Why)

Here’s what’s worked for me (and thousands of marketers):

• 10 AM – 11 AM (local time): Peak focus, less inbox clutter.

• 2 PM – 3 PM: Afternoon slump = inbox check.

• 8 PM – 9 PM: Works better than you’d think — especially for B2C.

• 6 AM – 7 AM: For productivity or self-improvement lists — people checking before work.

Avoid: Lunchtime (12–1 PM) and late Friday.

If you’re sending to a global list, make sure to adjust based on time zones, what’s 10 AM for you might be 2 AM for them.

How to Test Your Best Time

There’s no one-size-fits-all rule. What works for my audience might totally bomb for yours.

Here’s how to find your sweet spot:

• Run A/B tests: Use your email platform to send the same email at different times.

• Segment your list: Try sending to East Coast at 10 AM, West Coast at 10 AM local, etc.

• Look at your data: Open rates, click-throughs, and even when people clicked.

• Test different days: Rotate send days for a month and measure results.

Want better test results? Try these email segmentation strategies for better targeting, they’ll help you tailor send times for each group more accurately.

Trust the numbers, not your gut. My gut once told me to send a Sunday night promo. 9% open rate. Never again.

B2B vs B2C: Different Rules

If you’re sending to businesses (B2B):

• Stick to working hours: 10 AM to 2 PM on Tues–Thurs

• Avoid evenings and weekends unless your audience is night owls (looking at you, dev teams)

If you’re sending to consumers (B2C):

• Evenings and weekends can be great

• Think: moms checking email after the kids go to bed, or shoppers browsing during Sunday coffee

Want to boost engagement even more? Try using storytelling in your email marketing — it’s one of the most underrated conversion boosters, especially in B2C.

Tools That Make This Easier

Most email platforms have features to help:

• Mailchimp: Send Time Optimization

• Klaviyo: Smart sending based on behavior

• ConvertKit: Basic A/B time testing

• ActiveCampaign: Predictive sending with machine learning

Bonus: Use UTM tracking + Google Analytics to see when conversions happen post-click

And if you’re on Payhip, you can get even more from your campaigns by integrating with Mailchimp and ConvertKit to automate and test more efficiently.

Final Thoughts

Sending emails at the right time isn’t about chasing some magic hour, it’s about showing up when your audience is ready to hear from you.

Start with the proven times (Tuesday at 10 AM is a safe bet), then watch your numbers. Open rates tell you when they notice. Clicks tell you when they care.

And if all else fails? Just avoid Mondays. Seriously.