AMiable Solution #101: Timing can be Everything

Morning glories.  They don’t hide the fact that their blooms have a shelf life.  By their very nature, these flowers open in the morning and wither away before nightfall.  If you want to see one, you know exactly when you need to be near a plant.

You can say the same about your market, whatever it is.  You have a window of opportunity to catch your audience at the point it is most likely to respond to your offer: three months before an industry deadline, two weeks before your season-opening sales, three days before a membership expires.

How do you know if you’re timing your promotions effectively?  We’d love to tell you the answer is as easy as “you can see a morning glory in full bloom at 8:00 every morning.”  Unfortunately, you’ll need to work for your answer with a combination of history, response, and testing.

History.  First, look at the sales history for the particular product, service, or fundraiser you’re marketing.  When were sales or donations at their highest?  How close was it to the product release date, service date, or fundraiser deadline?  Are there other noticeable spikes?  When did they occur?

Response.  Look at your “spike” figures in terms of marketing.  How long after a marketing promotion went out did sales or donation numbers rise?  Can you determine a direct relationship?  Can you connect multiple mailings with multiple sales spikes?  If so, you’re getting warmer.

Testing.  Finally, use what you’ve learned to set up a mailing schedule.  Use previous mail dates and “spike” dates as your base, but also play with it.  What if you added a mailing even earlier than your historical first mailing?  What if you added one later?  What would happen if you eliminated one of the mailings?  Keep in mind the role your offer plays in each mailing, too.  Do you typically keep the offer the same or provide more incentive for early and/or late responders?

Catching your customers, members, or donors at their most active time isn’t a mystery, but it does take a little research and patience, research and patience that will be rewarded with a full bloom.