You say you’ve got a great mailing list of all your customers and prospects and plenty of good, targeted content to share with them. That’s all well and good … but if you can’t coax your readers into opening your e-newsletters, no one’s ever going to read what you have to say.

So what’s the best way to boost your “open rate?” Try these tips:

• Pick the “right” day and time to send. If your target is a consumer — which means you are sending a “b2c,” or business-to-consumer, e-newsletter — evenings and weekends are best. That’s because people subscribe with personal (vs. work) e-mail addresses and they’re in a “personal time” frame of mind. If your target is a business — which means you are sending a “b2b,” or business-to-business, e-newsletter — consider sending in batches that hit during working hours (keeping time zones in mind). Don’t send first thing in the morning; wait until people have cleaned out their inboxes and then your message will get more attention when it arrives. Mondays and Fridays are less successful than Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
• Don’t underestimate the importance of the “subject” line. This is the only clue your reader gets as to what’s in your e-newsletter before deciding whether to open it or junk it. You may want to use their name, you surely want to use an action verb, and you absolutely must include the most interesting point you make in the body of your e-newsletter. Consider what would convince you to open an e-newsletter and follow suit.
• Give lots of thought to your “from” box. You can send your e-newsletter using your company name in the “from” box … but your customer may be more familiar with your name or that of someone on your team. Perhaps your product’s name would be even more familiar. Only you know how your customers will respond best.

Paul Hyman is editor-in-chief of OpenMoves.