Stop Sending Emails Just Because You “Have To”

Why Relevance Beats Routine in Email Marketing

A question I hear again and again from clients is: "Should we send a newsletter every month… even if we don't really have anything new to say?"

And the honest answer is: No.
Or at least: Not unless you have something relevant to share.

Of course, sending something is generally better than sending nothing at all. Consistency matters. But building a truly successful newsletter by forcing out a monthly or quarterly email is incredibly difficult — because most businesses simply don't have a continuous stream of newsworthy, customer-focused content.

And that's where many newsletters start falling apart.

The struggle with "monthly newsletters"

I often see businesses fight to fill their monthly newsletter:

• company values

• conferences they attended

• internal updates

• team photos

• award mentions

These can be great for employees, partners, or internal stakeholders —
but let's be honest: customers are rarely interested.

Customers care about what benefits them:

• new products

• offers

• helpful insights

• timely reminders

• relevant inspiration

When a newsletter tries to cover many unrelated topics just to fill space, two things happen:

1. Low open rates

You simply cannot advertise multiple topics in one subject line.
So the subject line often becomes something like "Monthly News", which has a very hard time competing in the inbox against:

• personalized subject lines

• competitors offering discounts

• urgent or seasonal content

• clear, singular value propositions

A vague subject line rarely wins.

2. Low engagement

Inbox readers give you seconds — sometimes less.
If the content feels broad, unfocused, or irrelevant, the reader loses interest immediately.
Most people don't scroll through three or four different topics to find the one thing that matters to them.

Why relevance always wins

One of the strongest patterns I see across clients in many industries is this:

When relevance is high, unsubscribes stay low — even with a higher sending frequency.

This surprises many businesses.

They worry that sending more than one email a month will annoy their audience.
But the data says otherwise:
If the content genuinely matters to customers, engagement stays strong.

In fact, it can even increase.

A real-world example (extreme, but powerful)

One of my previous clients sold shampoo and perfume to a younger audience.
They sent 3–4 newsletters a day, seven days a week.

Yes — per day.

And here's the interesting part:

• Their performance metrics were on par with similar businesses

• Their unsubscribe rates were perfectly normal

• Their customers loved it

The recipients scanned their inbox multiple times a day to see whether their favourite products were suddenly on sale.
It was relevant — and therefore, it worked.

Of course, this is an unusual case. Most businesses should not send four emails a day.
But it illustrates a crucial truth:

You can probably send more emails than you think — as long as the content is relevant.

Send when it matters, not because the calendar says so

My recommendation is simple:

✔️ Send newsletters when you have something relevant to share

Even if that means sending three emails in a week…
and then none for several weeks.

✔️ Use Mailchimp's scheduling and segmentation tools

Plan campaigns around:

• product launches

• seasonal demand

• customer behaviour

• personal milestones

• expiring offers

• browsing and buying patterns

✔️ Focus each email on a single, clear topic

One message → one subject line → better performance.

Let's improve your sending strategy

If you want to shift from calendar-driven sending to relevance-driven sending, I'd be happy to help.

I work with clients around the world to build smarter, more impactful Mailchimp strategies — ones that increase opens, clicks, and revenue by focusing on the content customers actually care about.

Feel free to reach out if you'd like to refine your Mailchimp strategy and make your campaigns truly relevant.

Need help improve your sending strategy in Mailchimp?

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it bad to send a monthly newsletter if I don't have much news?

It's not bad, but it's rarely effective. Sending a newsletter just to keep a schedule often leads to unfocused content, vague subject lines, and low engagement. If you don't have something relevant for your customers, it's usually better to wait than to send an email that doesn't add value.

Is sending something better than sending nothing at all?

In general, yes — but only to a point. A low-value newsletter can do more harm than good over time by training subscribers to ignore your emails. Relevance is more important than frequency when it comes to long-term engagement.

How often should I send newsletters?

There is no "perfect" frequency. Some businesses perform best with one email per month, while others send multiple emails per week. The right frequency depends on how often you have relevant, customer-focused information to share.

Will sending more emails increase unsubscribe rates?

Not necessarily. In my experience, unsubscribe rates stay low — and often improve — when emails are highly relevant. Customers tend to unsubscribe due to irrelevant content, not because they receive emails too often.

Why do monthly newsletters often have low open rates?

One key reason is the subject line. Monthly newsletters usually cover several topics, which makes it difficult to create a compelling, specific subject line. Generic subject lines like "Monthly News" struggle to compete in a crowded inbox.

Is it better to focus on one topic per email?

Yes. Emails with a single, clear message are easier to understand, easier to promote in the subject line, and more likely to generate clicks. Multiple unrelated topics often dilute the impact of the email.

Can I really send emails more often without annoying subscribers?

Yes — if the content is relevant. Many businesses underestimate how often they can email their audience. When emails align with customer interests, behaviour, or timing, higher frequency can actually increase engagement.

How can Mailchimp help with relevance-based sending?

Mailchimp offers powerful tools for segmentation, scheduling, and behavioural targeting. These features allow you to send emails based on what customers care about — such as interests, purchases, or timing — instead of relying on a fixed calendar.

What should I include in newsletters instead of company updates?

Focus on content that benefits the customer:

• product updates

• offers and promotions

• useful tips or inspiration

• reminders or time-sensitive information
  Internal news and company values are usually better suited for internal communication, not customer newsletters.

Can you help improve my Mailchimp sending strategy?

Yes. I help businesses rethink their email frequency, content strategy, and segmentation in Mailchimp — with the goal of increasing open rates, clicks, and overall performance by focusing on relevance rather than routine.

More insights from a Mailchimp Expert