There’s a debate in email marketing that never seems to go away:
Should you send more emails… or better emails?
Some marketers believe the answer is simple:
Send more. More emails = more revenue.
Others argue the opposite:
Send less, but make every email count.
Both sides are right.
And both are wrong.
Because the real answer isn’t about volume or quality alone.
It’s about efficiency.
The Problem With This Debate
The “more vs better” argument sounds useful—but it’s actually misleading.
Why?
Because it assumes there are only two options:
- Increase frequency
- Improve quality
In reality, email performance is a system.
And every change has trade-offs.
Send more emails, and you might increase revenue…
…but also increase unsubscribes.
Send fewer emails, and you might improve engagement…
…but miss opportunities.
Without measuring the full picture, you’re guessing.
Scenario 1: High Frequency (More Emails)
Let’s start with the obvious approach.
Send more emails.
What Usually Happens
- Total revenue increases
- Total clicks increase
- More opportunities for conversion
At first, this works.
You send 1 email = make £100
You send 5 emails = make £500
Simple, right?
The Hidden Cost
Over time, things start to shift:
- Open rates decline
- CTR drops
- Unsubscribes increase
- Spam complaints rise
This is subscriber fatigue.
Your audience starts to feel overwhelmed.
Your emails become background noise.
The Long-Term Impact
- Lower engagement signals
- Reduced deliverability
- Declining list quality
So while short-term revenue may increase…
Long-term performance can suffer.
Scenario 2: Low Frequency (Better Emails)
Now let’s flip it.
Send fewer, higher-quality emails.
What Usually Happens
- Higher open rates
- Stronger engagement
- Lower unsubscribe rates
Each email feels more intentional.
More valuable.
The Hidden Cost
But there’s a problem:
You’re sending fewer opportunities to convert.
Even if each email performs better individually…
your total revenue may be lower.
Example:
- 1 high-performing email = £200
- 5 average emails = £500
Which one wins?
Why Both Approaches Fail
Here’s the key insight:
Neither strategy works on its own.
Sending more emails without improving quality leads to fatigue.
Improving quality without maintaining frequency limits growth.
The real question isn’t:
- “Should I send more emails?”
- “Should I send better emails?”
It’s:
"What combination produces the best results per subscriber?"
The Metric That Actually Matters: Efficiency
Instead of focusing on volume or quality, focus on:
Email Efficiency
This is where most marketers go wrong.
They track:
- Open rates
- CTR
- total revenue
But they don’t ask:
- How much revenue does each email generate?
- How much value does each subscriber produce over time?
- What is the cost of sending more emails?
Metrics That Reveal the Truth
If you want clarity, focus on:
- Revenue per email
- Revenue per subscriber
- Conversion rate
- Unsubscribe rate trends
These metrics tell you whether your strategy is sustainable.
What “Winning” Actually Looks Like
The best email strategies don’t sit at extremes.
They find a balance.
High-Performing Email Systems Typically Have:
- Consistent sending frequency
- Strong engagement rates
- Controlled unsubscribe levels
- Predictable revenue per campaign
In other words:
They optimise for efficiency, not volume
How to Find Your Optimal Balance
There’s no universal “perfect” frequency.
But there is a process.
Step 1: Establish a Baseline
Start with your current metrics:
- CTR
- conversion rate
- revenue per send
Understand where you are today.
Step 2: Increase Frequency (Carefully)
Test sending more emails.
Watch what happens to:
- engagement
- unsubscribes
- revenue per email
If revenue increases without major drops in engagement, you’re moving in the right direction.
Step 3: Monitor Fatigue Signals
Look for warning signs:
- Declining CTR
- Rising unsubscribe rates
- Lower engagement over time
These indicate you’re pushing too far.
Step 4: Optimise Quality
Improve:
- subject lines
- messaging
- offers
- targeting
Better emails allow you to maintain or increase frequency without damaging performance.
The Shift Most Marketers Never Make
Most people stay stuck in this loop:
- Send more = performance drops
- Send less = revenue drops
They never realise the real problem:
They're not measuring the right thing.
When you start measuring efficiency, everything changes.
You stop asking:
- “How many emails should I send?”
And start asking:
- “How much value does each email create?”
From Guessing to Measuring
This is where most email tools fall short.
They show you:
- opens
- clicks
- basic performance
But they don’t show you:
- efficiency
- trade-offs
- long-term impact
That’s why decisions feel unclear.
Turning Data Into Decisions
When you calculate the right metrics, patterns become obvious.
You can see:
- When frequency is too high
- When quality is too low
- When performance is actually improving
Instead of guessing, you’re making informed decisions.
Key Takeaways
- Sending more emails can increase revenue—but risks fatigue.
- Sending better emails improves engagement—but may limit growth.
- The real goal is not volume or quality alone.
- Efficiency is what actually drives results.
- The best strategies balance frequency, engagement, and revenue.
It’s not about sending more emails or better emails. It’s about getting more value from every email you send.
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