While Gmail offers a fair amount of functionality, it doesn’t yet allow you to send recurring emails. But when you use a tool like Right Inbox, it’s all taken care of. Here’s what you need to know.
Reasons to Send Recurring Emails
A recurring email tool is something that most email users wouldn’t ever think about. But for people who are sending the same emails day after day, it can be a huge time-saver.
You might run a company and need to send out a weekly reminder to your staff to fill out their time sheets. Or perhaps you’re a financial director nudging employees to turn in their expenses at the end of the month. In both of these scenarios, the ability to send out an automatically recurring email would save you lots of time that could be better spent on other tasks.
Likewise, if you’re a business that needs to send out weekly, monthly, or even seasonal updates, then you might also benefit. Say you’re a restaurant that features a new menu each season, or a fashion retailer launching your “outfit of the week” via email; in cases like these, you’ll save tons of time by setting up recurring emails.
How to Send Recurring Emails
Since Gmail can’t yet be set up to send recurring emails, you need to download a tool (such as Right Inbox) to enable that functionality.
Step 1. If you haven’t downloaded the Right Inbox Chrome extension, then do so here.
Step 2. Open Gmail.
Step 3. Click Compose to start a new email.
Step 4. Complete the To and Subject fields.
Step 5. Click the Recurring button at the bottom of the Compose window.
Step 6. A pop-up will appear, asking you for the parameters of your recurring email.
Step 7. First you’re asked for the frequency of the recurring email. You can choose from Daily, Weekly, Monthly and Yearly, or from 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 week intervals.
Step 8. You can then choose the day or days of the week you want the email to be sent, as well as the specific time of day, selecting your timezone for extra clarity.
Step 9. Now you can choose when your recurring campaign should start and finish. If you have a finite period of time for your campaign, then specify either an end date or after a certain number of emails have been sent (After x occurrences). If you don’t, then choose Never.
Step 10. When you’ve completed all fields, click Schedule.
Recurring Email Best Practices for 2023
1. Choose the Right Timing
You want to send your email when it has the highest chance of being open and read. For some lists, this could mean early in the morning on a Sunday while for others it could mean during the afternoon during the week.
Look back at your email data and see when the highest open rates occur. The last thing you want is for your recurring emails to end up buried in hundreds of other emails in your subscriber’s inbox.
2. Don’t Be Spammy
There’s a fine line between being persistent and being a pest. Great companies engage with their prospects frequently but not in a way that pushes people away.
A good cadence is one per week, or even once every few weeks. If you’re sending recurring emails every day and no one is opening them, that’s a sign to turn back the frequency a little.
4. Automate When Possible
Writing each email by hand is so 1995. Sure, there are ways to personalize your emails such as adding the recipient’s name or typing up a quick piece of relevant content based on what you know about them.
Buy by and large, it’s smart to automate your recurring emails using templates and software that automatically sends recurring emails out at your desired time.
5. Save it for the Important Few
Sending out emails daily, weekly, or monthly should be reserved for important matters. For instance, if you’re reminding your employees to fill out their reports and time sheets so that payroll is accurate, this is a good reason.
On the other hand, sending irrelevant or redundant information out repeatedly will make your team numb to the emails eventually. You might see that engagement grinds to a halt if they don’t find the repeat emails useful.
Recurring Email Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is a recurring email?
A recurring email is one that is sent out repeatedly over time. It serves as a reminder, update, or placeholder for important information and events.
How do I set up automatic emails in gmail?
Gmail currently has no way to set up automatic emails by default. The best way to set up automatic emails is to use an app like Right Inbox.
Can you set up a repeating email in Gmail?
Yes, but only if you have special software. Gmail has yet to release any features that allow for repeating emails without third party help. If you haven’t already, you can install Right Inbox here and start sending repeating emails easily.
Can I automate my emails?
Yes you can. You can automate your email templates and the times at which they are sent out. You’ll need to grab Right Inbox or similar tools to make it happen, though.
How can I send a daily email automatically?
It’s simple and straightforward. Install the Right Inbox Chrome Extension, then follow the step-by-step instructions above in the section called “How to Send Recurring Emails.”
In Summary
If you’ve found yourself sending the same email over and over again, then you’ll definitely benefit from a tool that allows you to automate a recurring email. It lets you choose the recipient(s), write the copy, and then set your email to be set at a frequency and timing that suits you.
It’s unfortunate that Gmail itself doesn’t allow you to do this within its settings, but thankfully tools like Right Inbox can help.
