The Marketing Frequency Formula: Finding the Sweet Spot Between Visibility and Annoyance

Every marketer wonders how often a business should be in contact with its customers. Too little and customers forget about the brand. Too much and they're unsubscribing or—even worse—disregarding the brand by developing negative feelings. It's one of the most complicated aspects of modern marketing, but it exists to find the balance between ubiquitous and annoying.

Never before has the market been so competitive. Between online and physical shopping, consumers receive hundreds of marketing communications per week. The threshold for tolerating excess and irrelevant marketing communications has recently approached zero, while the frequency of competitors attempting to reach target audiences to gain their business has never been more essential for success.

Yet traditional marketing suggested that the more in touch a business was with a customer, the better—the greater chance they had to purchase, right? The very idea that a customer sees a business's name so often they'll surely choose it for their next buy? Extensive consumer research in the last decade, however, proves otherwise in today's world.

Consumer Tolerance Levels

Potential communications frequency tolerance depends entirely on the customer target—the type of customer, the industry, and the communication channel—in question. A computer software company selling weekly newsletters about project ideas and updates to business customers might be entirely acceptable. A retail clothing store sending its subscribers weekly emails might be too much for passersby.

Frequency tolerance also depends on where consumers are in the relationship lifecycle. New customers seeking information are generally more tolerant of frequent communications. Longstanding customers may be less tolerant unless there is an important incentive or piece of information meant just for them.

Additionally, purchasing history demonstrates levels of frequency tolerance. A customer who buys something every month may respond well to weekly or bi-monthly reminders of new items or sales, while a customer who only buys once a year—if that—may feel inundated by too much information unless something so compelling comes through via email to make them want to act.

The channel matters here, too.

Different channels come with various levels of tolerance and frequency expectations. For instance, email marketing can withstand daily or bi-weekly frequency tolerance given useful content. Push ads to mobile devices offer unique advantages for reaching customers with timely, relevant messages, though they require more strategic timing since they appear directly on personal devices when users are actively engaged. This direct access makes them particularly effective when used thoughtfully.

For social media, posts can be made multiple times per day; users dictate what they want to see in their feeds. For text messages, however—apart from emergencies or important communications—they are better left avoided as they've proven to be intrusive compared to other channels.

The more a business can determine how frequently customers will tolerate communication through different channels, the better.

Frequency Optimization

Ultimately, it's data that will prove most effective as businesses should assess customer's past behavior to determine frequency tolerances over time instead of assuming based on industry standards or baseless figures. Email marketing analytics can detail when a subscriber stops paying attention—or unsubscribing due to frequency fatigue.

Website analytics show how communication frequency impacts traffic and conversion, while social media metrics demonstrate how constant posting either drives subsequent engagement—or doesn't.

Surveys can detail preferences from customers who don't always have a chance to speak up. Even businesses that assume their customers want a certain frequency often find they're off-base—some want more, some want none.

A/B testing various frequency levels among like segments proves which approach is better suited for tolerance level assessment. Yet often the results come with caveats based on time of year, economic factors, or what's happening elsewhere in the world.

Quality vs. Quantity

Essentially, valuable content lends itself to higher frequency tolerances than less relevant marketing materials. If every email brings value and usefulness—whether it's information, tempting purchases to be made or otherwise—then a customer is likely more tolerant of communicating more frequently versus less.

Business owners find this challenging due to forcing themselves to create valuable non-promotional content consistently. It's one thing for long-term marketing relationships to get it right; it's another for customer owners to truly understand their audiences' needs/wants/potential pain points enough to maintain qualified tolerance levels.

The more relevant the content offered to a customer at increased levels of frequency, the better received it will be. For example, a daily newsletter offering information might be welcomed; daily sales promotions might not go over as well.

Seasonal Adjustments

Frequency tolerance is not static throughout the year; it depends on seasons, industry events and openings and market/cultural interest spikes. For example, a retail business can increase communication levels during holiday season shopping when consumers have their gift-giving hats on and are looking for deals. Outside of those times—if it's clear consumers have no interest; there's no reason to assume they'd appreciate increased contact.

Additionally, economic factors matter. In uncertain times, people are thankful for more frequent communication as long as it proves to be helpful; in stable times, people may just want one-touch inquiries regarding significant turning points before letting most everything else go dark again.

Finally, factors beyond the control of marketing departments matter here for tolerance levels. Customers who purchased last week may need helpful hints soon; customers who haven't been engaged for multiple months may not need continued nudges.

Warning Signs

Successful organizations pay attention to metrics that suggest possible communication frequency needs adjustment before they become big problems. Subscribers bored with email see unsubscribed rates sky-high; open rates begin plummeting and spam complaints increase. Engagement metrics show diminished interest. When customers start complaining about how many emails they're receiving instead of continuing their normal patterns, it's time to re-evaluate.

Sometimes social media comments (and subsequent shares) note frustration within public forums where others can see—yet those customers never dropped off an email list in the first place.

The Long Game

The most successful communications formula is discovered through minimizing short-term marketing engagement complications during periodic research assessments in favor of long-term relationship-building formulas that foster trust and loyalty against turnover and churn.

If people aren't opening emails but remain respected customers down the line—great! A formula has worked well! The name of the game isn't necessarily finding the highest level at which a customer will tolerate consistent communications but instead what frequency best serves customer-business relationships along with new business efforts for all parties.

Finding the balance comes from using continual testing along with strategic placement through observation in an effort to reach mutually beneficial frequencies over time.

Once achieved successfully, the organization will have an advantage over its competition time and time again thanks to highly integrative relationships that serve as incredible marketing channels without all the hassle!