My father recently used the phrase "the hurrier I go, the behinder I get" and I have to admit it was the first time I had ever heard it. But since then, it often comes to mind in different scenarios. Such as the times when I find myself in a rush and end up getting in my own way, like dropping keys as I race out the door, or making multiple mistakes when I am trying to type too quickly. Interestingly, I also think about it during the work week when I feel super busy but it doesn’t seem as though I am actually getting a lot done for all that running around.

So when the phrase pops into my head I think of it as a chance to re-examine what I am doing to see if I am applying myself to the tasks that return the most valuable results.

Based on the conversations I have with clients and our own marketing team, I know that finding a balance between being busy versus being productive is a challenge that email marketers face all the time. Someone recently shared a Forrester report that indicated 69% of interactive marketers surveyed "agree that their organization is understaffed." This is from a 2008 report and I suspect that given our current economy, the number may be even higher if asked today. Everyone is trying to get more done with less.

Email marketers often work on a tightly scheduled cycle of copy-> creative-> approve-> build-> test-> approve-> send and repeat. Sometimes the schedule becomes the driving motivator for sending out an email, rather than the message itself. In the worst case, the schedule becomes the exact reason why best practices are thrown out the window. For example, I have heard email marketers admit that they would love to test, but they just don’t have the time for it.

Working busily toward the goal of making a deadline may have the unintended consequence of undermining your overall goal - engaging your audience with a meaningful message. Next time you are hurrying to deliver on a deadline, ask yourself a couple simple questions:

1. Are you sending an email because it is relevant to your subscribers, or because it is Tuesday? People will open and act on your email marketing if it appeals to them with information or offers that are targeted to them. Think of an email list that you are opted into yourself and why you continue to receive those messages instead of unsubscribing or reporting them as spam.

2. Have you tested your message? Sending a message that goes out on time but no one opens because of a lackluster email subject line isn’t going to be considered a success by anyone.

It might be counter-intuitive, but achieving your goal may be accomplished sooner by slowing down and applying care and consideration to the communication from your organization, instead of hurrying to meet calendar dates for deliverables and action items.

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About the Author

Myra Friel is a product manager at Lyris responsible for the email marketing products. She is focused on delivering customer requirements and introducing new features to make Lyris HQ an even more powerful email marketing tool.

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