Since we’re now into August (I know, it’s hard to believe), football season isn’t far away. Last night I was researching flights to LAX for a trip to Los Angeles to watch my alma mater, the University of Utah, play USC at the L.A. Coliseum. As part of my research, I went to Delta.com and searched itineraries but did not end up booking a flight.

Sounds pretty standard right? Well, today I got the following email from Delta:

This isn’t the first time I’ve received a follow-up email like this. Yahoo! Travel has sent me similar messages in the past. However, I thought this message was presented very well and accomplished several things:

• Bold, uncluttered headline: “Visit delta.com for stress free ticketing.”
• Clear call to action: “BOOK NOW”
• Concise copy reminding me of Delta’s service benefits, ending with a second mention of the call to action

These are all important things to accomplish when connecting with customers via their inbox, but one factor of this message outweighs all others, in my opinion: timing. Delta reached me within 12 hours of my visit to their site, while my research was still fresh in my mind. If I was planning to book the flight but wasn’t sure which airline, I probably would have booked it upon receiving the email.

Email marketing can be very effective when the right message is delivered at the right time. Send a skier a coupon for a discounted lift ticket right after a fresh snowfall and they’re likely to head for the slopes. Present a grocery shopper with the right offer as he or she is planning a shopping list and you might just tip the scale toward your product. Ask a hotel guest for a review within two days of their visit and you’re much more likely to get one than even a week later.

Email marketing remains a powerful tool, but with the busy lives we lead and the variety of information sources we’re exposed to, timing is everything.

Written by Nick Nerbonne.