Using AI Schedule for Optimized Email Timing
What is AI Schedule?
AI Schedule is a feature that automatically determines the best time to send each individual email to maximize engagement. Instead of you guessing when your contacts might check their inbox, the CRM analyzes each recipient's historical email activity and schedules delivery for when they're most likely to open and respond.
How AI Schedule Works
When you use AI Schedule, you select a time window for delivery (like 12, 48, or 72 hours). The system then examines each contact's past email behavior within that window. For contacts with sufficient engagement history, it identifies their typical high-activity periods and schedules the email accordingly. If a contact doesn't have enough data, the email is sent immediately to avoid delays.
Benefits of Using AI Schedule
- Higher Engagement Rates: Emails arrive when contacts are most likely to be active in their inbox.
- Personalized Timing: Each recipient gets their own optimized send time based on their behavior.
- Time Savings: No need to research optimal send times or calculate time zones manually.
- Reduced List Fatigue: Staggered delivery times prevent your entire list from receiving emails simultaneously.
Important Limitations
Before using AI Schedule, be aware of these restrictions:
- Once you confirm an AI-scheduled email, it cannot be deleted or rescheduled.
- AI Schedule is only available when using certain email providers (specifically LC Email or Mailgun).
- This feature is not supported for accounts with 2-way sync enabled.
Choosing Your Optimization Window
The optimization window you select balances delivery speed with timing precision:
- Short Windows (12 hours): Best for time-sensitive communications where you need relatively quick delivery.
- Medium Windows (48 hours): Recommended for most situations, offering a good balance between optimization and speed.
- Long Windows (72 hours): Ideal for non-urgent content like newsletters, giving the AI maximum flexibility to find optimal timing.
How to Send an Email with AI Schedule
Step 1: Compose Your Email
Navigate to Conversations and either open an existing thread or start a new one. Write your email subject and message content as you normally would.
Step 2: Select AI Schedule
Click the Send menu in the email composer. From the options that appear, choose AI Schedule.
Step 3: Set Your Optimization Window
Click Edit to open the optimization window selector. Choose your desired time window (12h, 48h, or 72h), then click Next.
Step 4: Confirm and Send
Click Send with AI Optimization to finalize. The system will now schedule your email based on each recipient's engagement patterns. Remember that once confirmed, this email cannot be canceled or edited.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use AI Schedule outside of Conversations?
No, AI Schedule is currently only available within the Conversations email composer. For marketing campaigns, explore other AI timing features.
Can I edit or cancel an AI-scheduled email?
No. After you confirm Send with AI Optimization, the message is locked and cannot be modified or unscheduled. Always review your email carefully before confirming.
How do I know when an AI-scheduled email will be sent?
Return to the Conversation thread where you sent the email. The scheduled send time will be displayed above the message.
What happens if a contact doesn't have enough engagement data?
If the system lacks sufficient historical data for a recipient, the email is sent immediately rather than waiting for the optimization window to expire.