In a recent Litmus blog article titled “Why Your Best Marketing Channel Is Driving Customers Away” (June 2025), author Cynthia Price delivers a wake-up call: our beloved email marketing channel can backfire if overused or executed poorly . Yes, email is usually the all-star – it boasts an average 3600% ROI (around $36 return for every $1 spent) , and about 69% of consumers worldwide prefer email for brand communications . With stats like those, it’s no wonder Marketing VPs and CEOs double down on email as their “best” channel. But here’s the twist: that same Litmus article warns that over-reliance and sloppy email practices are frustrating customers and even driving them away . In other words, your email strategy might be too much of a good thing.

Why would customers tune out a channel they asked to hear from? It turns out the inbox love affair has its limits. Consumers are drowning in emails, and they’re quick to hit delete or unsubscribe when brands don’t respect boundaries. In fact, the number one reason people unsubscribe is getting bombarded too often – roughly two-thirds cite “emails sent too frequently” as their breaking point . (Translation: that daily newsletter you’re proud of might be pushing people away.) The second-biggest gripe? Irrelevant content. Nearly half of consumers will bail if your emails consistently miss the mark on relevance . One industry survey found similar results: 69% unsubscribe due to email overload, and 56% leave because the content is no longer relevant to them . It’s a one-two punch: too many emails and too little value are a recipe for an unsubscribe. As Litmus put it, there’s a “disconnect” between marketer habits and consumer preferences – most people want at most a few emails per week, not a few per day .

Let that sink in: our best-performing channel – the one 60%+ of consumers prefer to hear from – can backfire when we overdo it. It’s like throwing a party every single night; eventually your guests stop showing up. According to an Emarsys consumer survey, 25% of consumers worldwide unsubscribe from brand emails or texts at least once per week because of marketing overload . And U.S. audiences are even less tolerant – in one report, over half of U.S. consumers said they’d opt out if they get just four or more messages from the same company in a month . Clearly, the tolerance for email fatigue is low. People still love checking email (93% do it daily! ), but they have no problem slamming the door on senders who don’t know when to quit. A staggering 80% of consumers will mark an email as spam based solely on a quick first glance if something looks “off” or overly promotional . Picture your beautifully crafted marketing email landing in spam purgatory because the recipient thought “Ugh, not again” and clicked Report Spam. Ouch.

So, what exactly qualifies as “poor execution” in email marketing? Let’s break down the red flags that turn customers off:

• Oversending and Bad Timing: Blasting customers constantly is a fast track to annoyance. The Litmus study confirms that frequency is the #1 driver of email fatigue . Many brands default to high frequency (especially during promotions), but most consumers prefer far fewer emails – roughly 1-3 per week at most . If you’re sending email number five of the week to a busy executive, chances are it’s getting binned without a second thought. Even during holidays or big sales, more than 60% of consumers would rather get fewer emails with better content than relentless daily deals . Timing matters, too. Ever receive a midnight promo or a Monday 5 AM newsletter? Consumers notice poor timing and may tune out if emails consistently arrive at inconvenient moments. Aim for a cadence that feels helpful, not harassing.
  
• Irrelevant or Generic Content: Sending “one-size-fits-all” emails is like trying to sell winter coats to customers in Miami – it just doesn’t fit. Irrelevant content is cited in 46% of unsubscribes . Today’s customers expect you to know them. In fact, 71% expect personalized interactions from brands, and 76% get frustrated when they don’t get that personal touch . If every email you send screams “mass mailing” with no regard for a recipient’s preferences or past behavior, don’t be surprised when they disengage. On the flip side, data shows 46% of consumers will open emails from brands that consistently send relevant messages . The takeaway? Earn inbox loyalty by treating subscribers less like entries on a list and more like real individuals with specific interests.
  
• All Sales, No Value: Even if a customer likes discounts, a constant barrage of “Buy now!” gets old fast. The Litmus report noted 42% of consumers unsubscribe when emails are just repetitive promotions without real value . People can sniff out when you’re only after their wallets. A Marketing VP I know likes to remind his team: every email should answer “What’s in it for the customer?” Are you offering useful insights, how-to tips, or exclusive content? Or just another flash sale? When every subject line screams “Deal! Deal! Deal!” you train people to ignore you. Mixing in educational or entertaining content can re-engage an audience that’s grown numb to constant sales pitches.
  
• Trust Turn-offs: Email is personal – it’s the one channel where consumers feel in control (they can opt out anytime). Violate that trust, and it’s game over. Poor practices like emailing people who never gave permission (47% will report you as spam if they didn’t sign up ) or hiding the unsubscribe link are surefire ways to anger folks. Also, make sure your emails look legitimate. Surprisingly, 80% will insta-delete or mark spam if an email even looks sketchy or “spammy” at first glance . Things like all-caps subject lines, deceptive headers, or an unknown sender name can trigger skepticism. And with phishing scams lurking, can we blame them? For CEOs, this is also a brand safety issue – you don’t want your carefully built brand ending up associated with shady-looking emails.
  

Given these pitfalls, it’s no surprise that email engagement rates suffer when we get it wrong. How many marketing emails actually get a click? On average only about 2% of recipients click a link in a given email campaign . That means 98% are not clicking through – possibly skimming or ignoring your message. A portion even delete without opening – 31% of consumers say they sometimes delete marketing emails within seconds, purely based on the subject line preview . This puts enormous pressure on marketers to nail the details: the right frequency, the right subject, the right content. When you don’t, you lose customers’ attention – or worse, their business. Remember, email isn’t the only game in town. If you burn someone out via email, they might tune out your brand on other channels too (or head to a competitor who communicates more respectfully).

But enough with the doom and gloom. The good news is that email marketing can be fixed – and its power harnessed – by following a few practical strategies. Here are some actionable takeaways for Marketing VPs and CEOs to turn things around:

1. Balance Quality with Quantity: Instead of asking “How often can we email our list?”, ask “How often should we email to be helpful?”. Strive to send emails at the cadence customers prefer (survey your audience if needed, but generally 1-2 per week is a safe starting point). Litmus found that simply sending fewer, more thoughtfully timed emails can drastically improve engagement and reduce churn . Quality over quantity is the name of the game. Keep an eye on your unsubscribe rates and open metrics – if they worsen when you increase send frequency, that’s a red flag. It’s far better to have subscribers eagerly anticipating a weekly digest than dreading yet another daily promo.
   
2. Amp Up Personalization: No CEO wants to read a one-size-fits-all memo, and your customers don’t want generic emails. Use the data you have (purchase history, browsing behavior, preferences) to segment your list and tailor content. Even simple personalization, like mentioning the customer’s name and recommending products they might actually like, can boost engagement. Remember that 76% of consumers feel frustrated by non-personalized experiences . On the flip side, personalized emails can increase transaction rates and build loyalty. Marketing leadership should invest in tools and training for advanced segmentation, dynamic content, and maybe even AI-driven personalization – but test carefully to ensure any AI-written content still feels authentic. The goal is to make every subscriber think, “Hey, this brand gets me.”
   
3. Provide Value in Every Send: Make it a policy that every email must offer something valuable – be it a useful tip, an interesting story, a how-to guide, or a genuinely great deal. Mix up your content. A newsletter could include a quick industry insight or a customer success story instead of just a product plug. If you consistently delight or inform readers, they’ll actually look forward to your emails. Promotions should feel like a favor, not a nuisance. One pro tip: consider exclusivity. For example, “As a valued subscriber, here’s an early access invite…” gives subscribers a sense of VIP treatment. That kind of goodwill is the antidote to the “all sales, all the time” fatigue. Engaged subscribers are also more forgiving – they know your emails are usually worth opening.
   
4. Make It Easy to Opt Down (Not Just Out): Often, customers don’t necessarily want to sever ties; they just want fewer emails or only specific types of content. Implement an email preference center where subscribers can choose to receive emails less frequently or only on certain topics. For instance, let them opt for a monthly roundup instead of weekly, or only product update emails but not general newsletters. This way, you keep them on your list under their terms. It shows respect for their inbox. It’s far better than losing them entirely to an unsubscribe (or spam complaint). Speaking of which – always honor unsubscribes promptly and never make it hard to leave. A surefire way to drive customers away angrily is to send emails even after they’ve tried to opt-out.
   
5. Keep an Eye on the Metrics that Matter: Marketing VPs should track engagement metrics closely – not just overall ROI or conversion rates, but signs of irritation. Monitor your unsubscribe rate (which, fortunately, is usually low – around 0.1% on average , but spikes indicate issues), spam complaint rate (should be near 0%; anything approaching 0.1% – one per thousand – is trouble ), and the open-to-click ratio. If lots of people open but few click, your content might be lacking. If opens are plummeting, you might have a deliverability problem or subject line issue. And pay attention to subscriber surveys or replies – they can reveal qualitative sentiment. Essentially, listen to what the metrics and your customers are telling you. It’s far cheaper to adjust your strategy than to win back trust after alienating your audience.
   
6. Re-think “Email Only” Strategy: Finally, consider the bigger picture of your marketing mix. Email is powerful, but it works best as part of a coordinated, customer-centric strategy. Customers interact with multiple touchpoints – social media, SMS, your website, maybe a mobile app. If you’re finding diminishing returns from email, it might be time to diversify how you deliver certain messages. For example, some quick updates might perform better as a social post or a push notification, saving email for meatier content. That said, don’t simply start blasting those other channels with the same frequency you did with email – the principle of “don’t annoy the customer” applies everywhere. Use each channel thoughtfully. The upside of email’s high ROI is real, but not if it’s the only trick in your book. Smart CMOs are using email as one piece of an integrated puzzle, ensuring customers get the right message at the right time via the right channel.
   

Bottom line: Email marketing isn’t going anywhere – if anything, it’s still a top performer, influencing purchases (59% of consumers say marketing emails affect their buying decisions ) and driving customer retention for businesses that use it well . But as the Litmus article warned, even your best channel can backfire when abused. Marketing leaders should treat the inbox as a privilege, not a right. By respecting customers’ time, personalizing thoughtfully, and delivering genuine value, you transform email from a potential irritation back into the VIP customer channel it’s meant to be. In an age where 93% of consumers check email daily but 47% will report unwanted emails as spam without hesitation , the mandate is clear: be the email they want to see, not the one they regret subscribing to. Get that right, and email will remain your MVP marketing channel – delighting customers instead of driving them away.

Sources: The insights and data in this report are drawn from the Litmus article by Cynthia Price (Litmus, 2025) , the Litmus State of Email consumer survey, and supporting research including industry benchmark reports and consumer surveys from 2024–2025 (ZeroBounce , Emarsys via eMarketer , OptinMonster’s email marketing statistics compilation , Constant Contact, and others). These sources provide a current view of email marketing performance, customer sentiment, and best practices relevant to marketing leaders.