What is Email Marketing & How to Get Started Today?

Imagine having a direct line to your customers, a way to reach them wherever they are, at any time of day. 

That’s the power of email marketing – an essential tool in your digital toolbox. 

But where do you start? 

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the basics of email marketing and give you the knowledge and strategies to launch your first campaign. 

Have you ever wondered how to get into your audience’s inbox or what to do to boost your open rates and conversions? This post will answer those questions and more, so you can become an email marketing master. 

Let’s get started and kick off your email marketing today.

Key Takeaways

• Email marketing has a high return on investment and is direct to your audience so your message gets to them.
• Using a combination of email marketing types can help you engage your audience and achieve different marketing goals.
• Email marketing has many benefits like personalization, scalability and measurable results but be aware of deliverability issues and ongoing content creation and regulatory compliance.
• Email marketing is crucial for building relationships, driving sales, and maintaining customer engagement, making it an essential strategy for businesses and e-commerce.

Understanding Email Marketing

Email marketing is a live and powerful marketing channel that uses email to promote your business’s products or services.

As a form of direct and digital marketing, it helps you reach your audience directly, to tell them about new products, offers, or updates. 

It can play a big part in many marketing strategies, lead generation, brand awareness, relationship building, and customer engagement between purchases through various types of marketing emails.

The history

The origins of email marketing go back to 1971 when Ray Tomlinson, a computer engineer, sent the very first email.

The message was just a string of numbers and letters but it was the start of something big. Tomlinson also invented the @ symbol in email addresses, a practice that’s still with us today.

In 1978, Gary Thuerk, a marketing manager at Digital Equipment Corporation, sent the first commercial email to promote a new product.

He saw the potential of email as a marketing tool. By the 1990s, with the Internet available to everyone, email had become a part of everyday communication and marketers were quick to use it for advertising.

This was also the era of regulations to protect the consumer, the U.K.’s Data Protection Act was introduced which required an “opt-out” for all marketing emails.

Email marketing doesn’t just help you build relationships with your audience but also drives traffic to your blog or social media.

By segmenting your emails based on demographics or user behavior you can send messages that resonate most with your audience. 

Apart from promotional emails, businesses can send different types of emails such as welcome emails to new subscribers, newsletters to share content, and transactional emails to confirm purchases or order updates.

Educational emails can also establish your authority in the industry by sharing tips, insights, or how-to guides to your audience.

As technology advances, so does email marketing. AI-driven personalization, predictive analytics, and interactive email elements are shaping the future of email marketing making it more effective and engaging.

By embracing these innovations you can stay ahead of the game and get more out of your email marketing.

How does email marketing work?

Email marketing involves sending targeted messages to a list of subscribers via email to achieve specific marketing goals.

It involves several steps and uses various tools to automate and optimize the process.

1. Building an Email List: The foundation of any email marketing campaign is an email list. This list is built through opt-in forms on a website, social media, or during events. Subscribers give you their email addresses in exchange for valuable content, discounts, or updates.
2. Segmenting the Audience: Once you have a list, you need to segment it based on different criteria such as demographics, past purchase behavior, or engagement levels. Segmenting ensures each email is relevant to the recipient, making them more likely to engage.
3. Creating Engaging Content: The content of the email should be tailored to the audience and the campaign’s goals. This can be promotional offers, newsletters, product updates, or educational content. Crafting great subject lines and clear calls to action is key to grabbing the reader’s attention.
4. Designing the Email: A good email design improves the user experience. Using responsive templates ensures emails look good on all devices. Tools like Mailchimp, Constant Contact, or HubSpot have pre-designed templates and drag-and-drop editors to make design easy.
5. Sending the Emails: Once the content is ready and the design is done, the emails are scheduled and sent. Timing is everything so make sure to analyze when your audience is most likely to engage with your emails.
6. Tracking and Analyzing Performance: After the emails are sent, you need to track their performance. Key metrics are open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates and unsubscribe rates. Analyze these to refine future campaigns for better results.

What email marketing can do

• Promote Products or Services: You can use email marketing to tell customers about new products, services, or special offers.
• Nurture Leads: Through regular contact you can build a relationship with potential customers and guide them through the sales funnel.
• Build Customer Loyalty: With valuable content and personalized offers, you can build customer loyalty and get repeat business.
• Drive Traffic: Emails can drive traffic to your website, blog, or social media, overall engagement.
• Brand Awareness: Consistent and well-written emails keep your brand front of mind for your audience.

Why is email marketing important?

Email marketing is a key part of any business’s marketing strategy, especially for e-commerce. It has many benefits that can drive growth, improve customer relationships, and increase revenue.

Direct to customer

Email marketing gives you a direct line of communication with your customers. Unlike social media where algorithms can limit your reach, emails go straight to the subscriber’s inbox so your message is seen.

This direct approach builds stronger connections and trust with your audience.

High return on investment (ROI)

One of the best reasons to invest in email marketing is its ROI. According to research, email marketing generates an average ROI of $42 for every $1 spent.

This high ROI is because of the low cost of sending emails and the ability to target your message to engaged audiences.

Personalization and segmentation

Email marketing allows you to personalize your message based on customer data. By segmenting your email list you can tailor content to specific groups based on their interests, behaviors, and demographics.

Personalized emails improve engagement rates, studies show they can increase transaction rates by up to 6 times compared to non-personalized emails.

Engage with customers

Emails are a great way to keep your customers engaged with your brand. Newsletters, updates, and promotional emails keep your audience informed and interested.

Interactive elements like surveys, polls, and personalized recommendations can further boost engagement and drive action.

Drive sales and revenue

Email marketing is a powerful sales driver. Promotional emails, abandoned cart reminders and personalized product recommendations can increase conversion rates.

For e-commerce businesses, email marketing can help recover lost sales and encourage repeat purchases, increasing overall revenue.

Brand awareness

Regular email communication helps to reinforce your brand and keep your business top of mind with customers.

Well-designed emails that reflect your brand’s voice and aesthetic creates a cohesive brand experience. Over time this consistent presence builds brand loyalty and recognition.

Measure and optimize

Email marketing platforms provide detailed analytics so you can track your campaigns. Metrics like open rates, click-through rates and conversion rates give you valuable insights on what works and what doesn’t.

This data-driven approach means you can continually optimize and your campaigns will get better over time.

Retain customers

Email marketing is a great way to build long-term customer relationships. By providing valuable content, exclusive offers, and personalized experiences you can increase customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Regular communication makes customers feel valued and appreciated, and reduces churn.

Budget friendly

Email marketing is cheaper than other marketing channels. There is no cost of printing, postage, or advertising space.

Email marketing tools and platforms are affordable for all businesses big or small so it’s suitable for startups and established businesses alike.

Integrates with other marketing channels

Email marketing works well with other marketing strategies like social media, content marketing, and SEO.

For example, emails can drive traffic to your social media profiles, blog posts, or product pages, multiplying the reach and impact of your overall marketing efforts.

Email marketing examples

Here are a few practical examples of how email marketing can be put into practice within your marketing flows.

Welcome series

Example: A new subscriber signs up for a newsletter on an online clothing store’s website.

• Email 1: A welcome email is sent immediately, thanking them for joining and offering 10% off their first purchase.
• Email 2: 3 days later, an email introducing the brand and top product categories is sent.
• Email 3: 1 week later, a reminder email with recommended products and the discount offer.

Abandoned cart recovery

Example: A customer adds products to their cart but leaves the site without completing the purchase.

• Email 1: 1 hour after the cart is abandoned, an email is sent reminding them of the products left behind and with a link to their cart.
• Email 2: 24 hours later, a follow up email is sent with a limited-time discount to encourage them to complete the purchase.
• Email 3: If the cart is still abandoned, a final reminder is sent 72 hours later, with product benefits and customer reviews.

Re-engagement campaign

Example: A subscriber hasn’t opened any emails in the past 6 months.

• Email 1: A re-engagement email is sent, asking if they still want to receive updates and offering an incentive (e.g. special discount or exclusive content).
• Email 2: If no response, a follow up email is sent 1 week later, reminding them of the value of staying subscribed and with a quick survey to understand their preferences.
• Email 3: If still inactive, a final email is sent 2 weeks later, telling them they will be removed from the list unless they choose to stay.

Post-purchase follow-up

Example: A customer buys from an online store.

• Email 1: Order confirmation email sent immediately with receipt and estimated delivery date.
• Email 2: Shipping confirmation email sent when order is dispatched with tracking info.
• Email 3: Thank you email sent 1 week after delivery, asking for feedback or review and 10% off next purchase.

Educational drip campaign

Example: A new lead downloads an eBook from a marketing agency’s website.

• Email 1: A welcome email is sent immediately, thanking them for downloading the eBook and with a link to access it.
• Email 2: 3 days later, an email with additional resources related to the eBook topic (e.g. blog posts or case studies).
• Email 3: 1 week after the download, an email is sent offering a free consultation or demo of the agency’s services.

Types of email marketing

Understanding the different types of email marketing will help you tailor your campaigns to your goals and engage with your audience better.

Each one serves a purpose and can be used to enhance your overall marketing strategy.

Welcome emails

Welcome emails are sent to new subscribers or customers to say hello and set the tone for future emails.

They often include a thank you, an overview of what to expect, and sometimes a special offer or discount. For example, a new subscriber might get a welcome email with 10% off their first purchase.

Confirmation emails

Confirmation emails are used to verify an action taken by the user, such as a purchase, event sign up, or newsletter subscription.

For example, after a customer completes an online purchase they get an email with their order details and receipt.

Transactional emails

Transactional emails are triggered by a specific action or transaction and provide important information related to that action.

Examples are order confirmations, shipping notifications, and account updates. A typical example is an email saying your order has shipped and includes tracking info.

Dedicated emails

Dedicated emails focus on a single message or promotion with no other content or offers. These are often used for special announcements or campaigns.

For example, a retailer might send a dedicated email announcing a new product line.

Promotional emails

Promotional emails are designed to drive sales or encourage a specific action by highlighting a special offer, discount, or deal.

For example, a monthly email campaign promoting a seasonal sale with limited-time discounts on selected items.

Lead nurturing emails

Lead nurturing emails build relationships with potential customers over time by providing them with valuable content and guiding them through the sales funnel.

For example a series of educational emails to leads who have shown interest in a service but haven’t purchased yet.

Announcement emails

Announcement emails are used to share important news or updates with your audience, such as a new product launch, company milestone, or event.

For example, an email announcing a company’s new partnership or expansion into a new market.

Newsletters

Newsletters provide regular updates and valuable content to subscribers, such as industry news, company updates, or helpful tips.

For example a monthly newsletter with articles, company news, and links to recent blog posts.

Survey emails

Survey emails ask for feedback from the recipient on various topics such as customer satisfaction, product feedback or service improvements.

For example, an email asking for feedback on a recent purchase with a link to a short survey.

Retention emails

Retention emails are used to keep existing customers engaged and encourage repeat business. They might include loyalty rewards, personalized offers or reminders to complete an action.

For example, an email reminding a customer of their reward points and offering a special discount to use them.

Advantages & Disadvantages

Wondering what are the greatest takeaways and the limitations you should have a look out for with email marketing? 

Here’s everything to know.

Advantages

• High Return on Investment (ROI): Email marketing is known for its impressive ROI. According to research, businesses can earn an average of $42 for every $1 spent on email marketing. This high return makes it a cost-effective marketing strategy for businesses of all sizes.
• Direct Communication: Email marketing allows businesses to communicate directly with their audience, bypassing algorithms that control visibility on social media platforms. This direct access ensures that your message reaches your subscribers’ inboxes, increasing the likelihood of engagement.
• Personalization and Segmentation: With email marketing, you can personalize messages based on customer data and segment your audience to deliver more relevant content. Personalized emails can improve transaction rates by up to six times compared to non-personalized messages.
• Scalability: Whether you have a small list of subscribers or millions, email marketing can scale to meet your needs. Tools and platforms make it easy to manage large lists, automate campaigns, and analyze results without requiring significant additional resources.
• Measurable Results: Email marketing provides detailed analytics that help businesses track the performance of their campaigns. Metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates offer valuable insights that can be used to optimize future campaigns.

Disadvantages

• Deliverability Issues: Emails can sometimes end up in spam folders or be blocked by filters, reducing their effectiveness. Ensuring high deliverability requires constant attention to list hygiene and compliance with email marketing best practices.
• Overcrowded Inbox: Consumers receive a large number of emails daily, which can make it challenging for individual messages to stand out. This overcrowding means that even well-crafted emails might go unnoticed.
• Content Creation Demand: Effective email marketing requires the continuous creation of high-quality, engaging content. This demand can be resource-intensive, particularly for small businesses with limited marketing teams.
• Regulatory Compliance: Email marketers must adhere to regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the CAN-SPAM Act. Compliance can be complex and time-consuming, and failing to comply can result in significant fines.
• Unsubscribes and Negative Reactions: Poorly targeted or overly frequent emails can lead to unsubscribes or negative reactions from recipients. Balancing frequency and relevance is crucial to maintaining a healthy subscriber list and avoiding alienating your audience.

Email marketing best practices & tips

Following email marketing best practices will help you get more out of your email marketing.

Here are the best ones to know:

1. Double Opt-in – Double opt-in requires new subscribers to confirm their email address before being added to your list. This means your subscribers really want to hear from you, so you’ll get higher engagement and fewer spam complaints.
2. Craft Attention-Grabbing Email Subject Lines – Your subject line is key to getting your email opened. Use clear language and curiosity or urgency to grab the reader’s attention.
3. Don’t Buy Email Lists – Buying email lists will hurt your reputation and deliverability. Build your list organically so your audience is interested in your content.
4. Keep Email Design Simple – A clean design makes for better readability and engagement. Avoid clutter and focus on a clear message with a strong call to action.
5. Segment Your Email Lists – Segmenting your email lists by demographics, behavior or preferences lets you send more relevant and personalized content. This will increase engagement and conversion rates.
6. Always Run A/B Tests – A/B test different parts of your emails (subject lines, images, calls to action) to see what works best with your audience. Use those insights to optimize future campaigns.
7. Add Personalization to Your Emails – Personalize your emails with the recipient’s name, past purchases or preferences. Personalized emails feel more relevant and get higher response rates.
8. Optimize Your Email Timing – Timing is everything in email marketing. Test different send times to see when your audience is most likely to open and engage with your emails.
9. Scrub Your Email List Regularly – Clean your email list to remove inactive subscribers and reduce bounce rates. A healthy list means better deliverability and your messages get to interested recipients.
10. Automate Your Email Campaigns – Automation lets you send targeted messages at the right time based on user behavior or triggers. Automated campaigns (welcome series or abandoned cart emails) save time and increase efficiency.
11. Use Email Marketing Software – Use email marketing software like Mailchimp, Constant Contact or HubSpot to streamline your campaigns. These tools offer automation, segmentation, analytics and templates to boost your email marketing.

Get more out of your email marketing.

Best email marketing platforms

Choosing the right email marketing platform is key to running successful campaigns and hitting your marketing goals.

Here are the best email marketing platforms available:

Mailchimp

Mailchimp is easy to use and has loads of features including automation, segmentation, and analytics. Suitable for all businesses, customizable templates, and easy to use.

Start your free trial of Mailchimp

ActiveCampaign

ActiveCampaign combines email marketing with CRM and sales automation, making it a full solution for businesses looking to streamline their marketing and sales. It also offers advanced segmentation and personalization.

Start your free trial of ActiveCampaign

Klaviyo

Klaviyo is a powerful email marketing platform designed for e-commerce businesses. It integrates seamlessly with popular e-commerce platforms, allowing for advanced segmentation, automation, and personalized product recommendations based on customer behavior.

Get started with Klaviyo for free

Each of these platforms provides unique features and benefits, catering to different business needs and helping you create effective and engaging email marketing campaigns.

How to use email marketing for your business

Email marketing is a powerful tool to grow, nurture relationships and sell for your business. By following best practices and using the right tools you can create emails that resonate with your audience and achieve your marketing goals.

Here are the key takeaways for you to keep in mind:

• Understand the basics: Email marketing is a direct and digital marketing channel to promote products, build relationships, and keep customers engaged.
• Recognize its importance: High ROI, direct communication, personalization, scalability, and measurable results make it a must-have for businesses.
• Know the types: Use different types of emails like welcome, confirmation, transactional, promotional, and newsletters to achieve different goals.
• Follow best practices: Double opt-in, engaging subject lines, segment your lists, personalize emails, A/B testing, and automate campaigns.
• Choose the right tool: Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign, and Klaviyo have features tailored to different business needs.

By understanding these key aspects and strategically implementing email marketing, your business can effectively engage with customers, drive conversions, and achieve long-term success.

FAQs