How to Do Email Marketing (9 Steps to Getting Started)

Email marketing is more powerful than you might think, thanks to its ability to directly reach target audiences in a personalized manner.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through the essentials of email marketing in just 9 straightforward steps, from understanding your audience to measuring your results.

By the end, you’ll learn how to develop winning campaigns, grow your subscriber list, and use data-driven insights to improve your marketing efforts.

Let’s kick things off now.

Key takeaways

• Identify your target audience to create content that resonates with them.
• Establish clear goals for your email campaigns to give your efforts direction.
• Build your email list by offering valuable incentives to encourage sign-ups.
• Segment your list based on subscriber interests or behaviors for targeted messaging.
• Test different elements of your emails to improve overall performance.

9 Steps to Getting Started with Email Marketing

Getting started with email marketing takes some effort, but here are 9 steps to help you begin:

1. Understand who your audience

The foundation of any successful email marketing campaign lies in knowing exactly who you’re trying to reach. So, what you need to do as a first step is to list the specific problems your product or service solves.

Then, describe the people who are most likely to have these problems. You can also monitor social media comments related to your business. This can reveal some basic questions, complaints, or praises from potential customers.

Based on this information, create a clear profile of your typical audience member. Include details like their main concerns, what kind of content they prefer, and how your product fits into their life.

Use this profile to guide your email content, ensuring each message addresses their specific needs and interests.

2. Create short and long-term goals

Short-term goals might include increasing your open rate by 5% in the next month or gaining 100 new subscribers within two weeks. These goals help you focus on immediate improvements and provide quick wins.

Long-term goals could be achieving a 25% increase in email-driven sales over the next year or building a loyal subscriber base of 2000 within a year. When setting goals, use the SMART framework: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

For example, instead of “improve engagement,” aim to “increase click-through rates from 2% to 3% within three months.”

Other goal examples include reducing unsubscribe rates, improving customer retention through targeted campaigns, or generating a specific number of qualified leads per quarter.

3. Choose an email marketing platform

Different platforms (e.g., Klaviyo),  offer varying feature sets, so assess your needs before making a choice. Some tools focus on simplicity and ease of use, ideal for beginners, while others provide advanced features like complex automation and in-depth analytics for experienced marketers.

Consider factors such as list size, sending frequency, and desired level of customization. Some platforms are great at design flexibility, offering drag-and-drop editors and huge template libraries.

Others prioritize advanced segmentation and personalization capabilities. Security features like GDPR compliance, data encryption, and anti-spam measures are also important considerations.

Budget is another key factor, as pricing models vary widely. Some platforms offer free plans for small lists, while others charge based on subscriber count or email volume.

4. Start growing your email list

To start growing your email list, focus on creating a compelling lead magnet that solves a specific problem for your target audience. This could be a concise eBook, a useful checklist, or a mini-course delivered via email.

Have a website? Place opt-in forms on your website, including the homepage, blog posts, and a dedicated landing page.

Also, use exit-intent pop-ups to capture visitors before they leave your site. You probably have social media accounts, so use them to promote your email list.

5. Determine types of email campaigns

I recommend that you consider a mix of promotional, informational, and relationship-building campaigns to engage your audience effectively.

For example, welcome emails are essential for new subscribers, setting the tone for your future communications. Promotional emails announce sales, special offers, or new product launches to drive conversions.

What’s more, automated drip campaigns can nurture leads through the sales funnel, providing timely information based on subscriber actions or milestones.

6. Segment list based on subscriber interest

Segmenting your email list is a powerful way to increase engagement. For example, job function segmentation is one way—it helps you deliver relevant information to different positions within an organization, such as marketing, sales, or IT professionals.

Alternatively, past purchase segmentation allows you to recommend related products or provide targeted follow-up content based on previous buying behavior.

Here’s another one: buying frequency segmentation. It helps you identify and nurture your most loyal customers while re-engaging less frequent buyers.

7. Start crafting emails

Start writing emails by focusing on clear content that delivers value to your subscribers. I mean you need to get to the point quickly without unnecessary jargon or complex sentences.

Write your email body in a conversational tone and address the reader directly. Personally, I use short paragraphs and bullet points to make my emails easily scannable, and it has been working well for me so far.

Plus, always proofread your emails for errors and test them across different devices (if possible) before sending them.

8. Split test email subject lines

Most email marketing platforms allow for A/B testing, so take advantage of this feature to optimize your subject lines. Avoid testing with just 4-5 emails, instead, aim for larger numbers when possible to get accurate insights.

My second recommendation is that you test one variable at a time, such as subject line length, personalization tactics, or use of emojis (why not?). Run your tests for a sufficient duration (1 month or more) to account for different sending times and days.

While it’s important to experiment, remember that sometimes simple subject lines work best. Don’t feel pressured to always be creative—basic subject lines can often outperform more complex ones.

In my own experience, some of the simplest subject lines have yielded excellent results.

9. Measure your results

Keep a close eye on key metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates, and unsubscribe rates. Don’t fall for vanity metrics or isolated numbers.

For example, a high open rate doesn’t necessarily mean success if your click-through rate is low. Always cross-check multiple metrics to get a complete picture.

If you see a spike in opens but no increase in conversions, investigate whether your email content aligns with the subject line’s promise. Plus, consider creating custom metrics that align with your specific business goals.

For example, if you’re an eCommerce business, track the average order value from email-driven purchases compared to other channels. For content marketers, measure how email engagement correlates with content downloads or webinar sign-ups.

Benefits of Email Marketing

These are the top three benefits of email marketing:

Immediate results

Email marketing delivers immediate results—you can see real-time engagement as soon as you hit send. This quick feedback allows for rapid adjustments to your strategy.

So, the immediacy of email marketing makes it ideal for time-sensitive offers or urgent communications.

Personalized communication

Email marketing allows you to create a one-on-one conversation feel, even at scale. That way, you can foster stronger connections by addressing specific needs at an individual level.

Own media and contact lists

Unlike social media platforms, your email list can’t be affected by algorithm changes or policy updates. You have direct access to your audience without intermediaries.

Such ownership ensures long-term stability for your marketing efforts.

Keys to Email Marketing Success

Drawing from my personal experience, here are the keys to email marketing success:

Embrace storytelling in your emails

Weave narratives that connect your product to your subscribers’ lives. Use customer success stories or even fictional scenarios to illustrate your message. This approach makes your content more memorable and emotionally resonant.

Implement behavioral triggers

Set up automated emails based on specific subscriber actions or inactions. For example, send a personalized product recommendation when a user abandons their cart, or a re-engagement series if they haven’t opened your emails in a while.

Experiment with unconventional send times

While conventional wisdom suggests specific “optimal” send times, your audience might be different. Test sending emails at unexpected times, like very early morning or late evening, to stand out in less crowded inboxes.

Believe me, this could lead to higher open rates and engagement from subscribers who appreciate off-hours communication.

Getting Started with Email Marketing

Now you have a solid grasp of email marketing fundamentals and some creative strategies to make your campaigns stand out.

The next step is to put this knowledge into action—start small, test different approaches, and always keep your audience’s needs at the forefront of your strategy.

And don’t be afraid to try less-known tactics, because they might lead to your biggest breakthroughs.