14 Getting Started With Email Marketing: Priorities for New Businesses
Unlock the secrets of effective email marketing with this comprehensive guide, featuring insights from industry experts. Learn the key strategies to build a quality list, engage subscribers, and craft compelling messages that resonate. Dive into expert advice on everything from the basics of segmentation to the nuances of behavioral triggers and personalization.
- Build a Quality Email List
- Deliver Value with Every Message
- Focus on Engaged Subscribers
- Craft Compelling Subject Lines and CTAs
- Prioritize Relevance in Your Emails
- Segment Your Audience from the Start
- Offer Value Before Asking for Anything
- Target Based on Behavioral Triggers
- Invest in Segmentation and Personalization Early
- Keep Emails Clear and Simple
- Consistently Provide Valuable Insights
- Implement Behavior-Based Automation
- Optimize Based on Data and Testing
- Nurture Long-Term Audience Relationships
Build a Quality Email List
One piece of advice that I always give to businesses that are just getting started with email marketing is to put a ton of effort into building a quality email list. Too many people focus on a high number of subscribers instead of just focusing on the best quality subscribers. Your goal shouldn't be sending out emails to as many people as possible. Your goal is to attract engaged subscribers who are really interested in your products or services. That's your ideal scenario. You can do this by offering valuable content or incentives, like discounts or exclusive resources, in exchange for their email addresses. Once you have a solid list, focus on sending relevant, personalized emails that provide real value to your audience. This will lead to better engagement and higher conversion rates in the long run.
Deliver Value with Every Message
My top advice is to prioritize building an engaged, high-quality list over sheer numbers. Too many businesses focus on growing their email list as fast as possible, but a large, unengaged audience won't drive conversions. Instead, focus on attracting the right subscribers--people genuinely interested in your brand, products, or expertise.
To do this, prioritize value-driven lead magnets (such as free guides, exclusive templates, or industry insights) that align with your target audience's needs. Once you have subscribers, nurture them with consistent, relevant, and personalized content--not just sales emails. Segment your list early based on behavior and interests so you can send tailored content that resonates. Quality over quantity is key--an engaged list consistently outperforms a large, inactive one.
Focus on Engaged Subscribers
For businesses just starting out with email marketing, the key is to focus on building a high-quality email list rather than just a large one! Prioritize collecting emails from people genuinely interested in your product or service, whether through web sign-ups, lead magnets, or customer interactions. A smaller, engaged audience will always outperform a massive, unengaged one.
Once you have a solid list, focus on delivering value with every email. Instead of just pushing promotions, mix in helpful content, insights, or updates that keep subscribers engaged. Consistency matters, so set a schedule and stick to it. Don't forget to test subject lines, send times, and content formats as they can all impact performance. Track results and refine as you go!
Craft Compelling Subject Lines and CTAs
As a business owner, my biggest piece of advice for businesses just starting out with email marketing is to prioritize building a high-quality, engaged email list rather than focusing purely on volume.
It's essential to attract subscribers who genuinely care about your brand by offering valuable lead magnets, such as exclusive content, discounts, or helpful resources.
From the start, businesses should also focus on personalization and segmentation--sending the right message to the right audience at the right time. A well-nurtured email list leads to higher engagement, better conversions, and long-term customer relationships.
Prioritize Relevance in Your Emails
My advice is to prioritize building a high-quality, engaged email list rather than focusing on sheer email volume.
An engaged audience will open, read, and act on your emails. This means higher conversion rates and lower chances of your emails being marked as spam.
To do this, you need to collect emails through opt-in forms on your website, social media, webinars and other touchpoints. Segment your audience based on industry and interests and send relevant, targeted messaging.
Finally, use a reputable email service provider that will break through spam filters and allow you to track open rates, click-through rates and conversions. You will also want the ability to A/B test subject lines, content, and CTAs to refine your emails.
Segment Your Audience from the Start
The advice that I can offer to businesses who are just starting out with email marketing is to focus on building a strong, permission-based email list. When you're doing email marketing, your audience is where it's at. They are your #1 asset when it comes to email marketing. And you want your audience acquisition to be focused on quality over quantity so you're set up for long-term success. To do this, you've got to focus on putting out engaging and valuable content that speaks directly to your audience's needs and desires. You can segment your list so that you're sending targeted, personalized messages that increase relevance and drive higher conversions for you. It's important to put in the time to nurture relationships through consistent, valuable emails that don't just sell, but genuinely connect with your subscribers.
Offer Value Before Asking for Anything
A crucial piece of advice for businesses starting out with email marketing is to focus on crafting compelling subject lines and clear calls-to-action (CTAs). Your email is only effective if people open it and then take the desired action, whether that's making a purchase, signing up for an event, or reading a blog post. A great subject line should be attention-grabbing, concise, and create curiosity or urgency without sounding spammy.
Once the email is opened, make sure your CTA is clear and compelling--whether that's "Shop Now," "Claim Your Discount," or "Read More"--and that it stands out visually. Keep emails scannable, using engaging images, bullet points, and bold text to highlight key points. By optimizing subject lines and CTAs, businesses can significantly boost open and conversion rates, making their email marketing efforts more impactful right from the start.
Target Based on Behavioral Triggers
Don't send emails just to send them. Every message should serve a purpose and add value to your audience's inbox. People are already drowning in emails. If your messages feel irrelevant or overly promotional, they'll start tuning out or even unsubscribing.
Before you hit send, ask yourself: Why should someone care about this email? Are you teaching them something useful? Entertaining them with engaging content? Giving them a reason to take action?
If your audience knows that every email from you is thoughtful, relevant, and actually worth opening, they'll look forward to hearing from you.
Invest in Segmentation and Personalization Early
For businesses venturing into the world of email marketing, the most crucial advice is to prioritize building a high-quality email list. Don't fall into the trap of buying lists or resorting to spammy tactics. Instead, focus on attracting subscribers who are genuinely interested in your brand and its offerings. Here's what you need to know: offer valuable incentives, such as exclusive content, discounts, or early access to new products, in exchange for email sign-ups.
What's more, ensure your sign-up process is simple and user-friendly. Avoid lengthy forms that deter potential subscribers. Make it easy for people to opt in and clearly communicate the value they'll receive by joining your list. Alternatively, segment your audience from the start. Collect relevant information during the sign-up process, such as demographics or interests, to enable targeted messaging and personalized email journeys.
Keep Emails Clear and Simple
Diving into email marketing can be quite exhilarating for new businesses, as it opens up a direct line of communication with potential customers. One key piece of advice would be to prioritize building a high-quality, targeted email list from the start. Instead of purchasing pre-made lists, focus on gathering subscribers organically through your website, social media channels, and other interactions. This ensures that the people on your list are genuinely interested in your brand and more likely to engage with your content.
Furthermore, it's crucial for businesses to understand the importance of value-driven content in their emails. Every email sent should offer something worthwhile to the recipient, whether it be useful information, exclusive deals, or engaging stories. This not only helps in maintaining the interest of subscribers but also boosts the chances of emails being opened and read regularly. Consistency in sending out well-crafted messages can foster trust and build a loyal customer base. Remember, successful email marketing isn't just about reach; it's about effective engagement and building meaningful relationships.
Consistently Provide Valuable Insights
For businesses starting with email marketing, my advice is to focus on building a quality email list instead of just trying to get as many contacts as possible. It's better to have engaged subscribers who are genuinely interested in your business.
Also, keep emails clear and simple--nobody likes long, confusing messages. Personalize them when possible and always provide value, whether it's helpful tips, special offers, or updates. A good subject line and a clear call to action can make a big difference in getting people to open and read your emails.
Implement Behavior-Based Automation
When starting with email marketing, focus on building trust with our audience. Like forming a new friendship, we need to offer value before asking for anything. Share helpful, relevant content that resonates with their needs instead of pushing sales right away. Consistency is key. If we send emails too randomly, people will lose interest. But if we consistently provide valuable insights or updates, you'll stay top of mind. Just don't overwhelm our audience; quality is more important than quantity. By offering value and being consistent, your emails will start getting opened and acted upon. You'll build stronger relationships with your audience, and that leads to better results.
Optimize Based on Data and Testing
Focus first on building audience segments based on behavior patterns rather than demographics or arbitrary categories. We've found that small businesses waste enormous resources creating content for poorly defined audience segments. Instead, implement even basic tracking to identify which specific actions (page visits, content downloads, etc.) correlate with eventual conversion, then build automated nurture sequences targeting these behavioral triggers. For one client, abandoning their demographic segments in favor of behavior-based automation increased email ROI by 217% within 60 days. The right message to someone who's demonstrated specific interest will always outperform generic content sent to theoretically "ideal" customer profiles.
Nurture Long-Term Audience Relationships
For businesses just starting out with email marketing, my top advice is to focus on building a high-quality, engaged email list rather than just growing numbers. Prioritize permission-based marketing by ensuring subscribers genuinely want to receive your emails--this improves deliverability and engagement from the start.
Additionally, invest in segmentation and personalization early on. Even simple segmenting--such as grouping leads based on interests, behaviors, or demographics--can significantly boost open and conversion rates. Start with a clear strategy, test subject lines and content, and consistently optimize based on data. Most importantly, provide value in every email to build trust and long-term relationships with your audience.
