New to email marketing? Learn the simple beginner-friendly system to build your list, write better emails, and get real results — without the overwhelm
Email Marketing for Beginners: The Simple System That Gets Real Results
Many people tend to complicate the process of email marketing before even sending their first message. They obsess over A/B test and open rates and setup multiple automation sequences before they gain their first subscriber.
This is the fact: email marketing beginners can use email very easily. Businesses making email produce more steady income by using easy systems that you can make in a week without any technology or large amount of money.
This article will give you all the information you require to create your email list and provide you with the steps necessary to write emails that people will read as well as provide a step-by-step approach that you can use, as well as an email list of 10 sites that you can use to grow your email list.
Why Email Marketing Remains the Superior Channel for Marketing.
Let’s look at how it works; but before we do that, let’s look at why it works the best. Social media algorithms are always changing, and paid ads are rising in cost, yet email is the only channel you own completely.
No-one can take your email list from you by implementing a new platform update or shadow banning your newsletter. When someone provides their email address to you, they are giving you direct access to a very personal place in their life. and that is very important.
Research consistently proves that email generates more ROI than all other digital channels—social, SEO, and paid search, together—when used correctly.
What is it about Email Marketing that gives beginners that Super Potent Punch?
• It has a low cost of entry (many platforms provide free accounts for small lists)
• It allows you to communicate with people individually – (your message goes directly to their inbox)
• You own your list (as opposed to followers)
• You can scale (send one email to 10 people OR 10,000 people with basically the same effort)
• It has measurable results (you can see exactly who opened the email, clicked on your link(s), and/or purchased the product(s) you’re selling)
Understanding the Basics: Do You Know What Email Marketing is?
Email marketing is about creating a relationship, getting the attention of your potential customer, and creating a buying action (customer) by sending targeted messages (emails) to a list of subscribers.
Not all email campaigns are just sending out marketing materials; many of the best email marketing companies have their subscriber list as an online community, rather than just their customer database!
Welcome Emails
Automated Sequences
Welcome Emails:
A welcome email should be sent out when a new person joins your email list. The welcome email will normally set the tone for your relationship with your new subscriber and open great opportunities for high open rates, more than any other email you could ever send. It is therefore critical that you should never overlook the possibilities available by sending a welcome email.
Newsletters:
Email newsletters provide your subscribers with regular news updates, are a good source of informal entertainment and education, provide a way to make your brand more familiar to your subscribers and help keep your business in the front of mind.
Promotional E-Mails:
The main purpose of promotional emails is to generate sales, registrations, or other particular activities. The promotional emails perform best the moment you send them to customers who are already involved with your company; thus, they are not suitable for your first contact.
Emails that have been previously written can be sent automatically based on the actions of your subscribers.
Re-engagement emails
Sent to subscribers that have not been active in order to try to get them to become active again before being deleted from your list.
Step 1 — Select the Appropriate Email Marketing Platform
The first decision that all new users face is the platform. Fortunately, nearly all providers operate with similar functionalities. Unfortunately, selecting the wrong provider can cause many difficulties down the road.
Below is quick summary of some of the easiest-to-use platforms available to beginners.
PlatformFree PlanBest UseCaseMain StrengthMailchimpUp to 500 contactsAll new usersEasy to use drag-and-drop editorConvertKitUp to 1,000 subscribersBloggers & content creatorsEasy to use automationBrevo (Sendinblue)300 emails per dayUsers on a tight budgetRobust automation capabilities on free planMailerLiteUp to 1,000 subscribersSmall businessesModern, user-friendly interface
what to seek out in your first platform Drag-and-drop email builder—that is, it does not require you to know how to code; Tools that enable to segment your list; basic automation support; a pretty good record of deliverability; an easy to understand analytics dashboard. It is not worth it to spend multiple weeks selecting the right tool. instead, simply select a tool, begin constructing your email and at a later point, simply upgrade to or switch to a new one if required. Therefore, Action -> Always wins over Perfection Every Time.
Step 2 — Build your Ideal Email List
With 200 engaged subscribers you will have more results compared to 10,000 people that are nearly strangers to you. Size does not always matter when you’re first starting out; rather, quality does.
Create a Lead Magnet That People Will Want
A Lead Magnet is basically a free offer that you will give somebody in exchange for their email address. It’s probably the best way to get your list to grow quickly!
Strong Lead Magnets for Beginners Are:
Quick checklists, which are actionable items and very easy to put together with a checklist.
Templates – Allow individuals to be more efficient with tasks they already need to complete
Mini-guides or e-books – provide an excellent opportunity to educate
Email classes – can build both habit and trust as you deliver value and information to your subscribers over several days
Freeware/calculators – Typically perceived as providing significant value, even though it will take little effort on your part to produce the product
“Specificity is the key”. The title “10 Ways to Improve Your Business” does not provide much motivation to read, whereas “The 5-Step Instagram Bio Template That Gets More Profile Clicks” provides motivation to read. The most successful content provides a solution to an individual’s specific problem.
Lead Magnets are great, but finding a good spot to put your forms is also important! Here are some examples of good placements:
The hero section of your website
At the end of all your blog posts
A specific landing page (only the lead magnet, no other content/distractions)
A popup that triggers after 30-60 seconds or when someone tries to exit
Your email signature
Your bio in any of your social accounts
Pick 2-3 different places to start with and test those to see where people sign up from the most! Whichever one works best, do more of that!
Step 3: Create a Welcome Email Series
Beginners often miss this step and immediately start sending out newsletters after someone subscribes, however this is an error. Your welcome email series will do more for building relationships with your audience than almost any other email you will ever send. The first 48 hours of a subscribers subscription will be the time that they are most excited to interact with you; so don’t miss the opportunity!
Your Welcome Sequence Will Contain:
1st Welcome Email: provides your free download along with your introduction.
Send the lead magnet ASAP. After that, quickly tell them who you are and what to expect on your list. Make it warm, personal, and short.
Email 2: Your Story (and Your Motive for the Work You Do)
Humans connect with other humans, not brands. Tell them your origin story in a nutshell. What are your reasons for caring about this particular subject? What challenge were you confronted with that your material assists in addressing?
Email 3: Your Most Important Content
Submit links to your three to five finest articles, videos, or other materials. The value you provide will be demonstrated instantly, and you will immediately become a credible reference for this value.
Fourth Email: What You Provide (if applicable)
If you are selling a product or service, now is the time to mention it, not in a sales pitch, but in a manner that complements the value you have already provided.
Fifth Email: Ask a Question.
say something at the end of a message that invites people to write back to you. Ask your subscribers about the single most significant problem or obstacle that confronts them within your niche. The answers provided will not only tell you what type of content and/or products to create and/or provide BUT they will also indicate to the email services that people value your emails, which will increase your email deliverability.
The most common and serious mistake most beginner email marketers make is to send an email that is composed similarly to a press release. A press release-style email is cold, formal and full of business jargon.
When we talk about email, we mean a personal thing, so the email should feel like you are getting something from a friend who knows exactly what to say to help you, not like one of those corporate newsletter emails.
Anatomy of an Effective Email
Subject Line:
The subject line of the email is probably the most important part of your email. If you do not get the subject line right, no amount of good content within the email will have any value. You want to have a subject line that is (A) SHORT (i.e., less than 50 characters) and (B) SPECIFIC and (C) CURIOUS. Subject lines should include questions, numbers, and personal greetings.
Here are a few SUBJECT LINE EXAMPLES:
You’re making a mistake with email (so did i)
3 Things Every Beginner Gets Wrong
The Email Strategy that Tripled Our Open Rates
Preview Text
This is the line that displays below the subject line in most inboxes. The majority of marketers don’t pay attention to this – but you should. The preheader serves as an extension of the subject line and reinforces its hook.
Opening Line
Try skipping the “Hi, I hope you’re doing okay” greeting. Instead, start your email with a statement that’s so compelling that the reader can’t help but want to click on it . A question, an assertive statement, or a situation they can relate to do just fine.
Body
Paragraphs should be brief in size – about 2-3 sentences at most. The language should sound like you are talking to someone. When possible, tell a story. Occasionally use bold print to emphasize important aspects.
Call to Action (CTA)
Basically, in an email you have to make sure you have one clear action your recipient needs to take. Not 3. Not 5. One. Be as specific as you can about what you want them to do and why that specific thing is important to you.
Signature
Sign off with your name. People like knowing who’s talking to them.
Step 5 — Delve Into Deliverability so That Your Emails Don’t End Up in Spam-Mailboxes.
Well, you can write amazing emails and they mean nothing if they go into a spam folder. Deliverability is one of the most overlooked topics in email marketing for beginners.
Deliverability Tips and Practices
Custom/Primary domain: Don’t send from gmail, yahoo or any free domain, because people tend to trust you less, and that impacts your deliverability. Use something like hello@yourdomain.com;
Your domain needs to be authenticated. to do this, set up the SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records. most of the platforms guide you through the process. doing this tells the email providers that you’re an authenticated source of emails.
Never purchase email lists. The purchased email lists are full of invalid addresses, spam traps, and people who didn’t expect to receive emails from you. If you send emails from purchased lists, you’ll damage your reputation of sending emails permanently.
Clean up your list from time to time by removing any subscribers that have not opened an email in three to six months. A smaller list of subscribers who respond to you will consistently perform better than a larger list where most of the people no longer pay attention to you.
Check your Bounce Rate. If you see a lot of bounces, that tells ISPs your list has gone haywire, and that’s bad news.
Some words can make email go directly into the spam section. For example, if you write ‘FREE MONEY’ or ‘CLICK NOW’ in upper case letters, it could trigger spam filters to send your email straight to junk.
What Not to Do: 5 Common Mistakes of Beginning Email Marketing
Both are useful; so is knowing what not to do, as knowing what to do!
Sending to infrequently. When you go weeks without sending emails, your subscribers will not know who you are and when you finally send an email, they will either unsubscribe or mark you as spam.
Sending too frequently without value. This is an opposite issue. You can send an email every day, as long as every email you send provides value to your subscribers. If it doesn’t, then you will lose subscribers extremely quickly.
Ignoring mobile optimization. Over half of all emails are now opened on mobile devices. If your email doesn’t render well on a small screen, you’re losing readers before they even start.
In addition, writing for yourself instead of writing for your reader. Every email that you write should be answering the question: “What’s In it for Them?” If that question is not answered very clearly, then rewrite that email until it does.
Obsession with quantitative data too soon. Open rates change. Email types influence click rates. Do not feel anxious when the first few emails sent out do not achieve their intended results. Concentrate on being consistent over time improving
Email Marketing Pros and Cons for Beginners
ProsConsCostA minimal entry fee along with free alternatives may be available; as the business expands and grows the expenses can significantly increase. Ownership and management of the listing can be done by the organization itself but will require continuous effort to maintain the listing. Access to an inbox can be obtained. However, it can be difficult to provide an inbox, which will require time to generate a quality mailbox listing. The best return on investment of any online medium will take time to develop a good listing. While the initial settings will require some technical expertise, the system will operate for 24/7 after the initial settings are made.
How To Evaluate Success In Email Marketing
What you don’t measure, you can’t improve. At least as a beginner, at least to begin with, measure the fundamental things listed here.
Open Rate
This is the % of your subscribers that opened your email. Every industry has different average open rates, but if you’re a small business and have an engaged list, then anything above 20% is a good open rate.
Click Through Rate (CTR)
This is the percentage of openers who click on a link within the email. This shows if your content (and CTAs) are good enough to generate action from your list.
Unsubscribe Rate
Unsubscribe Rate
It’s normal for a few people to unsubscribe each time you send an email. if that rate exceeds 0.5% regularly, you should evaluate the content and/or frequency of your emails to see if there is an issue.
Conversion Rate
The conversion rate is the percentage of people who take the desired action (purchase, sign up, book, etc.) and is a direct indication of the amount of revenue you generate.
Growth Rate of the List
Your list is expanding at a specific rate while you are adding new subscribers at a specific rate and also losing subscribers due to unsubscribes. Your list growing at a sustainable rate is a sign your lead generation process is effective.
Advanced moves: Next Steps
After you understand the basics, the next strategies to use after that are listed below.
Segmentation
Separate your list according to action taken, interests, or age and provides much more relevant communication for each segment. Email segments always have a higher ROI than general blast emails.
“And here’s another technique — behavioural automation!”
Behavioural Automation
Email messages are triggered by customer behaviour such as clicking on a link, visiting a page, and abandoning a cart. The emails appear to be sent at the right time because of the timing of the emails.
A/B Testing
Testing two versions of a subject line or a CTA or an entire email format to find which one will produce better results. Small improvements in email marketing add together over time.
Email Courses
A multi-day, automated email series that teaches users something specific. They work very well to build engagement and position you as an authority.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Beginner’s Guide to Email Marketing – FAQs
What number of subscribers should I have to make email marketing work for me?
There’s no magical formula. A well-written email to even 50 subscribers could have an impact, particularly if those 50 are truly interested in what’s being offered. It’s about the relationship itself and not the number of people you have. So jump right in!
As a novice, how often should I get in touch with my subscriber list?
Consistency is more important that frequency. Sending out one email per week is a good starting point in terms of how much you can create and how often you remain relevant to your subscribers. Once you’ve developed some comfort, and as the amount of your content increases, you may move to two emails per week or more, but only if each time you do so, your content provides value to them.
what is the best platform for email marketing for new users who have limited budgets?
Both MailerLite and ConvertKit come with a remarkable Free Plan Option, which includes strong automation features that are not often seen in most providers’ free plans. MailerLite is easier to use for beginners especially from the visual aspect while ConvertKit works best for bloggers and those who create content. Both of these email service providers come with everything you need to launch an email service provider without spending any money until you have an established list.
The basic facts regarding how to get great results from emails.
Email marketing is easy to do; but, it has to be done consistently, and you must have patience and display concern for your readership. A Business that succeeds at email marketing does not succeed because they have the prettiest templates or best automation; but, they succeed because they send out regularly, and write as if they are talking to another individual, and every time they send out an email, that email contains some type of value to the reader.
Begin with baby steps. Decide on a platform, build a single lead magnet, set up three introductory emails that will welcome recipients (i.e. welcome series), and send one email out to them weekly. There are just 5 simple steps to follow to get your marketing system going.
The work you put in building your list the right way now (with good intentions and consistent work!) will eventually provide a huge part of your business’ value. No algorithm or platform will have any control. It’s all yours!
Start building that list!
Please Note: This article is for informational purposes only. Results of email marketing are different based on industry, audience and execution, or a combination thereof. You should always speak with a qualified digital marketing professional before you make any big business decisions based on something found on the Internet.
