Effective email marketing: A guide for small businesses

Email can be a direct, one-on-one form of communication with your audience. It's a powerful tool for building relationships and driving sales.

However, sending business emails is not as simple as sending out a bulk email.

Here are some tips on how to make the most out of your email marketing.

Remember: Everyone starts somewhere. The first step is simply to begin and learn as you go.

Building your subscriber list

Subscribers come from various sources like blogs, podcasts, and social media. Leveraging these opportunities is essential. Offering valuable content and incentives can attract and retain subscribers.

Choosing the right email service provider (ESP)

Selecting an appropriate ESP is critical. You can use as a separate platform (which could connect to your website) or even have part of your own website (self-hosted).

External platforms require little setup but can be expensive. Self-hosted options require a little more work to get going but can be a far better value option.

Do not use your standard business email platform (such as Google, Microsoft 365, etc) to send out bulk emails as it will not meet regulations (GDPR) and could get your email account banned or closed.

Setting up basic automation

Automation-like purchase confirmations and cart abandonment emails- should be your initial focus. These automated messages can save time and ensure consistent communication with your customers.

As you get experienced, you could build campaigns that respond one way if you open an email or click a link and another way if you don't.

Gathering feedback

Start by asking friends, family, or key clients. Make sure the content is relevant to them. This approach provides a real audience and helps refine your writing and engagement techniques. You can then start emailing wider lists and building your business.

Strategies for growing your email list

Paid advertising

Paid advertising is the most consistent method for building an email list and a modest budget can be effective.

Advertise on a platform that best suits your business. Focus on mastering one platform before expanding to others, so as not to spread resources too thin.

When starting with a limited budget (such as £100), it's advisable to focus on one platform to optimise results. Splitting the budget across multiple platforms can dilute efforts and reduce overall effectiveness. Keep in mind that different platforms require tailored approaches. For instance, Facebook ads have proven highly effective for many businesses while YouTube and other platforms may require additional fine-tuning.

Free methods

Here are some free methods to build your email list:

• Create engaging blog content – write valuable, interesting blog posts that make readers want to subscribe for updates.
• Leverage social media – share engaging content with a call-to-action (CTA) encouraging followers to subscribe to your newsletter.
• Participate in Facebook groups – get involved or create a group relevant to your niche and share your subscription link when appropriate.
• Add a link to your email signature – make it easy for anyone you email to subscribe.
• Engage in industry forums – join discussions in forums related to your industry and add your subscription link to your profile or signature.
• Host webinars – partner with others to offer free webinars and collect email addresses from attendees.
• Collaborate with other businesses – cross-promote your subscription offers.
• Offer a free tool or app – and ensure it requires an email address for access.
• Start a podcast – encourage your listeners to subscribe to your updates.
• Create videos – include subscription links in the descriptions.

Mixing these methods will help you build a strong and engaged subscriber list.

Call to action

Do not waste the opportunity you have created by getting someone to open your message – give them something they want and ask for something in return.

Ask them to read more, download your podcast, buy your e-book, sign up for your newsletter, forward it on to someone else. Always include a call to action in your email.

The legal stuff

There are laws to protect people from spammers.

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a set of guidelines that dictates how individuals and companies may acquire, utilise, store, and delete the personal data of UK (and EU) users.

There are several steps that you need to take to ensure you are compliant:

Consent. Consent must be:

• freely given
• informed
• specific
• unambiguous.

Opt-in. You can obtain consent by:

• presenting an opt-in checkbox on their website
• using double opt-ins.

Opt-out. You must:

• not send emails to people who have opted out or unsubscribed
• stop sending emails when someone withdraws consent
• provide a convenient way for people to withdraw consent in each email.

Record keeping. You must maintain a paper trail of how consent was obtained, including:

• the identity of the person who consented
• how consent was provided
• the date consent was obtained
• what the person consented to.

You will probably also need to register with the Information Commissioners Office (ICO), which involves a small annual fee. More information and to see if you should register.

If you're a business owner and would like to learn more, book a session with Paul through our Business Support free 1-2-1 business advice sessions.

You can also subscribe to our regular Business Connects e-newsletter or register for our business support services.