Email Marketing: What It Is & How to Get Started

Did you know that Email marketing drives $42 for every $1 spent?

Email marketing is your online business’s most powerful profit machine. Every dollar you invest returns $42 on average—making it the highest ROI marketing channel available to business owners today.

But here’s what most entrepreneurs get wrong…

They treat email like social media. Social platforms come and go (remember Vine?), algorithms change overnight, and you never truly own your audience. Email is different. Your subscriber list belongs to you, and those people chose to hear from you.

Think of email marketing as having a direct phone line to your best customers. Instead of shouting into the void on social media, you’re having personal conversations with people who already raised their hand and said, “Yes, I want to hear from you.”

What Is Email Marketing? (The Simple Answer)

Email marketing means sending targeted messages to people who signed up to receive them. Unlike spam (which nobody wants), email marketing builds relationships with people who actually want your content, products, or services.

Imagine someone visits your website, loves what they see, and gives you their email address in exchange for something valuable—maybe a free guide, discount code, or mini-course. Now you can talk to them directly, share helpful content, and eventually make offers they’ll genuinely appreciate.

Smart businesses use email marketing to:

• Welcome new subscribers
• Share valuable tips and insights
• Promote products and services
• Build trust and authority
• Turn one-time buyers into loyal customers

Why Email Marketing Crushes Every Other Marketing Channel

The Numbers Don’t Lie

You Own Your Audience

Social media platforms can change their algorithms tomorrow and cut your reach in half. Instagram could ban your account. TikTok might get shut down. But your email list? That’s yours forever.

When you build an email list, you’re creating a direct communication channel that no algorithm can mess with. Your message lands in their inbox every time you hit send.

Personal and Direct

Email feels personal. When someone opens your email, it’s just you and them. No distractions from other posts, ads, or notifications. You have their full attention for those precious few seconds.

Perfect for Complex Sales

Coaching a client through a $5,000 investment? Explaining the benefits of your $2,000 course? Email gives you space to tell the full story. You can nurture prospects over weeks or months, building trust and addressing objections along the way.

Email Marketing Types That Actually Work

Welcome Series (Your Digital Handshake)

First impressions matter. Your welcome series introduces new subscribers to your brand and sets expectations. Smart welcome sequences include:

• Email 1: Thank them and deliver what you promised
• Email 2: Share your story (build connection)
• Email 3: Provide massive value (establish expertise)
• Email 4: Introduce your paid offers (soft pitch)
• Email 5: Social proof and next steps

Newsletter Campaigns (Stay Top-of-Mind)

Regular newsletters keep you front and center with your audience. Share industry insights, behind-the-scenes content, and helpful tips. Consistency beats perfection—better to send weekly emails than monthly novels.

Promotional Campaigns (Make Money)

These emails sell your products and services directly. But here’s the key: even promotional emails should provide value. Don’t just say “Buy my stuff.” Explain how it solves their specific problem.

Automated Sequences (Work While You Sleep)

Automation turns your email marketing into a 24/7 sales machine. Set up sequences that trigger based on subscriber behavior:

• Abandoned cart reminders for eCommerce
• Post-purchase follow-ups
• Re-engagement campaigns for inactive subscribers
• Birthday or anniversary offers

Building Your Email List: The Foundation of Everything

Create Irresistible Lead Magnets

Lead magnets are free valuable resources you offer in exchange for email addresses. Generic “newsletters” don’t work anymore. People want something specific and immediately useful.

Great Lead Magnet Ideas by Business Type:

Optimize Your Opt-In Forms

Location matters. Place opt-in forms where people naturally look:

• Top of your homepage
• End of blog posts
• Pop-ups (use them sparingly)
• Social media profiles
• YouTube video descriptions

Keep forms simple. Only ask for what you absolutely need—usually just first name and email address. Every additional field reduces conversions by 10-15%.

Landing Pages That Convert

Dedicated landing pages convert 5x better than general website pages. Each lead magnet deserves its own focused page with:

• Clear headline stating the benefit
• Bullet points explaining what they’ll get
• Simple opt-in form
• No navigation distractions
• Social proof if available

Choosing Your Email Marketing Platform

Platform Comparison Guide

Must-Have Features

Don’t get distracted by fancy features you’ll never use. Focus on platforms that offer:

• Automation capabilities
• List segmentation
• A/B testing
• Analytics and reporting
• Mobile-responsive templates
• Good deliverability rates

Crafting Emails That Get Opened and Clicked

Subject Lines That Work

Your subject line determines if your email gets opened or deleted. Effective subject lines are:

• Specific and clear
• Under 50 characters
• Benefit-focused
• Curiosity-driven (without being clickbait)

Subject Line Examples:

• “Your conversion rates are probably too low (here’s why)”
• “3 mistakes killing your sales pages”
• “[First Name], your cart is waiting…”
• “The $10K launch that almost failed”

Email Structure That Keeps People Reading

The AIDA Framework:

• Attention: Hook them immediately
• Interest: Keep them engaged with relevant content
• Desire: Show them what’s possible
• Action: Tell them exactly what to do next

Email Template That Works:

Subject: Clear benefit or curiosity hook

Hi [First Name],

[Personal story or relevant observation]

[Main content - tips, insights, or story]

[Connection to your offer or next step]

[Clear call-to-action]

[Your signature]

P.S. [Reinforce the main point or add urgency]

Writing Like a Human, Not a Robot

People connect with people, not companies. Write like you’re talking to one person:

• Use “you” and “I”
• Share personal stories
• Ask questions
• Avoid corporate jargon
• Keep sentences short
• Break up text with white space

Segmentation: The Secret to Higher Profits

Why One-Size-Fits-All Doesn’t Work

Sending the same email to everyone is like using a megaphone at a dinner party. Segmentation lets you have personal conversations with different groups based on their interests, behaviors, and needs.

Segmentation Strategies That Matter

By Demographics:

• Location (time zones, local events)
• Age group (generational preferences)
• Gender (where relevant)

By Behavior:

• Purchase history
• Email engagement
• Website activity
• Download history

By Interest:

• Specific topics they care about
• Products they’ve viewed
• Content they’ve consumed

Segmentation in Action

Imagine you’re a business coach with these segments:

• New entrepreneurs (need basics)
• Established business owners (want growth strategies)
• Service-based businesses (different challenges than product businesses)
• Past customers (ready for advanced offerings)

Each group gets relevant content that speaks directly to their situation. Result? Higher open rates, better engagement, and more sales.

Automation: Your 24/7 Sales Assistant

Email Sequences That Sell While You Sleep

Automation handles repetitive tasks and nurtures leads systematically. Set it up once, and it works forever.

Essential Automated Sequences:

1. Welcome Series (5-7 emails over 2 weeks)
2. Educational Sequence (teaches your methodology)
3. Sales Sequence (promotes your main offer)
4. Post-Purchase (onboards new customers)
5. Re-engagement (wins back inactive subscribers)

Trigger-Based Automation

Smart automation responds to subscriber actions:

• Someone downloads your lead magnet → enters welcome series
• Customer makes purchase → gets onboarding sequence
• Subscriber hasn’t opened emails in 30 days → re-engagement campaign
• Cart abandonment → reminder sequence with incentive

Automation Best Practices

• Test your sequences before launching
• Personalize beyond just first names
• Include clear unsubscribe options
• Monitor performance and adjust
• Don’t over-automate—keep some human touch

Measuring Success: Metrics That Actually Matter

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Beyond the Basic Metrics

List Growth Rate: Are you gaining more subscribers than you’re losing? Email Sharing Rate: Are people forwarding your emails? Overall ROI: How much revenue comes from email compared to what you spend?

A/B Testing for Continuous Improvement

Test one element at a time:

• Subject lines
• Send times
• Email length
• Call-to-action buttons
• Images vs. text-only

Small improvements compound. A 1% increase in conversion rates can mean thousands in additional revenue over time.

Advanced Email Marketing Strategies

Behavioral Triggers

Track what subscribers do and respond accordingly:

• Visited pricing page but didn’t buy → send case studies
• Downloaded multiple lead magnets → invite to webinar
• Opened every email for 30 days → offer VIP discount

Dynamic Content

Show different content to different segments within the same email:

• Product recommendations based on browsing history
• Content relevant to their location
• Offers matching their customer lifetime value

Integration with Other Channels

Email works best as part of your overall marketing:

• Retarget email subscribers with Facebook ads
• Create lookalike audiences from your best subscribers
• Use email content to fuel social media posts
• Drive email sign-ups from YouTube videos

Common Email Marketing Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)

The “Batch and Blast” Trap

Sending the same email to everyone reduces engagement and profits. Solution: Segment your list and personalize content.

Inconsistent Sending

Sporadic emails confuse subscribers and hurt deliverability. Solution: Create a content calendar and stick to it.

Weak Subject Lines

Boring subject lines kill open rates. Solution: Write 10 options and pick the most compelling one.

No Clear Call-to-Action

Confused subscribers don’t take action. Solution: Include one clear, specific CTA per email.

Ignoring Mobile Optimization

60% of emails are opened on mobile devices. Solution: Use responsive templates and test on different devices.

Buying Email Lists

Purchased lists have terrible engagement and can hurt your sender reputation. Solution: Build your list organically with valuable content.

Email Marketing for Different Business Types

Course Creators

Your email marketing should mirror your teaching style:

• Share mini-lessons in emails
• Use student success stories
• Offer exclusive bonuses to subscribers
• Create anticipation for course launches
• Provide actionable tips that demonstrate your expertise

Coaches and Consultants

Position yourself as the trusted advisor:

• Share client transformations (with permission)
• Offer free strategy sessions
• Provide frameworks and templates
• Address common objections
• Establish thought leadership with industry insights

eCommerce Businesses

Focus on product benefits and customer experience:

• Showcase products in action
• Share customer reviews and photos
• Offer exclusive discounts
• Send abandoned cart reminders
• Create seasonal campaigns
• Upsell complementary products

Getting Started: Your 30-Day Email Marketing Launch Plan

Week 1: Foundation

• Choose your email platform
• Set up basic branding
• Create your first lead magnet
• Build your main opt-in form

Week 2: Content Creation

• Write your 5-email welcome series
• Plan your first month of newsletters
• Create templates for different email types
• Set up basic automation

Week 3: List Building

• Launch lead magnet on your website
• Promote on social media
• Add opt-ins to existing content
• Test and optimize forms

Week 4: Launch and Optimize

• Send your first newsletter
• Monitor key metrics
• A/B test subject lines
• Gather feedback from subscribers

The Future of Email Marketing

Emerging Trends to Watch

AI-Powered Personalization: Artificial intelligence will create hyper-personalized content for each subscriber automatically.

Interactive Emails: Polls, surveys, and shopping features directly in emails will increase engagement.

Voice Integration: As smart speakers grow, audio content in emails will become more common.

Privacy Focus: With increasing privacy concerns, first-party data (like email lists) becomes even more valuable.

Staying Ahead of the Curve

• Keep learning through industry blogs and courses
• Test new features as platforms release them
• Focus on building genuine relationships
• Prioritize value over frequency
• Adapt to changing subscriber preferences

Your Email Marketing Success Blueprint

Email marketing isn’t just another marketing channel—it’s your direct line to profits. While other businesses chase algorithm changes and pray for viral content, you’ll have a reliable system that generates revenue on command.

Remember the core principles:

• Build your list with valuable content
• Segment subscribers based on their interests
• Send consistent, helpful emails
• Include clear calls-to-action
• Test and optimize continuously

Start small, but start today. Pick one lead magnet idea, choose a platform, and send your first email this week. Every day you wait is another day your competitors are building relationships with your ideal customers.

Most importantly, focus on helping people solve real problems. When your emails consistently provide value, sales become a natural byproduct of trust and authority.

Apply the strategies in this blog post, and you’ll notice a significant boost in your email marketing efforts. But, if you still need hands-on assistance with email marketing, contact me now!