Why email marketing works
- You own the list: you don’t depend on an algorithm or ad prices to reach people.
- It is personal and targeted: messages can be segmented and triggered by behavior.
- It is cost-effective: sending costs little compared with ads.
- It is measurable: you can track clicks, conversions and revenue.
Common types of emails
- Newsletters with news, tips and content
- Promotional emails about offers and launches
- Automated flows: welcome, abandoned cart, after purchase and re-engagement
- Transactional emails: receipts, shipping updates and password resets
Best practice
- Build your list with clear consent, and never buy lists. In the EU, the GDPR applies.
- Authenticate your domain with SPF, DKIM and DMARC; Gmail and Yahoo require this of bulk senders.
- Make unsubscribing easy, with a one-click link.
- Segment your list, and write subject lines that tell people why to open.
- Remove addresses that bounce or never engage.
Open rates have been unreliable since Apple introduced Mail Privacy Protection, so judge results by clicks, conversions and revenue.
Email marketing example
A running shop sends one email a month to subscribers with a training tip, a short customer story and one product. It also has three automated emails: a welcome series, a cart reminder and a review request ten days after delivery. Revenue from the automated emails is small per message but steady, and the monthly email brings people back to the website.
Email metrics to track
| Metric | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Delivery rate | How many emails reached a mailbox |
| Click-through rate | How interesting the content and call to action were |
| Conversion rate | How many clicks became a sale or sign-up |
| Unsubscribe and complaint rate | Whether you are sending too much or the wrong thing |
| Revenue per email | The money value of each send |
Open rates are less reliable than they used to be, because some mail apps load images automatically. Use clicks and conversions as the main signals.
Email marketing mistakes
- Sending without permission.
- Misleading subject lines.
- No mobile check, so the email looks broken on a phone.
- Sending without email authentication set up.
Email marketing FAQs
How often should I send?
As often as you have something useful to say, and consistently. Watch unsubscribes. See email lists and DMARC.
What are transactional emails?
Messages triggered by an action, such as a receipt. See transactional email and marketing automation.