{"id":57795,"date":"2022-09-18T19:25:57","date_gmt":"2022-09-18T19:25:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailrelay.com\/?p=57795"},"modified":"2026-10-06T22:42:22","modified_gmt":"2026-10-06T22:42:22","slug":"what-is-email-marketing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mailrelay.com\/en\/blog\/2022\/09\/18\/what-is-email-marketing\/","title":{"rendered":"What is email marketing? A guide to getting started and getting results"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Quick answer:<\/strong> Email marketing is a digital marketing strategy that uses email to help you communicate with an audience that has agreed to receive your messages. It is used to attract, inform, sell to, retain and re-engage customers<\/strong> through segmented, personalized, automatable and measurable campaigns.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

You probably already receive newsletters<\/a>, offers or notifications all the time.<\/p>\n\n

All these emails share the same channel, but that doesn’t make them part of the same type of marketing strategy.<\/p>\n\n

In email marketing, the first thing you need is your contacts’ permission.<\/p>\n\n

That’s the foundation: consent.<\/p>\n\n

Then you’ll need to link your contacts to the information you have about them so you can segment, send and analyze.<\/p>\n\n

Only then will each message meet a specific need of the subscriber.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

In this guide you’ll learn what email marketing is, how it works and what it’s for. <\/p>\n\n

You’ll also see its types, metrics, costs and first steps. Plus, you’ll find criteria for choosing a platform without any technical experience.<\/p>\n\n

<\/p>\n\n

What is email marketing and what is it for?<\/h2>\n\n

Email marketing, also called e-mail marketing or emailing, is a form of direct digital communication. <\/p>\n\n

A company sends relevant messages to contacts who have shown interest and provided their email address.<\/p>\n\n

The goal depends on the business and on the stage of the sales funnel the customer is in.<\/p>\n\n

It can introduce a brand, share content, recover a sale, announce something new or encourage another purchase.<\/p>\n\n

Email lets you keep a conversation going throughout the entire customer lifecycle. <\/p>\n\n

Plus, your company decides the message, the segment, the timing and the frequency.<\/p>\n\n

You’re completely free to change these aspects and tailor them to your target audience.<\/p>\n\n

What are the elements of email marketing?<\/h3>\n\n

An email marketing strategy brings together five elements:<\/p>\n\n

    \n
  1. A permission-based list.<\/strong> It includes people who have agreed to receive your communications and can easily unsubscribe.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. A defined goal.<\/strong> Each campaign should aim for an action, such as informing, generating clicks or selling.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. A relevant message.<\/strong> The content matches the recipient’s interests and context.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. A professional platform.<\/strong> It manages contacts, designs, sends, automations and statistics.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. An improvement process.<\/strong> Data lets you test hypotheses and fine-tune your next campaigns.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n

    Without permission, the message can become unsolicited email. Commonly known as spam.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

    Without analysis, you’ll be taking actions without knowing which ones help your business.<\/p>\n\n

    Email marketing, e-mail marketing or marketing by email?<\/h2>\n\n

    They’re the same thing written in different ways. You’ll see \u201cemail marketing\u201d, \u201ce-mail marketing\u201d, \u201ce mail marketing\u201d, \u201cmail marketing\u201d or simply \u201cmarketing by email\u201d.<\/p>\n\n

    They all refer to the same strategy: sending email messages to people who have agreed to receive them. In this guide we use \u201cemail marketing\u201d, which is the most searched form.<\/p>\n\n

    \"How<\/figure>\n\n

    How does email marketing work, step by step?<\/h2>\n\n

    The process starts even before you write the subject line. <\/p>\n\n

    First you need to collect contacts the right way. Then you organize the information, create the message, send it and analyze the response.<\/p>\n\n

    Easy, right? Let’s go through it step by step in detail.<\/p>\n\n

    1. You collect subscribers with consent<\/h3>\n\n

    You can use forms on your website, downloadable content (a lead magnet<\/a>), sign-ups, events or the checkout process. <\/p>\n\n

    Clearly explain what emails you’ll send and roughly how often. With double opt-in<\/a>, the contact confirms their subscription from an initial email.<\/p>\n\n

    On top of that, always remember to offer an easy way to unsubscribe.<\/p>\n\n

    Never buy databases. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

    Those contacts aren’t expecting your messages and can lead to complaints, bounces and reputation problems for your sending domain.<\/p>\n\n

    Put simply, your sender could end up blocked.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

    2. You organize and segment your mailing list<\/h3>\n\n

    A list doesn’t have to work as a single monolithic block. <\/p>\n\n

    You can organize your contacts into subscriber groups<\/a> by interests, location, history, funnel stage or past interaction. Store that data in custom fields<\/a> to personalize each message.<\/p>\n\n

    Segmentation in email marketing<\/a> increases relevance. <\/p>\n\n

    For example, a repeat customer needs a different message from someone who has just subscribed.<\/p>\n\n

    3. You create a campaign with a goal<\/h3>\n\n

    Set one main goal and one call to action. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

    Then write a clear subject line, a useful preheader and a body that’s easy to scan.<\/p>\n\n

    The design must adapt to mobile. <\/p>\n\n

    Send a few tests to several of your own email addresses before the final send.<\/p>\n\n

    4. You send or automate the message<\/h3>\n\n

    A one-off campaign is scheduled for a segment and a date. <\/p>\n\n

    An automation (or autoresponder<\/a>), on the other hand, is triggered when a condition is met.<\/p>\n\n

    That condition can be a subscription, a date or an interaction. The system then sends the planned content without you repeating the manual work.<\/p>\n\n

    You need to choose which option best suits your needs at any given time.<\/p>\n\n

    For example, an automation is very useful for sending a welcome email<\/a> to new subscribers, while a one-off offer is something you’ll use at specific moments.<\/p>\n\n

    5. You measure, learn and improve<\/h3>\n\n

    After sending, review deliveries, bounces, clicks, unsubscribes and conversions. <\/p>\n\n

    Also look at which links generate interest and which segments respond best.<\/p>\n\n

    Mailrelay gives you all this information so you can improve your next sends.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

    A single campaign offers clues, but a series reveals trends. <\/p>\n\n

    Compare equivalent periods and adjust only one thing at a time (content, frequency, send times). That way you’ll know how each change affects the results.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

    \n

    Launch your first campaign<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Create your free account and send up to 80,000 emails a month to 20,000 contacts, with an editor, automations and statistics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
    Create a free account<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n
    \"What<\/figure>\n\n

    What are the benefits of email marketing for a business?<\/h2>\n\n

    Email marketing works for small businesses and large teams alike. <\/p>\n\n

    That’s thanks to its combination of reach, impact and affordable cost.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

    It suits every budget, so it fits every kind of business. You’ll find them in more detail in the benefits of email marketing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

    Direct communication with an audience of your own<\/h3>\n\n

    Your list is an asset managed by your company. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

    It’s yours.<\/p>\n\n

    Unlike social media, paid ads and so on.<\/p>\n\n

    Your list is always available to you.<\/p>\n\n

    That’s why you don’t depend on a social network’s organic reach or on the budget needed for ads.<\/p>\n\n

    You just need to respect your contacts’ consent.<\/p>\n\n

    Personalization at scale<\/h3>\n\n

    You can tailor the name, the content, the offer or the send time. <\/p>\n\n

    Plus, segmentation keeps you from sending the same message to people with different needs.<\/p>\n\n

    You have powerful segmentation tools at your disposal.<\/p>\n\n

    Low cost and room to grow<\/h3>\n\n

    A campaign can reach thousands of contacts without multiplying the work. <\/p>\n\n

    The cost will depend on the volume, the features and the email marketing provider you choose.<\/p>\n\n

    With Mailrelay you get a free account that lets you send up to 80,000 emails a month to up to 20,000 contacts.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

    Automation of repetitive tasks<\/h3>\n\n

    Welcome, follow-up or re-engagement sequences run on predefined rules. <\/p>\n\n

    This saves you time without neglecting your marketing efforts.<\/p>\n\n

    Measurable results<\/h3>\n\n

    Email marketing lets you analyze deliveries, clicks, conversions, unsubscribes and other indicators. <\/p>\n\n

    With that data you can tie performance to business goals.<\/p>\n\n

    You’ll know whether it’s working for you or not.<\/strong> And that way you can assess the ROI<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

    Ongoing relationship with customers and prospects<\/h3>\n\n

    A sale rarely comes from a single touchpoint. <\/p>\n\n

    Your customers are probably weighing options, comparing, analyzing.<\/p>\n\n

    Even more so today, when AI tools let them do this quickly and effortlessly.<\/p>\n\n

    That’s why email is, more than ever, a tool for educating, handling objections and keeping your brand top of mind for longer.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

    \"Types<\/figure>\n\n

    Types of email marketing and campaign examples<\/h2>\n\n

    Every email marketing campaign<\/a> should serve a specific goal.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

    Ideally, one you’ve set beforehand.<\/p>\n\n

    This table sums up the most common formats and when they can help you:<\/p>\n\n

    Campaign type<\/th>Main goal<\/th>Example<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
    Newsletter<\/td>Inform and maintain the relationship with the contact<\/td>Weekly or monthly selection of tips and news<\/td><\/tr>
    Promotional<\/td>Generate sales or sign-ups<\/td>Offer with a call to action<\/td><\/tr>
    Welcome<\/td>Start the relationship<\/td>Series introducing the brand and its resources<\/td><\/tr>
    Lead nurturing<\/td>Support a decision<\/td>Educational sequence by problem or interest<\/td><\/tr>
    Abandoned cart<\/td>Recover a purchase<\/td>Reminder of products left in the cart<\/td><\/tr>
    Post-purchase<\/td>Improve experience and repeat purchases<\/td>Usage tips and related products<\/td><\/tr>
    Reactivation<\/td>Recover inactive contacts<\/td>Preferences question or incentive<\/td><\/tr>
    Survey<\/td>Collect information<\/td>Request for feedback after a purchase<\/td><\/tr>
    Event<\/td>Drive attendance<\/td>Invitation, reminder and follow-up<\/td><\/tr>
    Seasonal<\/td>Make the most of a relevant moment<\/td>Christmas or back-to-school campaign<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

    A newsletter<\/a> can educate and build loyalty. An automated sequence, for its part, accompanies individual actions with timely messages.<\/p>\n\n

    All these campaigns are part of an email marketing strategy; use the ones you need for your own strategy.<\/p>\n\n

    If you want to see each format with subject line examples and tips, we’ve explained the 12 types of email marketing<\/a> one by one, and you’ll also find 20 complete email marketing examples<\/a> you can copy.<\/p>\n\n

    \"Email<\/figure>\n\n

    Email marketing, mailing, newsletter and spam: the differences<\/h2>\n\n

    These terms aren’t the same thing, but they’re often confused, so here’s a quick explanation of each:<\/p>\n\n