Email Marketing for Small Brands: The First Five Emails to Write

You don’t need a big programme. Five emails will do most of the work.

First, the basics

• Use a proper email tool, such as Mailchimp, Klaviyo or similar
• Only email people who’ve agreed to hear from you
• Include an easy unsubscribe link and your business details
• Use a real reply address, so people can talk back

1. The welcome email

Sent straight after someone signs up. It’s usually the most opened email you’ll ever send, so use it well.

• Thank them
• Say what they’ll get and how often
• Give them one useful thing, like a guide or a small offer
• Point to one next step

2. The “start here” email

Show newcomers where to begin. Your three best-selling products, or your three most useful articles. Keep it to a short list and make the first choice obvious.

3. The story email

People buy from people. Tell them who you are, why you started and what you care about, in a few honest paragraphs. This is where your tone of voice matters most.

4. The proof email

Share a customer review, a before and after, or a short case study. It answers the question every new subscriber has: is this actually good?

5. The reminder email

A few days later, follow up with a gentle nudge to people who haven’t bought. Answer a common question, repeat the offer and make buying easy. One reminder is helpful. Five is annoying.

How to set them up

Put these five in an automated sequence, so every new subscriber receives them over about two weeks without you lifting a finger. After that, add a regular email once or twice a month.

Subject lines that work

• Say what’s inside, plainly
• Keep it short enough to read on a phone
• Avoid tricks and all capitals
• Write like you’d write to a friend

What to measure

Opens and clicks matter less than replies and sales. Watch how many people buy after an email, and tag your links so you can see it in analytics. See how to measure marketing ROI.

Common mistakes

• Sending only discounts
• Emailing too rarely, so people forget you
• Writing like a brochure
• Ignoring mobile layout
• Buying lists, which is a bad idea and breaks data protection rules

A sample welcome email

Short, warm and useful. For example:

Subject: Welcome, and here’s a little something

Hi [first name],

Thanks for joining us. We make [what you do], and we’ll send you [what they’ll get], about [how often].

To start, here’s [a useful guide / a discount code / our three best sellers].

If you ever want to ask us anything, just reply to this email. A real person reads it.

[Name], [Brand]

Notice what’s missing: no long history, no hard sell and no jargon.

Segmentation without the fuss

You don’t need complex rules at the start. Three simple groups are enough:

• New subscribers who haven’t bought
• Customers who’ve bought once
• Repeat customers

Each group gets slightly different emails. New subscribers need reassurance and a reason to try. Customers need help getting the most from what they bought, and a nudge to return. Repeat customers deserve early access and thanks.

Timing and frequency

• The welcome email goes immediately
• The rest of the first sequence goes out over one to two weeks
• After that, once or twice a month is plenty to start
• Send at consistent times, so people get used to hearing from you

Check your results and adjust. If unsubscribes rise after a particular email, take note.

Rules to follow in the UK

• Get clear consent before adding people for marketing
• Say who you are in every email
• Include a working unsubscribe link and honour it quickly
• Keep records of how and when people signed up
• Don’t buy or scrape lists

These come from data protection and privacy rules, and following them also keeps your emails out of spam folders.

Keeping the list healthy

Remove people who haven’t opened your emails in six months, after one last “still want to hear from us?” message. A smaller, engaged list performs better than a big, sleepy one, and it protects your sender reputation.

What good email feels like

It sounds like a person, answers a real question and gives the reader something even if they don’t buy. If you’d be happy to receive it yourself, you’re probably on the right track.

Frequently asked questions

How often should I email?

Once a week or once a fortnight is a good start. Consistent beats frequent.

How do I grow my list?

Offer something genuinely useful at sign-up, add forms to key pages and ask at checkout.

Can you set up our email marketing?

Yes, it’s part of our performance marketing work. Talk to us.