Email marketing can unlock big results for local business owners like you. If you’ve been wondering how to build a small business email strategy that consistently grows revenue, you’re in the right place. Recent surveys show that 78 percent of marketers rely on email as their most effective channel, and there are expected to be 4.6 billion global email users by 2025. That’s a whole lot of potential customers. Ready to harness this power? Let’s explore the steps you can take to set up a reliable, friendly, and profitable approach to email marketing.
Set clear email goals
First things first, you need a target. Whether your aim is getting more traffic, boosting sales, or collecting feedback, knowing what you want helps you shape every email you send. A clear goal keeps your content concise and naturally draws readers to your call-to-action.
- Possible goals:
- Increase website visits
- Capture leads
- Nurture existing customers
- Drive sales through special offers
Your goal sets the pace for everything else in your campaign, so spend a few minutes clarifying it before you write your first subject line.
Segment your audience
Ever gotten an email that felt way off? Chances are the sender forgot to segment. Audience segmentation is the practice of grouping subscribers by common traits, behaviors, or lifecycle stages. By matching emails to each group, you’ll send more relevant, engaging messages.
Approaches to segmentation
- Demographic segmentation: Target by location, age, job title, or interests.
- Behavioral segmentation: Focus on past purchases, email clicks, or browsing history.
- Lifecycle segmentation: Tailor emails based on where subscribers are in your sales funnel, such as awareness vs. retention.
Huda Beauty famously focused on their most active subscribers, leading to double growth in revenue. That’s the power of sending the right content to the right crowd.
Personalize your campaigns
Since 91 percent of consumers engage more with brands that offer relevant content, personalization can elevate your open rates and conversions. You might include a user’s first name in the subject line or reference a product they recently checked out. Every small detail helps your subscribers feel valued.
- Simple personalization ideas:
- Subject line merge tags (e.g., “Hey Sarah, your new offers await!”)
- Tailored recommendations based on past purchases
- Birthday greetings and special date reminders
When you address people by name or preference, they’re more inclined to open, click, and buy.
Craft engaging subject lines
Your subject line is a big door, and you want it wide open. Keep it short, incorporate descriptive words, and avoid stuffing in too many exclamation points or special characters (anything beyond three can resemble spam).
- Tips for success:
- Limit subject lines to nine words or fewer
- Use one punctuation mark sparingly, like “Don’t miss out!”
- A/B test to see which phrasing resonates most with your audience
Mailchimp’s tools, for instance, let you experiment with multiple subject line variations before committing.
Test to refine success
If you’re not already A/B testing, here’s a cue to start. Split testing helps you see which version of an email does better, whether you’re testing subject lines, images, or send times. It’s a simple way to keep evolving your approach.
- What to test:
- Different content lengths
- Call-to-action button colors
- Sending schedules (morning vs. evening)
When you spot consistent winners, swap out the less effective approaches and keep moving forward.
Track key performance metrics
You’ve put in the work to shape your campaign, so don’t forget to measure how it’s doing. Keep an eye on open rates, click-through rates (CTR), and conversions. Tracking these numbers offers a clear picture of what resonates, what flops, and what to tweak next.
- Essential email KPIs:
- Open rate: Percentage of subscribers who open your email
- CTR: Percentage of opens that lead to link clicks
- Bounce rate: Emails that never make it to inboxes
- Conversion rate: How many email clicks lead to desired actions
If you want to streamline this process, a CRM tool like Act! can track interactions and show how each email fits into your overall marketing mix.
Plan your next steps
Curious how email fits into your bigger marketing plan? It’s good to see it as one part of a broader approach. You might build on your success by strengthening your small business marketing strategy or exploring a digital marketing strategy for small businesses. By creating a cohesive plan, you’ll drive consistent revenue growth and position yourself for long-term success.
Feeling like your current setup could use a professional touch? If you want to identify hidden profit leaks, spot new revenue opportunities, and focus your email strategy where it matters, consider scheduling a free Marketing Strategy Review. It’s a quick and friendly way to see where your next big win might come from.
Remember, a well-planned email campaign can keep your brand in people’s inboxes and on their minds. Take time to define your goals, segment thoughtfully, personalize the content, and watch your metrics. With the right moves, you’ll be well on your way to reaching more potential customers and converting loyal fans into repeat buyers.
Think you’re close, but not quite there? Sign up for a Marketing Strategy Review, and we’ll help you align your entire approach—beyond just email—so you can keep your business growing year-round.
