Getting Started with E-mail Marketing for Businesses

Did you know that in the UK, e-mail remains one of the most profitable digital marketing channels, with an average ROI of around £35 for every £1 spent? For small businesses, that number isn’t just impressive, it’s a lifeline! At Make Me Social, we’ve seen time and again how a carefully crafted e-mail strategy turns occasional buyers into loyal customers.

We’re going to happily break that down for you in this blog.

Why Businesses Should Care About E-mail Marketing

While global brands spray messages to millions, SMEs and businesses possess a unique advantage: authentic community relationships. And you can only achieve this with the 3 Cs:

• Clarity
• Creativity
• Consistency

This impact multiplies when combined with geographic targeting. Consider how location-based marketing through e-mail plays a crucial role in boosting online visibility:

• You own your audience with no algorithms throttling reach.
• You build trust by appearing consistently in inboxes.
• You can personalise content at scale using segmentation.
• You nurture leads at every stage of the customer journey.

Building A Solid Foundation: From List to Launch

Before you hit send, there are fundamentals every brand must nail.

1. What is a ‘customer journey’ in e-mail marketing?

Think of this as a cycle where one subscriber moves through, re-engages, and stays connected.

1. Consideration: Targeted offers (targeted campaign)
2. Purchase: Tailored product recommendations (drive conversions)
3. Loyalty: Rewards and VIP access (increase customer lifetime)

2. Growing a valuable e-mail list

• Use landing pages with clear calls to action to capture interest and sign-ups.
• Offer incentives such as discount codes or early access to encourage subscribers.
• Collect addresses during in-store interactions – a classic method in leveraging customer interactions.
• Create lead magnets like free guides, checklists, or downloadable resources that offer genuine value to subscribers.
• Promote your e-mail sign-up on social media platforms to reach a wider audience and drive traffic to your forms.
• Add a call-to-action (CTA) to your email signature, making it easy for recipients of everyday emails to join your list.

3. Choosing the right tools

Selecting the best e-mail platforms for business can feel overwhelming. With the right email marketing tool, you can build personalised campaigns and automate email sequences that feel anything but robotic. Below is a quick comparison of oft used platforms:

Creating An E-mail Campaign That Connects

Here’s where creativity meets data. A successful method creating an e-mail campaign balances engaging design, relevant offers, and strong copy.

Subject lines and open rates

Short, sharp subject lines boost open rates. Aim for fewer than 50 characters, and test multiple variations.

Design and content creation

• Use strong visuals that remain mobile-friendly.
• Keep paragraphs short for easy scanning.
• Use brand colours consistently to build recognition.

Personalisation and segmentation

Instead of one-size-fits-all, deploy a segmentation strategy:

• Group subscribers by location.
• Tailor offers for repeat customers vs. first timers.
• Highlight events or promotions specific to your area (location-based marketing at work).

Optimising E-mail for Search and SEO Impact

It’s not only your website that benefits from SEO. When you focus on optimising e-mail for search, you strengthen how your brand shows up across digital touchpoints.

• Incorporate keywords like town or city names in subject lines.
• Link back to optimised landing pages.
• Align campaigns with your SEO e-mail strategy.

This dual effect – inbox presence and search visibility – is powerful for maximising brand awareness.

Make every send count!

Speak to our team about building an e-mail strategy that gets your business noticed!

Email Automation: Working Smarter, Not Harder

Modern email marketing services thrive on automation. Automated workflows let you send welcome e-mails, abandoned cart nudges, or birthday offers without lifting a finger.

Benefits of email automation:

• Consistency in messaging
• Increased retention rates
• Improved engagement and conversion rates

It’s how you grow your business while saving valuable time.

Measuring Success: From Clicks to Conversions

You can’t improve what you don’t measure. Campaign performance should be tracked on three levels:

1. Opens and clicks: Check subject line effectiveness and CTA appeal.
2. Conversions: Are subscribers buying, booking, or enquiring?
3. Long term retention rates: Are you building a loyal customer base?

At Make Me Social, our reporting is data driven and designed to deliver measurable results that align with business goals.

Practical Business E-mail Tips

To pull everything together, here are five essentials for business e-mail tips:

1. Always ask for permission and secure opt-ins.
2. Focus on one main message per e-mail.
3. Use simple, strong CTAs.
4. Integrate with a social media marketing company in London like Make Me Social for cross-channel impact.
5. Review analytics weekly; campaigns managing is an ongoing task.

Master Social Media Engagement