Email Marketing for Small Business: Complete Guide

Your customers already check email between school drop offs, site visits, and that first coffee. The question isn’t whether they use email it’s whether your small business shows up there with anything worth reading.

In this guide to email marketing for small business, we’ll share a plan you can run in a few hours a week: what to send, which tools to pick, and when to bring in help instead of doing it all yourself.

By the end, you’ll have the 7 Step Small Business Email Launch System and a 30 Day Small Business Email Launch Plan you can actually stick to.

TL;DR: Small business email marketing in plain English

• Email is one of the highest ROI channels for small businesses, often returning about $36 in revenue for every $1 spent (email ROI benchmarks).
• You only need three core building blocks to start: a list, a simple offer, and a reliable email platform.
• Great campaigns sound human, segment by interest or lifecycle stage, and send at a steady pace instead of in giant bursts.
• You can run basic campaigns yourself with the right tools, then layer in email marketing services when you’re ready to scale.

‍

Why email marketing still works for small businesses

Email remains one of the most dependable channels for small businesses, even as social platforms and ad formats change. About 64% of small businesses use email marketing (small business email stats). If you’re not emailing yet, you’re likely leaving revenue on the table.

“Email is your only audience you fully own. Algorithms, ad costs, and platforms change your list comes with you.”

How email supports your whole funnel

Email marketing across the customer funnel

1. TOFU: Capture new leads from traffic and inquiries.
2. MOFU: Nurture, educate, and build trust.
3. BOFU: Convert warm leads into paying customers.
4. Post‑purchase: Retain, upsell, and encourage referrals.

If you already work with a partner for paid search, SEO services, or social ads, well built email flows can raise your total return from those campaigns because more of those hard won clicks become long‑term customers.

Is email marketing right for your small business?

Most owners know they “should do more email,” but they’re not sure whether the timing is right. A quick gut check:

Common signs you’re ready

• You already get website leads or in‑store traffic but don’t follow up consistently.
• Repeat business drives a big share of revenue, yet you rely on word of mouth or walk ins.
• Your ad costs have climbed, and you’d like more revenue from existing customers instead of more spend.
• You know who your best customers are, but they only hear from you during promotions.

Goals you can set from day one

• “Grow our email list by 200 qualified contacts in 90 days.”
• “Generate five extra service bookings per month from email.”
• “Lift repeat purchase rate by 10% within six months.”

Those goals are realistic for a small list and help you decide whether to lean on DIY email marketing tools for small business or bring in done for you email marketing services to move faster.

How to start with email marketing: 7‑Step Small Business Email Launch System

Here’s a straightforward setup you can run even if marketing isn’t your full time job we call it the 7 Step Small Business Email Launch System.

Audience → Platform → List → Welcome series → Content calendar → Campaigns → Metrics.

1. Pick your audience and promise

Start with one group (for example, past customers, newsletter signups, or quote requests) and one clear promise such as “weekly tips to save time on bookkeeping” or “new listings in your area every Thursday.” A focused promise keeps people subscribed and gives you a filter for what to send.

2. Choose the right platform and tools

Popular email marketing tools for small business include Mailchimp, Klaviyo, Constant Contact, HubSpot, and HighLevel. Look for:

• Ease of use: Can you build campaigns quickly without a developer?
• Integrations: Does it connect to your CRM, ecommerce store, or booking system?
• Automation: Can you trigger emails from signups, purchases, or form fills?
• Reporting: Can you see opens, clicks, and revenue from each campaign?

If you’d rather skip platform research, a partner like Setsail can recommend and implement the right stack as part of broader performance marketing services or dedicated email marketing services.

3. Set up your list structure and signup form

At minimum, create:

• One main list (e.g., “Customers & Leads”).
• Tags or segments such as “Lead,” “Customer,” “Service Type A,” “Location: Vancouver,” etc.
• A simple signup form on your homepage, blog, and contact page, with a short value driven headline.

Make sure your form includes consent language that respects CASL/GDPR if you’re in Canada or serving EU customers (see regulators’ guidance on CASL requirements and email consent).

4. Create a welcome series that sets expectations

Instead of a single “Thanks for subscribing,” map a three to five email welcome series:

1. Email 1: Thank them, restate your promise, and link to one helpful resource.
2. Email 2: Share a quick story or case study that mirrors a common client problem.
3. Email 3: Answer top questions and invite replies.
4. Email 4: Present a low‑friction next step book a consult, request a quote, or claim a simple offer.

5. Plan a simple content calendar

Consistency beats perfection. Start with one send per week, alternating between:

• Educational tips or checklists.
• Behind the scenes updates that show real people doing the work.
• Spotlight emails: a client win, new project, or popular product.
• Occasional offers or promos that feel like a natural next step.

6. Send your first campaigns

Keep early campaigns short and specific. One topic, one clear call to action, one primary link. Long newsletters full of everything you did this month usually perform worse than focused, relevant notes.

7. Measure, learn, and improve

Track a few basics from the start: open rate, click‑through rate, unsubscribe rate, and revenue per email. Watch how they trend over time and which subjects, offers, and audiences move them up or down.

Email marketing services vs DIY tools

When DIY tools are enough

DIY can work well when:

• Your list is under a few thousand contacts.
• You already have a marketing savvy team member with a few hours free each week.
• Your buying cycle is short and doesn’t need complex automation.

When to consider email marketing services for small business

Specialist email marketing services for small business start to pay off when:

• You’re running multiple channels (Google Ads, Meta, SEO) and want email to amplify those efforts.
• You have a decent list size but low engagement or inconsistent sending.
• Your team is stretched thin and campaigns stall for weeks while everyone handles “urgent” work.
• You need complex flows like ecommerce win‑back, post‑purchase sequences, or lead nurture for high ticket services.

An agency like Setsail Marketing combines strategy, creative, automation, and reporting so you’re not juggling freelancers and tools.

For example, when Setsail worked with Brio Golf to launch a new app, a simple onboarding sequence plus performance campaigns turned thousands of new signups into active users while paid ads achieved over 3x ROAS; see the full breakdown in the Brio Golf case study.

Best email marketing tools for small business (by stage)

Just getting started

• Mailchimp / Constant Contact: Easy editors and templates with solid free or low‑tier plans for basic newsletters and light automation.
• Shopify Email: If you run Shopify, native email pulls products into campaigns and powers basic flows without extra integrations.

Growing and segmenting your list

• Klaviyo: Strong choice for ecommerce brands that want behaviour based flows (browse, cart, post‑purchase) and deep revenue reporting.
• HubSpot: Ideal for B2B or service businesses that need tight CRM + email alignment, sales pipelines, and lead scoring.

Advanced automation and CRM

• High Level and similar platforms: Helpful if you want email, SMS, funnels, and CRM in one place and you’re ready for more sophisticated automation.

If the tool landscape feels crowded, start from your strategy instead of the feature list. Ask: “Where do my best leads come from today, and how can my email platform plug straight into that?” The right answer will narrow your options fast.

Easy campaign ideas you can send this month

Relationship building emails

• Founder’s note: Share why you started the business and what you’re focused on this quarter.
• Client spotlight: Highlight a customer story with a short before and after or Q&A.

Sales driving emails

• New offer launch: Explain who it’s for, what changes, and how to get started.
• Limited time incentive: Give a short window for a bonus, upgrade, or small discount.
• Win back campaign: Send a three email sequence to customers inactive for 6–12 months.

Key metrics: what “good” looks like

Once your basics are in place, focus on a few numbers you can check every month.

Core engagement metrics

• Open rate: target 30–45%.
• Click through rate (CTR): aim for 2–4% of recipients.
• Unsubscribe rate: keep it under 0.5%; spikes above 1% are a warning sign.
• Bounce and spam rates: keep both under 2% with list cleaning and confirmed opt‑in.

These ranges line up with recent industry email benchmarks, but your trend over time matters more than any single target.

Revenue and list quality metrics

• Revenue per send / subscriber: ecommerce track sales tied to each campaign or flow; services use influenced deals or booked calls.
• Active subscribers: track how many people opened or clicked in the last 90 days; that’s the true size of your list.

Look for patterns subjects, formats, or offers that move these numbers up and do more of what works; for examples of these metrics in action, see our work.

30 Day Small Business Email Launch Plan

If you like having a checklist pinned above your desk, here’s the 30 Day Small Business Email Launch Plan in simple weekly steps.

• Week 1: Define your audience and promise, choose your platform, set up list and signup form.
• Week 2: Write and build your welcome series, then test emails on desktop and mobile.
• Week 3: Publish your signup form across your site and social profiles, send a campaign.
• Week 4: Review performance, clean bounced or invalid emails, plan topics for the next month.

If you’d like a partner to handle strategy, copy, design, and reporting while you focus on running the business, you can learn more about Setsail’s email marketing services or book a short consult with the team.

Bottom line: email marketing doesn’t have to be perfect to work. Start small, send consistently, watch what your audience responds to and let the results guide the next round.

FAQ:

How often should a small business send marketing emails?

Most small businesses do well starting with one email per week, then adjusting based on engagement. If opens and clicks stay healthy and unsubscribes remain low, you can test a slightly higher frequency. If unsubscribes or spam complaints jump, slow down and focus on better targeting instead of more volume.

What is a good email open rate for small businesses?

“Good” depends on your industry, offer, and how clean your list is. Rather than chasing a universal benchmark, compare each send to your own baseline and watch how opens, clicks, and revenue trend over time. If those keep improving and unsubscribes stay low, your open rate is probably in a healthy range.

Do I need consent to send marketing emails in Canada or the EU/UK?

Yes. In Canada, Canada’s Anti‑Spam Legislation (CASL) requires you to obtain express or implied consent, identify your business, and include a working unsubscribe link in every commercial email (CASL guidelines). In the EU and UK, GDPR and related e‑privacy rules generally require clear, informed consent (or a narrow “soft opt‑in” for existing customers) plus an easy way to opt out. When in doubt, use explicit opt‑in checkboxes and keep basic records of when and how people subscribed.

What are the best email marketing tools for small business?

The right tool depends on your size and tech stack. Many small businesses start with Mailchimp, Constant Contact, or Shopify Email for simple newsletters. As you grow, ecommerce brands often choose Klaviyo for stronger automation and revenue tracking, while B2B and service businesses lean toward HubSpot for its built‑in CRM. If you need advanced automation across email, SMS, and funnels, platforms like HighLevel can be a good fit.

Email marketing services for small business vs DIY: which is better?

DIY tools are usually enough when your list is small, your buying cycle is simple, and someone on your team can write and schedule campaigns. Email marketing services for small business become more valuable when you are running multiple channels, want deeper strategy and testing, or need automation and reporting built out without pulling your team away from day to day operations.

About Setsail Marketing

Setsail Marketing is a Vancouver based digital and performance marketing agency and certified B Corp serving governments and growth minded brands across Canada and the US. The in house team runs full‑funnel campaigns including PPC, SEO, web, creative, and email marketing with fixed timelines, fixed deliverables, and fixed pricing tied to real ROI, not vanity metrics.

‍