Email marketing
In short
Email marketing is the use of email to communicate with an audience of subscribers, customers, and prospects. It includes newsletters, product updates, event invitations, and automated nurture programs.
It is a one-to-many channel built on permission and relevance. That sets it apart from cold email, which is one-to-one outreach by sales reps to people who have not yet engaged.
Common types of marketing email
- Newsletters: Regular roundups of content and news that keep your brand in front of readers.
- Nurture sequences: Automated series that educate a new subscriber or a lead over time.
- Event and webinar emails: Invitations, reminders, and follow-ups.
- Product and customer emails: Onboarding, release notes, and renewal or expansion messages.
How to run an email program
Build the list the right way
Collect addresses through sign-ups, content, and events, and record consent where required. Avoid buying lists; they hurt deliverability and trust.
Segment
Group contacts by role, industry, stage, or past behavior. A message to the right segment beats a polished message to everyone.
Write for one reader
Use a clear subject line, one main point, and one call to action. Keep it short and specific.
Protect deliverability
Authenticate your sending domain, remove bounced and inactive addresses, and make unsubscribing easy.
Example
Say a team sends a biweekly newsletter and a three-email welcome series. Subscribers who click on pricing content get flagged for an SDR to review. The team reviews replies, clicks, and unsubscribes monthly and prunes contacts who have not opened in six months.
Measuring email marketing
Opens are an unreliable signal because mail privacy features can inflate them. Prefer clicks, replies, conversions to meetings or pipeline, and unsubscribe and spam complaint rates.
Common mistakes
- Blasting the whole list: Irrelevant sends raise unsubscribes and complaints.
- Ignoring data hygiene: Old addresses hurt sender reputation.
- Skipping compliance: Rules such as consent and unsubscribe requirements vary by region; check them for your markets. This is not legal advice.
Email marketing FAQs
What is email marketing?
Email marketing is the use of email to communicate with subscribers, customers, and prospects through newsletters, nurture sequences, event invitations, and product updates. It relies on permission and relevance, and it is usually sent one-to-many using an email or automation tool.
What is the difference between email marketing and cold email?
Email marketing is sent to an audience that opted in or has an existing relationship, usually at scale through a marketing tool. Cold email is one-to-one outreach by a sales rep to someone who has not engaged yet, personalized to their situation.
What metrics matter in email marketing?
Focus on click rate, replies, conversions to meetings or pipeline, unsubscribe rate, and spam complaints. Open rates are less reliable because mail privacy features can trigger opens automatically, so treat them as a rough indicator only.
How do you improve email marketing deliverability?
Authenticate your sending domain, send only to people who expect your emails, remove bounced and inactive contacts, keep complaint rates low, and make unsubscribing simple. Steady sending patterns and relevant content also help inbox providers trust your messages.
