Don’t know where to start with email marketing? Start here
Most brands overcomplicate email from the start. They try to build everything at once (fancy flows, endless segments, colour-coded strategy docs) and end up overwhelmed before a single email goes out.
Others see how much there is to do and freeze entirely. Neither works.
The truth is you don't need a complex setup and a million flows to make email work. You just need the basics, done in the right order and to stay consistent.
TL;DR
Without a growing list, email won’t do much for your brand.
Without a welcome flow, you’re wasting money on warm leads.
Without abandonment flows, you’re letting high-intent shoppers disappear.
The brands that make serious revenue on email nail the basics first then stay consistent.
Step one: Get people on your list
Yes it's obvious. No it doesn't get prioritised enough. Sort your homepage pop up immediately.
A lot of brands jump straight into campaigns and automations before sorting the one thing that makes all of it possible - actually getting people to subscribe.
Your sign-up form doesn’t need to be super fancy. It just needs a clear offer and a clear reason to hand over an email address.
- A quiz or question based form works
- A discount works
- A mystery offer works
- A free gift works
Prioritise this and get a popup live ASAP. If your list isn’t growing neither is your revenue opportunity.
Step two: Build your welcome flow
The flow to prioritise is the welcome flow. Period.
This is one of the easiest wins in email because anyone who signs up is literally saying “I’m here and I’m interested”. All you need to do is follow through on your welcome discount promise and you’ve just acquired a new happy customer that wants to hear from you.
At minimum, get one welcome email live. This email should:
- Deliver the offer
- Introduce the brand
- Show some products
- Have at least three obvious CTAs
Generally, a high performing welcome flow is anywhere between three and eight emails long but focus on getting one email live first then build on the flow.
Step three: Build your abandonment flows
Once you’ve got the sign-up form and welcome flow sorted, this is your next move.
Abandonment flows are one of the easiest ways to recover revenue from customers who’ve already shown intent. They’ve browsed, clicked, maybe added to cart, maybe even started checkout, then disappeared.
Here’s the essentials you really should have set up eComm brands:
- Browse abandon
- Cart abandon
- Checkout abandon
Each flow catches a different stage of intent. Before you panic, you don’t need a fancy flow set up from day one. Like the welcome flow, focus on getting one email live ASAP. Once this is sorted, build on your flows based on customer behaviour.
Step four: Start sending campaigns (and keep sending them)
Flows react to behaviour, campaigns keep you front of mind in between.
Campaigns are what brands either forget about completely or massively overthink and make super complex and confusing. Each email doesn’t need to be a revolutionary concept or message - you just need to send them consistently.
Here’s a few campaign emails ideas for ya:
- Product benefits
- UGC
- Us V them
- Customer reviews
- Common objection busters
- Founder message / update
- BTS moments
Sending two to three campaigns a week is a good place to start. Commit to it and stay consistent!
Still feeling overwhelmed?
We’ve got you. We live and breathe email so we’ll happily take it off your to do list.
If your email setup is currently non-existent, half-built or a bit all over the place (don’t worry we won’t judge) we can take over, make your life easier and start generating revenue for you fast. Sound good?