As a small business owner, you’re not only the owner but also the marketer, the strategist, and ultimately, the customer service department. Every dollar spent has to do something for you. So when you’re figuring out where to spend your marketing energy and dollars, there’s one question you’re probably asking: Is email marketing a good fit for my small business? The short answer? Yes.

The long answer? This blog will outline the case why email marketing is relevant in 2025, and can be one of the most effective tools in your small business toolkit — with popular questions, tips, stats, and how-tos along the way.

What is Email Marketing?

At its simplest, email marketing is the act of sending a commercial message to a group of people via email (newsletters, updates, offers, etc.). It can be any number of emails: a welcome email, a product announcement, a coupon offer, a blog, an abandoned cart reminder, etc.

Email marketing is more than just promotions. Email marketing builds trust and loyalty, and keeps customers coming back for more.

What Does an Email Marketing Campaign Mean?

An email marketing campaign means sending a planned series of emails over time, to achieve a goal (sales, webinar registrations, customer re-engagement, etc).

Is Email Marketing Still Effective in 2025?

Absolutely. Despite the emergence of newer applications including TikTok and WhatsApp for business, email marketing has the highest return on investment across channels in the digital marketing realm.

Key Stats:

• $36 ROI per $1 spent on email marketing (HubSpot, 2024)
• 77% of marketers consider email their most effective channel for nurturing leads
• 58% of all revenue from email marketing is generated from segmented and targeted emails

If you have been wondering, “Is email marketing dead?” – not even close.

How Much Does Email Marketing Cost?

One of the reasons why small businesses love email is because it is low cost.

Key Tools and Costs:

• Keep in mind that some of these tools offer free plans (for up to a few hundred subscribers) – for example MailPoet, MailerLite and Brevo
• Paid plans will start around $10 and go up to $100/month depending on your list size and features
• There are also custom enterprise tools such as HubSpot or Salesforce which can be costly, but for small businesses these expensive plans are not necessary!

So, when you ask “How much does email marketing cost?” trumping everything, it could be as low as $0 to get started.

How Does Email Marketing Work?

Email marketing works in 5 steps:

• Decide on a platform (ESP – Email Service Provider): this can be more reliable platforms such as Mailchimp, MailPoet or ConvertKit
• Develop your list by capturing email sign-ups you received from your website or social media transitioning to a list
• Segment your subscribers audience by geo location, interests or past purchases,
• Create effective and engaging emails and then actually send them!
• Analyse results using metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and conversions.

How to Do Email Marketing for a Small Business?

You don’t need to be a tech wizard or copywriter to get started, and here’s a very simple plan to do it.

Step 1: Choose the right tool

You could choose from:

• MailPoet (Good for WordPress users)
• MailerLite (easy automations)
• Brevo (previously known as Sendinblue)
• Klaviyo (ecommerce option)

Step 2: Collect emails the correct way

• You can collect emails using opt-in forms on your website
• You can offer a lead magnet (Discount code, or FREE GIFT / Guide)
• And for Pete’s sake, don’t buy email lists – that’ll ruin your sender reputation.

Step 3: Segment your list

• First time customer vs Returning customer
• by interest or behavior
• by geographical location, demographics, purchase history, etc…

Step 4: Development a proper marketing email

Here’s how it’s done:

• Short subject lines (50 characters or less)
• Just By adding personalization (First Names, recent activity)
• One clear CTA (Shop Now, Learn More, etc..)

Why Email Marketing is Important?

You’ve probably asked yourself: Why does segmentation matter for Email Marketing? and How does email marketing serve my overall inbound strategy?

Here’s why it’s so effective:

• Ownership – If you have an email list it belongs to you, and you can leverage it at any time, unlike social media channels, like Instagram, or Facebook that rely heavily on algorithms for your followers to see your content.
• Direct Communication – Emails will show up in people’s inboxes (which is a private space).
• Build Relationships – Stay top-of-mind through helpful content, special offers, and loyalty rewards.
• Targeted Marketing – Segment your audience to send hyper-relevant messages, increasing open and click-through rates.

What Makes a Marketing Email Effective?

Let’s break down what makes emails actually get opened (and clicked).

Subject Lines

• Use emojis sparingly
• Ask questions (“Did you forget this in your cart?”)
• Keep it short and curiosity-driven

Body Copy

• Lead with value
• Write like a human, not a robot
• Use bullet points for easy scanning

CTA (Call to Action)

Only one CTA works best — “Buy now,” “Book a call,” or “Get my free guide.”

What is a Good Open Rate & Click Rate?

Here’s what you should aim for:

Metric	Good Range
Open Rate	20–30%
Click-Through Rate (CTR)	2.5–5%
Bounce Rate	Under 2%
Unsubscribe Rate	Under 0.5%

When is a Good Time to Send Marketing Emails?

There isn’t a right answer, but studies show:

• The best days are Tuesday – Thursday and the best times are 9 am to 11 am
• I highly recommend avoiding the weekend unless your audience is super active.
• Try some A/B testing to gauge the behavior of your audience.

Should I Be Using Email Marketing Automation?

Yes, especially if you are looking to save time and be more engaged.

Examples:

• Welcome series once someone subscribes
• Abandoned carts
• Birthday discounts
• Re-engagement campaigns for inactive users
• Tools like MailPoet, Brevo, or ConvertKit allow you to automate these processes.

Can I Spy On My Competitors Email Strategy?

The questions are always: How to check your competitors’ email marketing? or How do you spy on an email marketing strategy?

Quick Tips:

• Subscribe to their email marketing and check the frequency, tone, and design
• Tools like Milled or Mailcharts show you a historical view of their email campaigns.
• Check the ESPs they are using in the footer of their emails (i.e. Mailchimp).

How to Collect Email Addresses for Email Marketing?

Legally and ethically collecting email addresses is very important.

Here are some ways to grow your email list:

Add a sign-up form etc. on your homepage and blog, as well as pop-ups.

• Provide free ebooks, templates, codes, etc.
• Run giveaways or competitions on social media.
• Never: scrape emails or buy lists because they damage your deliverability and trust.

Final Tips Before You Start

• Begin small with a free tool like MailPoet
• Grow your list with lead magnets and pop-ups
• Use automation to free up your time
• Keep your emails human, helpful, and action-driven

FAQs

1. Is email marketing dead?

Not at all. In fact, it’s evolving — automation, segmentation, and AI-powered personalization have made it stronger.

2. How many marketing emails is too many?

• 1–2 per week is usually ideal
• Let subscribers choose frequency during signup

3. How long should a marketing email be?

• 50–125 words is the sweet spot
• Long emails can work if they’re storytelling-driven or include multiple sections

Conclusion

This isn’t about sending out as many emails as you can. It’s about sending the right message, to the right person, at the right time. So regardless of whether you’re an independent retailer, a freelance service provider, a seller of handmade items, or a local gym. Email marketing can help you expand, connect, and convert better than any other platform.

Start small. Be consistent. Track everything. Get better every time.That’s how small businesses get big with email.

Read about: How to Get Seo Clients?