How to start email marketing and send your first newsletter

Email marketing means sending useful emails to people who've agreed to hear from you, usually customers and website visitors. To start, pick an email tool, add a sign-up form to your website and checkout, offer people a reason to join, and send one simple, useful email a month. Then add automatic emails, like a welcome message, that run on their own.

Email isn't flashy, but you own your list. No algorithm decides who sees your message, and it costs very little per person.

Step 1: Choose an email tool

Don't send marketing emails from your normal Gmail. You'll hit sending limits, you can't track anything, and you risk landing in spam. Use a proper email marketing tool. Most have a free or low-cost plan for small lists.

Plans and limits change, so check each tool's pricing page before you choose.

Step 2: Build your list the right way

Only add people who said yes. Buying email lists gets your emails flagged as spam and damages your sender reputation. Places to collect emails:

• A sign-up box on your website, ideally with a reason to join, like a discount, a guide or early access.
• Your checkout or booking form, with a clear tick box.
• A tablet or sign-up sheet at your shop or event.
• A link in your Instagram bio and WhatsApp Status.

Step 3: Write your first newsletter

Keep it short and about one main thing. A simple structure that works:

1. A subject line that tells people what's inside. "New stock: 5 dresses for December weddings" beats "Our November newsletter".
2. A short opening, one or two lines, written like you'd talk to a customer.
3. The main content: an offer, a tip, a new product or a story.
4. One button with a clear action.
5. A sign-off from a real person, not "The Management".

Send yourself a test first and check it on your phone. Most people will read it there.

Step 4: Set up automations

Automations are emails that send themselves when something happens. You set them up once and they keep working for months.

• Welcome email: sent right after someone joins. Say thanks, deliver what you promised and introduce yourself.
• Abandoned cart: for online stores, a reminder when someone leaves items in their cart.
• Thank you and review request: a few days after a purchase.
• Win-back: to customers who haven't bought in a few months.

Step 5: Track the right numbers

• Open rate tells you whether your subject lines work. Privacy features on some phones make this number less reliable than it used to be, so treat it as a rough guide.
• Click rate tells you whether the content made people want to act.
• Unsubscribes: a few are normal. A lot after one email means it missed the mark.
• Sales or bookings from each email, which is the number that matters most.

How often should you send?

Once a month is a good start for most small businesses. Twice a month works if you have useful things to say. Being consistent matters more than how often you send. If you want to reach people who don't check email, pair it with SMS marketing.

What should you write about?

The question we hear most is "what do I even send?". Rotate between a few types of emails so it never feels like you're only selling:

A good rule: for every email that asks people to buy, send at least one that simply helps them.

How to write a subject line people open

The subject line decides whether your email gets opened, so spend time on it. Be specific and honest about what's inside. Short subject lines often work well on phones. Avoid all capital letters and lots of exclamation marks, which look like spam.

• "New stock: 5 dresses for December weddings"
• "Your free guide to choosing a school uniform"
• "Last day for 10% off"
• "We're opening in Mwanza"

Most tools also let you write preview text, the short line people see next to the subject. Use it to add a second reason to open.

How to keep your emails out of spam

Deliverability means your emails actually reach the inbox. A few things help a lot:

• Send from an email address on your own domain, like info@yourbusiness.co.tz, not a free Gmail address.
• Ask whoever set up your domain to add the email authentication records (SPF, DKIM and DMARC) your email tool asks for.
• Only email people who signed up, and remove addresses that bounce.
• Always include an unsubscribe link and your business address.
• Don't send a huge list a message out of nowhere after months of silence.

Segmenting your list

Segmenting means splitting your list into groups so people get emails that suit them. You can start simple: customers versus people who haven't bought yet, or customers in Dar versus customers elsewhere. An online store might separate people who bought children's clothes from people who bought menswear. More relevant emails get more clicks and fewer unsubscribes.

Email laws and good practice

Treat people's contact details with care. Ask for permission clearly, explain what you'll send, and keep the data secure. Tanzania has a data protection law (the Personal Data Protection Act), and if you email customers in other countries, their local rules may apply too, such as GDPR in Europe. The basics are the same everywhere: get consent, let people unsubscribe easily, and don't share or sell your list. If you're unsure, ask a lawyer about your specific situation.

Testing and improving

Most email tools let you send two versions of a subject line to a small part of your list, then send the winner to everyone else. That's called an A/B test. Try it on your next few emails. Test one thing at a time: subject line, send time, or the main button text. After a few months you'll have a clear idea of what your audience responds to.

Email and WhatsApp together

In Tanzania, many customers check WhatsApp far more often than email. That doesn't make email useless. It's better for longer content, receipts, online stores and business customers, and it's a list you fully own. Use both. Send the full newsletter by email, and a short teaser with the link on WhatsApp Status or a broadcast. Our WhatsApp Business guide covers the WhatsApp side.

Example: an online store's first three emails

Imagine a small online store selling skincare. When someone joins the list through the website pop-up, they get three emails over a week. Email one arrives immediately: thank you, the 10% code they were promised, and a short note from the founder. Email two, three days later: a guide to building a simple routine for different skin types, with links to the right products. Email three, a week later: the most popular products and a reminder that the code expires soon.

Once a month, everyone on the list also gets a newsletter with one tip, one new product and one customer review. Three automated emails and one monthly newsletter is a manageable amount for a small team, and it keeps the store in customers' minds without being pushy.

How long should a marketing email be?

Shorter than you think. Most of your readers are on a phone, reading between other things. Aim for something they can read in under a minute: a headline, two or three short paragraphs, one image if it helps, and one button. If you have more to say, link to a blog post on your website. Longer emails can work for loyal readers who want detail, like a monthly round-up, but keep the most important point at the top either way.

Your plan for this week

1. Choose an email tool and connect it to your domain.
2. Add a sign-up form to your website with a reason to join.
3. Import contacts who have agreed to hear from you.
4. Write and switch on a welcome email.
5. Plan your first monthly newsletter.

Frequently asked questions