Asking yourself how do I start email marketing for my local business? Learn the five easy steps, tools, and tips any owner can follow to launch high-ROI email campaigns today.
Email is still the easiest, cheapest way to talk to customers. Over 4.5 billion people use email in 2025, and small businesses see returns as high as 4,400 percent. This guide shows local owners exactly how to start email marketing—from setting a goal to sending the first message—using plain language, short steps, and real numbers.
Why email still wins for small business
- Massive reach. Email now connects 4.5 billion users worldwide. That’s more people than any social-media site. OptinMonster
- Big money. Average return is $52 for every $1 spent, making email the top-ROI channel. Mailchimp
- Even bigger for locals. Studies show email delivers a 4,400 % ROI for small companies. Lendio
- High engagement. Automated emails get 52 % higher opens and 2,361 % better conversions than regular blasts. Omnisend
“For more than a decade, email consistently produces excellent results.” — Mailchimp Small-Business Guide Mailchimp
Gear up before you press Send
| What you need | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Goal | Drives what you write and who you send to. Campaign Monitor |
| Email tool | Services like Mailchimp or Constant Contact give templates, automation, and tracking. Lendio |
| Permission-based list | Legal and boosts deliverability. Campaign Monitor |
| Simple plan | Keeps you from stalling and wasting time. |
How do I start email marketing? Step-by-step
1. Set a clear, simple goal
Decide on one win—more store visits, calls, bookings, or repeat sales. Tie that goal to your bigger business targets so every email pushes revenue. Campaign Monitor
2. Pick the right tool
Look for:
- Free tier up to 500–1,000 contacts.
- Drag-and-drop editor.
- Automation triggers (welcome, birthday, abandoned cart).
- Local support chat or phone.
Mailchimp, SendGrid, and Constant Contact tick these boxes for many owners. Lendio
3. Build a permission list
Fast list builders
- Sign-up bar on your website home page.
- QR code at checkout.
- Fishbowl business-card drop for a monthly gift card draw.
Value swaps
- 10 % first-purchase coupon.
- “Tips for saving 10 hours a week” PDF.
Campaign Monitor calls this formula “valuable incentive + simple subscribe opportunity = large list.” Campaign Monitor
4. Create your first email
Subject line
Personalized subjects lift opens 10–14 %. Add the person’s first name or town. Omnisend
Message body (keep it tiny)
- Friendly greeting using their name.
- One helpful idea or offer.
- One button: “Book now,” “Show coupon,” or “Reply with a question.”
Average small-business open rate sits at 42.35 %, while click-to-open is 5.63 %. Aim to beat those numbers. MailerLite
5. Send, measure, improve
| Metric | Good starting benchmark |
|---|---|
| Open rate | >26 % Omnisend |
| Click-to-open | >5.6 % MailerLite |
| Unsubscribes | <0.2 % |
Automate a welcome email first. Shops using welcome automation see up to 40 % of email revenue from that series alone. Omnisend
Quick tips to grow fast
- Mobile first. Half of readers delete non-mobile emails instantly. Use a single-column template. OptinMonster
- Segment. Send different offers to new vs. repeat buyers. This can double click rates. Omnisend
- Test send time. Many Main-Street stores see highest opens 8 – 10 a.m. local time.
- Use one call-to-action. Emails with one button get 371 % more clicks than those with several links. Omnisend
- Clean your list quarterly to remove non-openers and keep deliverability high.
Common pitfalls (and fixes)
- Buying email lists. Hurts reputation and lands you in spam. Build organically instead.
- Sending walls of text. Stick to 100–150 words per email; link out for more.
- Ignoring data. Check your tool’s dashboard after every send, note what worked, and repeat.
Next step
Need hands-on help or want done-for-you campaigns? See the Diffyweb email marketing service for setup, writing, and automation tailored to local businesses.